The Omicron variant of COVID is a cause of concern. According to WHO, it has numerous mutations to date. However, considerable uncertainty regarding Omicron is there, and several types of research are underway to evaluate its transmissivity, severity, and reinfection risk.

Preventing your little one from catching a virus is the need of the hour. Dr Sarika Husain, a board-certified Private Paediatric Respiratory Physician in UK, shared her tips to deal with the new Corona virus variant.

The common cold is very common and gets your kid eight to twelve colds a year. As of now, patients affected with Omicron variants are not complaining about the severity of complications, stuffy nose, fever, smell or taste loss like earlier. Symptoms are quite akin to the common cold with mild body aches. However, if it takes time to heal, get your RTPCR done without negligence.

Following are the ten tips to survive the omicron virus.

1. Vaccination

Vaccination may not help prevent you from catching the virus, but it can decrease the severity of the disease and reduce hospitalisation. Getting two doses of the vaccine on time is therefore crucial for parents. Planning is there about booster doses to contain the spread of the omicron variant.

2. Sanitising smartly

Paediatricians at Manchester Child Lung Clinic make you aware of the importance of on-the-go options. According to her, nothing can replace soap and water. Hand sanitiser is extremely convenient. While choosing a hand sanitiser, be careful about one which contains at least seventy per cent alcohol.

3. Use a mask and tissue.

All of us are conscious of the mainstay of things like washing hands and covering our cough. You need to remind the kids to wash their hands while leaving the bathroom, before taking their food, while coming back from being outside and after sneezing, etc.

As of now, only one death in the UK has been reported due to Omicron but, it’s not time to let go of the guard. Keep using triple layer cloth masks or surgical masks whenever you go out.

4. Physical Distancing

Things like avoiding social gatherings, crowded areas, and practising physical distancing should be followed religiously.

 5. Checking fever

Knowing what to look for is important. Remember, your kid can be sick with or without a fever. In case they are running a temp, do check whether the fever is going away on its own or with proper dosing of ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Contact the paediatrician if your kid’s fever does not persist beyond 3 to 5 days or does not go down with the appropriate dosing of antipyretic medications.

6. Remaining hydrated

If your little munchkin is sick, there’s a high chance they will not want to eat. Closely monitor their hydration rather than focusing on appetite. Your child can get tired if they don’t get enough hydrating fluids. They lose energy and fall sick faster.

7. Staying energised

Parents are aware of the children’s energy levels. When they’re sick but still playing, it implies they’re fighting the virus off well. But when they’re lethargic and having complications waking from a nap, that’s the time, it becomes worrisome.

8. Checking for retractions

You may have heard of contractions, but not about retractions. When your child is struggling to get air in, but you can find their muscles working – this is known as retractions.

The symptoms of retractions include their belly popping in and out, their clavicles poking in and out, or the muscles in between their rib cage pulling in and out. When you notice your retraction in your kid’s breathing, it could be a sign of struggling to get air. For such symptoms, consult your paediatrician.

9. Picking the right medicine

Proper medicine could be a game-changer. You need to focus on what you’re trying to treat. While using cough syrup, make sure that you are giving your child medication that is FDA approved for their age. Get a cough medicine that covers the symptoms like cough, runny nose, and nighttime relief.

Doctors provide multi-symptom treatment and 12-hour cough relief for kids. Some kids are sensitive or allergic. No matter your child has a cold, cough, or chest congestion, paediatricians help relieve their symptoms; as a result, the little ones feel better.

The snot still stays, no matter how many times they blow their nose. Saline helps you clear the nasal passages by loosening the mucus and helping them to breathe a little easier. Dr. suggests using saline nasal drops and suctioning a saline spray after bath time. As per Chest infection specialist Manchester, suctioning a spray helps prevent a post-nasal drip that causes middle-of-the-night cough. Warm milk with honey, ginger tea, fruit juice should be included in your diet.

While protecting them, you must not forget about the precautions you need as well. Take extra care when you have older people at home or persons suffering from any comorbidity.

10. Keeping it contained

Multiple sick kids are a matter of worry than a single one. The best thing you can do is to ensure that your kid, if sick, stays in a private room. The Private Respiratory Paediatrician suggests designating his bathroom apart from other kids and barring him from sharing utensils, toys, and anything else for a few days.

However, never delay consulting a paediatrician when you feel it’s time to.

As a parent, it’s hard to know if it’s just the sniffles or potentially something more severe. You must consult a paediatrician before you decide to go somewhere. Your paediatrician can help you determine whom to contact or where to go next whenever necessary. They help your little one get the care level they need.

Respiratory Paediatrician in Manchester offers a wide spectrum of services for young children, including non-acute, acute and sick ones. Choose one with well-care visits, minor procedures, physical examinations, and minor procedures.

Symptoms of Normal Pneumonia

According to the Pneumonia specialist Manchester, the symptoms could be

• Chest pain with coughing and respiratory issues
• Sweating, chills, and fever
• Dry cough with sputum
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea, diarrhoea, and regurgitation
• Loss of appetite
• Irritability and fatigue

Precautions to take

Abstaining from smoke exposure, good hygienic practices, vaccination, and practising a healthy lifestyle accompanied with a well-nourished diet, adequate sleep, and routine exercise are effective to curb ailments like Pneumonia.

Advanced treatment, modern antibiotics treat your children effectively. Complications may arise when sepsis drives organ failure. The pneumonia specialists perform oxygen therapy and surgery to remove the pus. Although fatality in Pneumonia is an international problem, the case rate is much higher in developed countries.

Common Facts regarding Chest Infection

Wet cough is a more severe problem than dry cough. Cough produces phlegm. As per the British Thoracic Society, wheezing is a widespread childhood respiratory indication with ‘a continuous high-pitched musical sound coming from the chest’.

As per the prediction of the chest infection specialist Manchester, the underlying cause depends on the onset, characteristics, nature, and frequencies of your kid’s cough. Most coughs get cured within three weeks without any treatment. Consult a doctor to investigate the cause when your symptoms persist for long.

The new omicron variant of corona virus is a cause of worry. As a parent, you need to prevent your little one from catching the virus. Don’t delay consulting the respiratory paediatrician in Manchester when you notice any symptoms of it.