No panic in children as Omicron is mild, says expert

Shalini Bhardwaj was written by Shalini Bhardwaj

New Delhi India January 18, ANI As the third wave of the COVID epidemic raises concerns of infection among children, an expert has suggested that there is no need to panic as the Omicron, Variant of Concern, is mild, but has asked to avoid unnecessary medications and radiation exposure.

Professor Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director and Senior Pediatrician, is of the opinion that children do not need X rays or radiations.

It's not necessary that parents ask us for D dimers and CRP. Children do not need X rays. They don't need CT scans. We don't want to expose children to radiation. He said that we don't want to expose children to radiation.

Dr Sibal said that Omicron is mild and children get better by the fourth day.

What we know in terms of Omicron is that children tend to get a very mild infection. They get a bit of fever that can go up to 103 degrees Celsius. He said that the child may have an inch in the throat, irritation, cough, nasal blockage or some kids may develop nausea, because of the fact that the fever starts to settle by the third day or the fourth day.

Some kids develop body aches and weakness. That's really what we are seeing.

Omicron is mild and children get better by the fourth day, but those with comorbidities need to be very careful, according to Sibal.

When there are predisposing conditions like cancer or kidney failure or liver failure, other underlying conditions have to be more careful and more watchful in order to make sure that we don't miss anything else. In that scenario, more intense monitoring is needed, he added.

The doctor advised that the best thing to do in case a child tests positive for COVID is to get in touch with a paediatrician. He said that the paediatrician will decide on a case-to-case basis if investigations are needed and what should be the treatment plan.