Month: July 2020

Keeping your child healthy during the current COVID-19 outbreak has two key elements. Firstly, there is protecting your child as much as possible from contracting the virus and should they catch it, caring for them appropriately. Secondly, and arguably equally important, is the need for your child to retain a semblance of normality in their life as they may have been stuck in the home, had little contact with friends and other family and, of course, not been attending school. At Kidz Village, we do all we can to address these two points and have written this article to give you as many facts as possible as well as offering practical advice. It includes keeping your child healthy, both physically and mentally. What is COVID-19, and what are its symptoms? COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in Q4 of 2019 and is a new strain of coronavirus. Coronaviruses are relatively common and include some forms of the common cold as well as the more severe SARS virus. For most people, it is a relatively minor infection with some sufferers even being asymptomatic. However, in a small percentage of cases, it can prove fatal. Those who have pre-existing medical conditions or over the age of 65 are at most risk of developing more acute and severe symptoms. The symptoms include a high temperature, a new dry and persistent cough, loss of taste or smell along with being unusually short of breath. It is thought that at the start of the outbreak, most people mistakenly thought they had a common cold or influenza. Unfortunately, this facilitated the spread of the virus, which is known to be extremely contagious. How is COVID-19 spread? The virus is spread from person to person via respiratory droplets which may be in the air or on hard surfaces where it can remain present for several days. The most common way for the virus to enter your body is when you touch your mouth, nose or eyes after your hands have come into contact with the virus. Using an alcohol-based hand wash as well as washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds is the best way to minimise your risk. Teaching good practices to your children You should always teach your child good practices, but it is essential during a global pandemic. You should make time to teach and reinforce actions that they can take to reduce the risk of contracting or spreading the virus. This could include: Being a good role model and taking care to wash your own hands while teaching your child to do the same. You should show them how to correctly wash their hands and even put a clock near the basin so that they can time 20 seconds. Remember, younger children will have little concept of time. (Singing a song that lasts approximately 20 seconds is a good routine to establish with toddlers). Show your children how to social distance and the importance of keeping a safe distance from others. However, try to stay in contact with these people frequently via video calls on apps such as Skype or Zoom. Be a good role model and set a good example when it comes to being considerate towards others. Of course, this is something which you would normally do, but now is an excellent time to reinforce this. Maintaining social connections As we have already touched upon, maintaining social distancing is crucial when it comes to containing the spread of the pandemic. However, it is vital that children maintain contact with their friends and family. Video chats are the best way of doing this, although it is possible to meet at a safe social distance. Parents should be aware that this may be hard for younger children, but those in their teens should be able to understand the need to maintain to distance and respecting another person’s personal space. Staying active Throughout the pandemic, it has been possible to go outside during the daytime. Children should be encouraged to play outdoors in shaded areas as this is good for them both physically and mentally. You could also promote some indoor activities such as dancing or aerobics if this is something that they enjoy. This will likely improve their behaviour and help them to remain some focus. Overcoming boredom is a significant factor for parents and children alike. Being aware of your child’s emotional wellbeing Children will respond to stress and different ways, and just like adults, some will be better at adapting than others. As a parent, you must be aware of any signs that your child is becoming distressed. Some children will tell their parents, while others may not understand and be unaware of how to communicate their feelings. Common warning signs include: Becoming visibly more worried, anxious or sad Developing unhealthy eating habits, perhaps eating too little or too much, eating unhealthy or sugary foods, or playing with their food Sleeping issues which could include insomnia, nightmares or bedwetting Difficulty keeping their attention and concentration as well as general bad behaviour Giving your child enough attention  It is vital now more than ever that your child receives the attention that they need to develop. This can be challenging for parents, especially if they are working, and we are fully aware that in normal circumstances, they would be in school. However, children need attention and can develop behavioural problems is they don’t get enough. You could try to incorporate online learning into their day, which will increase their interactions with others. Did you find our article interesting? We hope that this article has helped give you some ideas about keeping your child healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. At Kidz Village, we will always update parents on the current status as and when we have it. Our acclaimed International School in Bangkok strives to provide the ideal environment to promote learning. For more information, please call us on +66 2888 3337 and we will be happy to answer any questions that you may

