Forget about colorful leaves. Every parent knows that the real sign of fall is when children are sick, such as: cough, sneeze and snorts.
Autumn is the beginning of respiratory virus season, and colds are common. influenza and other bugs It is starting to become more widespread, especially among very young people.
Recent research confirms what many families intuitively know. This means that the smallest students carry the most bacteria.
According to the study, preschoolers and elementary school children had the highest virus detection rates compared to older students and staff. Published research Published in a pediatric journal.
“Young children can be infected with up to 10 different respiratory viruses a year, as their immune systems are exposed to a variety of infections for the first time,” said study co-leader Dr. Jennifer Goldman, a pediatrician at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri.
Younger children were more likely to have the virus detected.
Goldman and colleagues analyzed nasal swabs and symptom reports from more than 800 students and staff in a large Kansas City school district from November 2022 to May 2023.
The researchers found that, overall, more than 85% of all participants had at least one respiratory virus detected during that period, and more than 80% experienced an episode of acute respiratory illness. However, not necessarily at the same time.
Further, 92% of preschool and elementary school students had the virus detected, compared to about 86% of middle school students, 77% of high school students, and 76% of staff.
This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, which focuses on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Hope you are well.
The study also found that preschool children aged 3 to 5 years had the highest actual rates of illness.
Most of the viruses were types that cause the common cold, including rhinoviruses, which were found in 65% of participants, and seasonal coronavirus types, which were detected in about 30%. The virus that causes COVID-19 was found in about 15% of those surveyed.
Research supports the experience of pediatrician parents
Goldman said the new study provides fundamental findings about the burden of the virus in school settings.
It’s also backed by the lived experience of pediatrician parents like Dr. Nicole Torres of the University of Miami Health System.
“I can tell you that my children, who are now teenagers, were much sicker when they were younger,” she says.
The study is also consistent with older research showing that young children play an important role in spreading respiratory viruses within the household. Dr. Carrie Bynton is a co-author of the following books: University of Utah research; The report, published in 2015, recruited 26 households and took nasal samples from everyone living in the house every week for a year.
Byington, who now works at the University of California, San Diego, recalled that the study found that the virus was detected in children under 5 in half the weeks of the year.
“And if you live in a household with multiple children, that rate is even higher, and it can seem as if someone is always sick,” she said.
How to prevent disease, or at least try to do so
disease prevention Children’s lives at school and at home can be challenging, experts agree.
They said it’s important to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations. So is washing your hands frequently, learning how to cover your cough, and keeping your hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and objects and optimizing fresh air are also important.
When a young child becomes ill, the best treatment is often symptomatic treatment, such as hydration and rest. In severe cases, your health care provider may recommend fever-reducing or antiviral drugs.
However, if symptoms such as cough persist, it may take several weeks to completely resolve. By then, the child may catch another cold.
“I tell parents of younger children to be prepared to get sick every month or every six months,” Torres said. “It would seem that way.”
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. AP is solely responsible for all content.
