Archive for coronavirus
Improving treatment process so kids can return to sports after COVID-19
Children can’t wait for the next game, the next tournament. Sports means many things to them, including an escape from the uncertainty and stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ensuring that kids can return to sports and resume other types of competitive activities after recovering from COVID-19 has become a priority for parents, coaches, and physicians ... Read More
COVID vaccines are here for kids ages 5 to 11. Here’s what families should know.
On November 2, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) signed off on the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to help prevent COVID-19 in children ages 5 to 11. What does this mean for your child? We’ve got answers. Why is it important to vaccinate kids against COVID-19? Although most children have ... Read More
The great mask debate: how to deal with bullying over face masks in school
As the war against COVID-19 rages on, so do the battles about the best ways to stop the spread. And, as some families are finding, these battles include backlash over the decision of whether to send their children to school in masks. “Like many aspects of the pandemic, masks have become a polarizing issue, and ... Read More
What makes the Delta variant of COVID-19 so contagious?
The Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 has swept the planet, becoming the dominant variant within just a few months. A new study from Boston Children’s Hospital, published in Science, explains why Delta spreads so easily and infects people so quickly. It also suggests a more targeted strategy for developing next-generation COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Last spring, ... Read More
New research NETs a fresh angle for treating severe inflammation
As we’ve seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, serious infections sometimes trigger an excessive inflammatory reaction that does as much harm — or more — than the infection itself. New research at Boston Children’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital suggests a potential way to block this hyperinflammation response by repurposing or modifying an existing drug. ... Read More
Two for one: It’s safe to get COVID and flu vaccines at the same time
Flu season last year was rather forgettable because it didn’t really happen. With more families largely staying home, the virus had few opportunities to spread. But the downside of extended sheltering at home is that many people now have lower immunity to the flu than at the start of most flu seasons. With the COVID-19 ... Read More
Keeping kids emotionally healthy during COVID-19
Children and teens have suffered immensely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Changing school and family routines, isolation at home, illness or loss of a family member, stressed parents, and fear of the virus itself have hit kids hard. And sadly, the pandemic continues with the rise of new COVID-19 variants. Pediatric practices can play a role ... Read More
Covid variants 101: What parents should know
First came Alpha, then Beta. It’s all about Delta right now, but Mu is already making headlines. You almost can’t keep track of COVID-19 variants without a scorecard. And as a parent striving to protect your family, this seemingly endless parade of variants may have you concerned about what’s next. We asked three infectious disease ... Read More
Navigating friendships and vaccines
With kids finally back at school and other activities after more than a year, many families now find themselves facing yet another chapter of the COVID-19 pandemic: contending with those who don’t share their views on getting vaccinated. We spoke with Erica Lee, a psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston Children’s Hospital, about navigating ... Read More
Losing a parent or caregiver to COVID-19: Advice for families
Ed. note: This story was updated on October 7 with new data on COVID-19 deaths. A recent international study estimated that at least 104,884 U.S. children lost one or both parents to COVID-19. And that was as of April 20, 2021, before the highly contagious Delta variant became widespread. A more detailed study of U.S. deaths ... Read More