Tag: sick

News

December 9, 2020

COVID-19: Resources for Parents and Caregivers

If you are a parent, caregiver, or family member living in Pennsylvania, it’s important to remain calm, prepare, and take precautionary measures to maintain the health and wellbeing of yourself, your family, and the community. Continue reading below for a brief overview of COVID-19 and a list of family and caregiver resources.

 

PA 2.1.1 Southwest

If you require assistance and would like to access an extensive list of family and caregiver resources, please call 2.1.1 or text your zip code to 898.211 to receive text alerts. For more information or to receive support, visit the 2.1.1 website.

PA 2.1.1 Southwest seeks to provide an easy-to-remember phone number and web resource for finding health and human services for everyday needs and in crisis situations, serving the following counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Mercer, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland.

 

An Overview of COVID-19

COVID-19 is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a new coronavirus not previously seen in humans. Because the virus impacts the respiratory system, common symptoms of infection include fever, dry cough, tiredness, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. However, WHO states that some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, and diarrhea. After being infected with COVID-19, individuals generally display mild symptoms that begin gradually, but some people who become infected may not develop any symptoms at all and may feel healthy.

To learn more about COVID-19 and the steps you can take to reduce your family’s risk of infection, read our recent news post. This post also includes information about what to do after infection, information on how it spreads, and links to several other organizations and entities that can provide more information.

Guidance for Pennsylvanians

As of May 31, COVID mitigation orders are lifted in Pennsylvania. The order requiring universal face coverings was lifted statewide on June 28, 2021. The Pennsylvania Department of Health still urges Pennsylvanians to follow CDC guidance on wearing masks where required by law, rules, and regulations, including healthcare, local businesses, and workplace guidance.

Search for Child Care

If your family is in need of child care, visit the Allegheny Child Care website to search for programs in Allegheny County or visit the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services website to search for programs throughout Pennsylvania.

Meals for Children

The Summer Food Service Program distributes free Grab ‘n Go Meals to children at 13 CitiPark and 34 partner locations in Pittsburgh. Meals are available to children up to the age of 18, and to individuals with disabilities up to 21 years old. This program runs from June 11 through August 13, 2021 (dates vary by location). To learn more, visit the program webpage or call 412.571.3291.

 

 

 

Resources

Information about COVID-19

Talking with Children

Prevention

After Infection

Impacts on Child Care, School, and Work

At-Home Activities

Fact Sheets and Guides

Informational Flyers

Recorded Webinars

Mental Health

Receiving Support

Multilingual Resources

Curated Lists

Contacts and Information

More Information

For more information about COVID-19, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or World Health Organization (WHO) websites.

News

April 16, 2020

COVID-19 Support Programs Webinar

Join MomsRising, along with experts from CLASP, National Employment Law Project (NELP), Food Research and Action Council (FRAC), and National Immigration Law Council, on April 21 for “COVID-19 Support Programs Webinar” to learn what you need to know to apply for assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

About

This online webinar will provide information on how to access the new COVID-19 programs recently passed by Congress, including paid sick days, paid family leave, unemployment insurance, and nutrition assistance. Presenters will also discuss the impacts of these programs on immigrant families. The webinar will take place on Zoom and will include both Spanish and English language options.

Registration

To register, please visit the event webpage. If you are unable to attend the day of the event, a recording of the webinar and a resource page will be sent out as well after the conclusion of the event.

News

March 3, 2020

Managing Infectious Diseases in Early Education and Child Care Settings

Join the national American Academy of Pediatrics on March 11 for a one-hour webinar to learn more about two new tools that help professionals meet national early education and child care training requirements for managing infectious diseases.

Included Topics

Participants will learn about the following:

    • the important role managing infectious diseases training plays in early childhood settings;
    • a free, new online managing infectious diseases module for any early learning provider;
    • a free, fully downloadable managing infectious diseases training curriculum that can be tailored for your audience’s needs; and
    • training tips that can help you share information about managing infectious diseases with your early care and education community.

Registration

To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.

More Information

For more information, contact Eleni Victoria at evictoria@aap.org.

News

December 3, 2019

Preventing the Flu with Young Children

Did you know that “children younger than five, but especially children younger than two years old and children with chronic health conditions, are at a greater risk for serious flu complications?” If so, you probably know how important it is to understand the signs and symptoms of influenza (flu), as the infection can cause “mild to severe illness, pneumonia, and other complications.” To best care for your young child this flu season, consider implementing the following best practices provided by HealthyChildren.org.

What is the flu?

HealthyChildren.org states that the flu “is an infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by the influenza virus.” As caregivers of young children, it’s important to catch flu symptoms early and implement proper treatment. While most people will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, some individuals, especially young children, have an increased risk of flu-related complications, some of which may result in hospital stays or could be life-threatening. Some complications include pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus and ear infections.

Flu Symptoms

If your child has the flu, they may exhibit some of the following symptoms:

    • fever
    • cough
    • sore throat
    • runny or stuffy nose
    • body aches
    • headache
    • chills
    • fatigue
    • vomiting
    • diarrhea

Please note that “some people sick with the flu may not have a fever.”

Best Practices to Avoid the Flu

To protect your child against the flu, consider implementing the following best practices:

    • Make sure your child (age six months or older) receives a flu vaccine every year. This is the most important thing you can do to protect your child against the virus. Children younger than six months are at a high risk of serious flu illness, however, they are too young to be vaccinated. Because of this, caregivers of the young child should be vaccinated instead in order to protect them. For pregnant individuals, receiving a vaccination while pregnant is encouraged, as “the antibody produced in response to the vaccine also offers protection to the developing baby.” Talk with your doctor to discuss the flu vaccine and how many doses are recommended for you and your child.
    • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
    • Wash hands often with soap and running water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if water and soap are unavailable.
    • Encourage your child to avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth and encourage them to use a tissue or elbow to cough or sneeze into.
    • Keep surfaces in the house and toys clean using household disinfectants according to the directions on the product label.
    • Have a plan in case your child becomes sick with the flu.

What to Do if Your Child is Sick

If your child is exhibiting flu-like symptoms,

    • call or take your child to the doctor;
    • keep your child at home until they no longer have a fever for at least 24 hours and are feeling like themselves (excluding doctor visits);
    • make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks fluids to avoid becoming dehydrated;
    • ask your doctor about fever-reducing medicines if such medicines are necessary;
    • keep your child in a separate room (sick room) in the house and limit as much contact as possible with other members of the household who are not sick;
    • make one person in the house the main caregiver of the sick child;
    • and, if possible, avoid having a pregnant person as the main caregiver of the sick child.

A child should not go back to school, pre-kindergarten, or their child care program until their fever (101° F/38.3° C or greater) has been gone for at least 24 hours without the assistance of fever-reducing medicines. With this, it’s recommended to ask your child’s school or child care provider what their plan is for the flu season. Let them know if your child is at high-risk for flu-related problems.

More Information

For more information on prevention and best practices, visit HealthyChildren.org.

*Information provided by HealthyChildren.org

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