Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update for Parents

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a newly identified coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. It has been diagnosed in multiple locations worldwide and has received widespread attention from public health authorities and the news media. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, human coronaviruses are common throughout the world and usually cause mild to moderate illness in people. This new virus is a public health concern because:                                                                    

• It is newly identified, so much is still unknown about it.
• Two other human coronaviruses, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, have caused severe illness.

According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus. They include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Body aches
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell
• Other less common symptoms have been reported, including gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Illness due to COVID-19 infection is generally mild, especially for children and young adults. People who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to isolate at home during their illness. You should restrict activities outside your home, except for getting medical care.

Seek prompt medical attention if your illness is worsening (e.g., difficulty breathing).

Before seeking care, call your healthcare provider and tell them that you have, or are being evaluated for, COVID-19.

If your child is experiencing life-threatening symptoms, please call 911.

Stay at home and away from others if your child is sick. In many cases, COVID-19 can be managed without emergency care. However, if your child’s symptoms are severe and you are in an emergency situation, call 911 or go to your local emergency room.

COVID-19 Hotline:

The Michigan Medicine COVID-19 Hotline is available for established Michigan Medicine patients for questions about symptoms, home management, whether medical treatment is required and what specific steps you should follow to receive care or testing. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, only for patients and employees of Michigan Medicine. Call the hotline at 734-763-6336.

E-Visits and Video Visits:

Michigan Medicine providers are expanding access to E-Visits and Video Visits to allow existing patients to be evaluated for symptoms of COVID-19.

COVID-19 testing: 

If it is determined that your child should get tested for COVID-19, you may be directed to one of three curbside testing locations Michigan Medicine has set up. Please note that curbside testing is only available to patients with a referral from the Michigan Medicine hotline or a Michigan Medicine health provider.

Patient-Specific Guidelines for COVID-19

Many of our specialty clinics have developed COVID-19 guidelines for their patients with medical conditions. Visit our COVID-19 Patient-Specific Guidelines page to view these guidelines organized by category.

New reports suggest that a rare and potentially fatal inflammatory disease linked to the novel coronavirus is afflicting a small number of kids. Pediatric health experts are closely monitoring new data, emphasizing that while parents should learn about the new condition and know the symptoms – they also shouldn’t panic.     
Read more about the new syndrome here

If you are not in an emergency situation, the best thing to do is to keep your child at home. In many cases, COVID-19 can be managed without emergency care. However, if your symptoms are severe and you are in an emergency situation, call 911 or go to your local emergency room.

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) says health experts are still learning about how this new coronavirus spreads. Other coronaviruses spread from an infected person to others through:                                                                                  

• The air by coughing and sneezing
• Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands
• Touching an object or surface with the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes
• In rare cases, contact with feces

If you or your child is ill, stay home and rest. Here are other everyday actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:                                                                                                            

• Adults and children over the age of 2 should wear a cloth face cover or mask to cover your mouth and nose when you’re out in public.
• Adults and children should wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. (Check out our video: "Wash Your Hands: Fight Germs with the University of Michigan Fight Song")
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Keep your child or other family members home if they are sick.
• If you haven’t done so, it’s not too late to get a flu vaccine.
• Watch the video: "Wash Your Hands: Fight Germs with the University of Michigan Fight Song"

Visit our COVID-19 Patient-Specific Guidelines page to view or download information for patients with specific conditions or who are being treated at certain Michigan Medicine clinics. This page will be update as we learn more about the disease.

In partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Asthma Program, pulmonologists from Michigan Medicine address wearing a face mask for people with asthma or other severe lung disease in this handout.

Mott pediatric providers, surgical specialists and educational specialists came together to provide information and guidelines to review when considering if a child with an underlying medical condition should attend school in-person. You can find the information in this handout

There are currently no tested therapies proven to prevent or treat COVID-19. Treatments are instead focused on supporting the patient and managing symptoms, helping the patient to breathe, and allowing the body to fight the infection and heal. University of Michigan faculty are closely monitoring a number of potential treatments in development around the world, including several therapies currently being investigated here at Michigan Medicine.
For more information, read Chloroquine, Ibuprofen and Beyond: Doctors Discuss Latest Treatments, and Treatment Rumors, For COVID-19 on the Michigan Medicine Health Lab blog.

We are providing additional guidance for patients with specific medical conditions or in certain categories. Visit our COVID-19 Patient-Specific Guidelines page on uofmhealth.org to view coronavirus prevention information developed for you.

According to the CDC and WHO, people at higher risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 include older adults over 60 and people who have serious chronic medical conditions like:                                                                                    

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Lung disease
• Cancer
• People with compromised immune systems

People with compromised immune systems include those:

• With primary or acquired immunodeficiency
• On anti-rejection therapy following organ or bone marrow transplant
• On biologic therapeutic agents
• With malignant cancers or receiving or who have recently received chemotherapy
• Receiving systemic immunosuppressive therapy, including corticosteroids equivalent to 20 mg a day of prednisone for 2 weeks or longer

If you are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19, watch closely for symptoms and emergency warning signs. If you feel like you are developing symptoms, call your doctor immediately.

Get medical attention immediately if you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19, including:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to arouse
• Blue-colored lips or face

This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

Visit our COVID-19 Patient-Specific Guidelines page to view or download information for patients with specific conditions or who are being treated at certain Michigan Medicine clinics. This page will be updated as we learn more about the disease.

Beginning Monday, March 8, the State of Michigan has also expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include caregiver family members and guardians (age 16 and over) of children with special health care needs. As defined by the State of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, this can include physical, developmental, mental, sensory, behavioral, cognitive, or emotional impairment or limiting condition that requires medical management, health care intervention and/or use of specialized services or programs. The condition may be congenital, developmental, or acquired through disease, trauma, or environmental cause and may impose limitations in performing daily self-maintenance activities or substantial limitations in a major life activity.         

Parents and adult caregivers of children age 21 and younger who have special health care needs and receive care from C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital providers — including our off-site outpatient clinics — can request an invitation to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment with Michigan Medicine. For more information and to register, visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Request for Parents and Caregivers page.

Given the large increase in the number of people who are now eligible for vaccination, and the limited vaccine supply available to Michigan Medicine, we strongly encourage parents of children with special care needs to check with local health departments and retail pharmacies in your area about vaccination options. VaccineMI.com, your local health department website, and the State of Michigan’s COVID-19 vaccine website are great resources to find vaccine providers in your area.

Key guidance on enrolling kids in sports during the pandemic and how to handle returning after a COVID-19 diagnosis are covered in this blog.

Michigan Medicine providers are expanding access to E-Visits and Video Visits to allow existing patients to continue receiving regular care during the COVID-19 pandemic.                       
Provider offices are contacting some patients to transition scheduled appointments to an E-Visit format, and some new appointment requests may also be scheduled as Video Visits.Contact your clinic with other questions about appointments, or visit our Virtual Care page to determine if an E-Visit or Video Visit could help you avoid the need to visit a clinic.                                                              

By donating to our COVID-19 Philanthropic Fund or Michigan Medicine Employee Emergency Need Fund, making food or other in-kind donations, or participating in #FitfortheFrontLine national fitness challenge, you can help accelerate our efforts to positively impact the course of the pandemic in Michigan, the nation, and the world. Visit the Support Our COVID-19 Response page for more information about how to give.