Thanks to Leah Campbell and Forbes for asking me to contribute to this piece on navigating routine childhood illnesses in COVID times.
We are all a LOT more aware of the risks of sniffles and out of practice with triaging an everyday illness from COVID-19. As parents, we need the childcare and want to maximize the time our children spend in developmentally enriching spaces like camps and school.
But when we see signs of an childhood illness like fever, runny nose, cough, sore throat or upset stomach. We have to take it seriously. Keep the kids home and get a test. Ask a doctor for advice when it’s borderline.
The most challenging part of this is that we feel uncertain, particularly because testing has limitations too. Some of this is outside of our control and the consequences are high, but we just do our best. It’s like riding a bike.