The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of our lives and has brought disruption to families around the world. As a parent, you will want to do all you can to protect your children from the virus. However, as COVID-19 is a new form of coronavirus, very little is known about the infection with experts and medical professionals discovering new things almost every day. Obviously, your child’s schooling also needs to be taken into consideration, so we have prepared this brief guide containing information that you as a parent, need to know. What is COVID-19? COVID-19 is a novel virus and is a new strain of the coronavirus. Coronaviruses aren’t anything new; indeed they have been linked with some forms of common cold and the more serious Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The new strain was first identified in Wuhan, China in late 2019, and its name is derived from CO – meaning corona, VI – meaning virus and D – meaning disease. 19 merely represents the year it was identified. What symptoms should you look out for? The most common symptoms include a persistent cough, high temperature, loss of taste and/or smell along with shortness of breath. Many of the signs that present themselves are similar to influenza or the common cold and are generally relatively mild. However, the infection, in more severe cases, can cause pneumonia and breathing difficulties which may require hospitalisation. Should you or a family member start to display symptoms, you should initially call (to avoid face to face contact) a medical professional and seek their advice. How is the virus spread? COVID-19 is transmitted via respiratory droplets which are spread by an infected person. They are usually from coughs or sneezes but may even be generated by breathing and talking. The droplets can be airborne or can fall onto surfaces. The virus, if not treated with alcohol, antibacterial cleaners or bleach, can remain present on these surfaces for anything from a few hours to several days. Experts believe that the primary source of infection is by touching surfaces rather than droplets that are in the air. What is the way to protect myself and my family from COVID-19? The single best way to protect yourself from the virus is by frequently washing your hands with warm water and soap, ideally, antibacterial soap. You should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds ensuring that you work between the fingers, under nails and include the wrists. After washing, rinse your hands thoroughly under running water and dry with a clean towel or preferably a single-use paper towel. Where possible, avoid touching your face, particularly the mouth, nose and eyes and if you must touch these areas, wash your hand thoroughly before and after doing so. Social distancing, keeping a distance of 2 metres apart and minimising your contact with other households even if they are members of the same family is recommended. Do I need to wear a mask? In many areas, it is a legal requirement to wear a mask in public places (please check the current government advice as it is subject to change without prior notice). Masks are for the protection of others more than the wearer and should be worn if you have any respiratory symptoms. Whole of face, plastic face shields are advised if you are at risk of coming into contact with someone who has contracted the virus. Disposable masks are advised and they should be worn once and disposed of properly. Reusable masks should be worn for short periods and washed frequently in hot water. Face coverings do provide limited protection are but are certainly not enough to stop the spread of infection with frequent hand washing being far more important. Can children contract the virus? Anyone of any age can catch COVID-19, although the evidence at the moment suggests that healthy children are more likely to display milder symptoms. However, children can be carriers of the disease and be asymptomatic meaning that could pass the virus on to others. The elderly and those with a pre-existing medical condition are most at risk of developing a serious illness. According to UNICEF, most infected children have been in North America and Europe. It would appear that those from Black, Asian and ethnic minority groups (BAME) most severely affected. What should I do if my child develops any symptoms? It is crucial to remember that many symptoms of COVID-19 are the same as those for common cold and flu, but you should still seek medical advice, in the first instance, over the phone. Every member of the family should practice good personal hygiene and self-isolate where possible. Try to keep your child’s contact with others in the same household to a minimum. Make sure that your child is up to date with all their vaccinations to protect your child from other bacterial infections and viruses which may weaken, even in the short-term, their immune system. Should I keep my child away from school? With schools now starting to reopen, it is important that your child returns to school to continue their education, assuming that they are not displaying any symptoms or are particularly vulnerable. In both of these instances, you should seek the advice of medical professionals and discuss the matter with the school to decide the most appropriate course of action. Of course, should the government make any changes to the current rules or if the school believes that the risk of infection is too high, parents will be informed immediately. The reliability of information online Sadly, there are a lot of myths, lies and misinformation being spread online. We would advise you to fact-check any information that you may read and only rely on the information published from reliable sources such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and current government websites. Did you find our article interesting? We hope that this article covered most of the points regarding COVID-19, but we hope parents understand that the situation is continually evolving. At Kidz Village,