SAN ANTONIO — Amid concerns about novel coronavirus, a lot of parents have questions about what it is and isn't safe to do with children. KENS 5 took some questions to UT Health San Antonio Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Dr. Rachel Pearson. Here's the insight she shared.
Is it still safe for kids to play outside?
Kids need to be outside to be healthy. They need exercise and sunshine, so having your kids in the yard, having your kids bicycling around the block, taking them for a hike, all of that is safe- you just want to try to keep a distance of six feet between yourselves and other family groups.
Should I be concerned about siblings spending time together?
It’s not practical in the home to try to keep kids who live together apart. Kids in the same family can keep interacting. We just recommend that in the home, do lots of handwashing and you want to regularly clean high touch surfaces like doorknobs, countertops, any hard surfaces they touch every day.
How much active playtime do my kids need?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that every kid gets exercise every day. For their emotional well being and their physical health. In this time of social distancing, it’s especially important for parents to focus on kids’ overall health, as well as preventing the virus. Getting them outside to exercise will help your kids cope with having to stay home and having to have routines disrupted.
Is it safe for kids to play on playground equipment, or use the swimming pool?
The best outdoor space for kids to go to is an open space, like a field in a park or a backyard. Shared playspaces like playgrounds should be thought of as high touch surfaces which are tough to keep clean kid after kid, so the best and safest thing is to take your kid somewhere they can run around on their own.
Any advice for talking with my children about coronavirus?
Parents should know that their kids need love, care and reassurance. Kids are scared just like everybody else, they want to talk to you about the coronavirus, they may have questions. When you talk to your kids about coronavirus, reassure them that you are going to keep them safe and that adults and doctors are working very hard to keep all kids and families safe.
Can children catch coronavirus?
So far, research shows that kids are less likely than adults to get severely or critically ill from coronavirus. However, that doesn’t mean kids can’t get sick from it. Some kids who get coronavirus will need hospital care. So even though kids are at less risk of dying or having to be in an ICU compared to adults, we still need to do everything we can to prevent them from getting sick.