COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Symptoms can range from mild (or even no symptoms) to severe. Adults and older people with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease are more likely to develop serious illness, while children tend to develop milder illness. Researchers are learning more and more about how to prevent and treat COVID-19 every day.
The symptoms of COVID-19 are different for everyone but may include:
For some people, the symptoms may feel like a bad cold or flu. Others, especially adults with other health conditions, may have severe respiratory symptoms that could progress to pneumonia. Some patients require hospitalization and breathing assistance.
In addition, if your child exhibits any of the symptoms that could be related to multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (see below), always call your pediatrician.
Learn more about COVID-19 symptoms.
The majority of children with COVID-19 tend to have milder symptoms. However, there have recently been some reports of a rare but serious illnesses in children called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). This illness looks similar to a syndrome called Kawasaki disease and is believed to be related to COVID-19.
To help slow the spread, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is asking everyone to take some important steps, including:
The new coronavirus outbreak is a rapidly changing situation. The CDC COVID-19 website offers the most up-to-date information.
The New York State Health Department website also has state-specific information about COVID-19 and links to many helpful resources for families. For specific questions about your child, contact your doctor's office.
During this challenging time, children and parents may be feeling a lot of stress. Learn how to cope with the stresses caused by changes to your daily routine, worries about your health and well-being, and worries about the health of family members. Learn more here!
Want to learn more about COVID-19? Watch a recording of one of our free parent webinar sessions!
COVID-19 - Information for Parents (from May 13, 2020)
COVID-19 - Information for Parents #2 (from June 11, 2020)
Mental Health (from July 7, 2020)
Staying Healthy this Fall (from August 31, 2020)
We want you to know that our offices at Boston Children’s Health Physicians are safe and ready to care for you and your family.
Many families would like to know if their child has been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19. Antibody testing, also called serology testing, is a simple blood test that can determine if antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 are present in the blood. Antibodies develop usually weeks after the body has been exposed to the virus so antibody testing is not a test for active infection.
Although antibody tests are currently available through many commercial laboratories, at this time BCHP does not recommend routine antibody testing for all patients. There are a number of reasons for this decision, including:
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children is a serious illness related to COVID-19 that has been seen in a small number of children. It affects a number of organs, including the heart, lungs, brain, kidneys, gastrointestinal system, skin, and eyes.
Boston Children’s Hospital is leading a study to learn more about how COVID-19 affects children.