HEALTH GUIDE
The Rise in Kids Illnesses As COVID safety guidelines loosen, common colds and infections are back. Here’s what to look out for and how to boost kids’ immunity. BY GINA LAMB-AMATO, M.D.
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ince the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, common childhood viral infections were, until recently, seen at a much lower rate in the pediatric population. COVID-19 preventive measures like lockdowns, mask-wearing, social distancing, staying inside, and cleaning surfaces at an increased frequency, prevented common respiratory and gastrointestinal viral infections from spreading in children. Now that children, for the most part, are not in lockdown and the above COVID-19 preventive protocols have become more universally relaxed in the U.S., pediatricians are seeing an uptick in respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases.
WHAT’S GOING AROUND?
RSV infections, which cause respiratory and pneumonia illnesses in babies younger than 1, started being diagnosed this spring and summer and continue to be a threat. Before the pandemic, RSV was mainly seen in the winter months. During the pandemic lockdown, RSV and other viruses including influenza A, influenza B, norovirus (aka the stomach bug), and parainfluenza (a virus that causes colds, bronchitis, and other illnesses) were at much lower levels than pre-pandemic lockdown.
DECREASED IMMUNITY
Children’s social and school life were extremely restricted when schools, preschools, nursery schools, and day care programs were shut down. Normally, babies and children
30 November 2021 • siparent.com
develop their immune system by being exposed to viruses, bacteria, funguses, and other microbes. When babies and young children play in the dirt with other kids, they are exposed to microbes, which helps them develop and regulate their immune systems. They further develop immunities to different childhood diseases when they enter school or a day care setting. The lockdown’s strict hygiene protocols, along with being kept at home, prevented children from exposure to microbes and the opportunity to develop their immune systems. Since very young children have not been exposed to non-COVID-19 infectious diseases like colds and the flu, they have not developed and increased antibodies to these illnesses. Therefore, children do not have the strong immune system that they would have normally developed. Now that kids are returning to school, they are at risk for having decreased immunity to pediatric infectious diseases. Another reason for decreased immunity is that many kids did not get the immunizations they needed during the pandemic lockdown.
IMMUNITY BOOSTERS
There are many ways to boost your child’s immune system, from diet choices to encouraging a healthy lifestyle. Breast is Best: For newborns, breast-feed if you’re able. There is colostrum in breast milk, which helps build your baby’s immunity.
