Precautions & Guidelines with Dr. Cevey: COVID-19 Diagnosed

Once diagnosed, the positive individual should be isolated as completely as possible from the rest of the family. Keeping them isolated from any common areas of the home is best. If this isn't possible given the age of the patient, consider having the well individuals don masks whenever around the patient or in common areas.

Rest assured that most pediatric patients do fine and will not need hospitalization or even any prescriptions. For most patients, treatment is symptomatic only, as recommended under the FAQs section of the website:
-the "Fevers" article for management of fever,
-the "Colds and Flu" article for guidance on respiratory symptoms, and
-the "Stomach Viruses" article for guidance on GI symptoms.

If your child has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and has any of the following symptoms, he/she may need more urgent medical attention:
-labored breathing
-bluish lips or face
-confusion
-persistent chest pain or pressure
-inability to talk or be roused

There were two monoclonal antibodies that were approved in Dec 2021 for use in pediatric patients, but because of their inefficacy against the omicron variant that is now causing most cases, the FDA is disallowing their use at all. The only monoclonal antibody now allowed is approved only for those 12 yrs and older with risk factors that may lead to progression to severe COVID illness.