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Autumn marks the beginning of respiration virus season, when Cold, Fever And other bugs begin to spread – especially among young people Children,
a fresh Study how many confirmed Family Already Know: Youngest Student Harbor the most germs.
“Young children may have respiratory problems up to 10 times more often virus One year is when their immune systems are first exposed to different infections,” said Dr. Jennifer Goldman, a pediatrician at Children’s Mercy Hospital. kansas city, missouri,
he co-led Research published in the journal Pediatrics found that children in pre-kindergarten and primary school Older students and staff had the highest rates of virus detection.
Young children were more likely to be found to have the virus
Goldman and her colleagues analyzed nasal swabs and symptom reports from more than 800 students and staff in a large school district in Kansas City from November 2022 to May 2023.
They found that overall, more than 85% of all participants were detected with at least one respiratory virus during that time and more than 80% had an episode of acute respiratory illness — though not necessarily at the same time.
More specifically, 92% of pre-K and elementary school children were found to have the virus, while nearly 86% of middle school students, nearly 77% of high school students and 76% of staff were found to have the virus.
The study found that pre-K children ages 3 to 5 also had the highest rates of actual illness.
Most of the viruses were types that cause the common cold, including rhinovirus, which was found in 65% of participants, and seasonal coronavirus types in about 30%. The virus that causes COVID-19 was found in about 15% of the people studied.
Study confirms experiences of pediatricians who are parents
The new study provides a baseline look at the burden of the virus in school settings, Goldman said.
It also corroborates the real-world experience of pediatricians like Dr. Nicole Torres of the University of Miami Health System who are parents.
“I can say this for my own children, who are now teenagers: They are sicker than they were when they were younger,” she said.
The study also matches previous research that found young children play a significant role in spreading respiratory viruses in the home. Dr. Cary Byington co-authored University of Utah The study, published in 2015, recruited 26 families to take nasal swabs from everyone living in the household, every week for a year.
That study found that the virus was detected half of the weeks of the year in children under 5, recalled Byington, now at the University of California, San Diego.
“And if you live in a household with multiple children, that ratio increases even more, so it can seem as if someone is always sick,” she said.
How to prevent disease – or at least try
Experts agree that preventing the disease in children at school or at home can be difficult.
He said it is important to stay updated on COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations. Similarly, washing hands frequently, learning to cover coughs and keeping hands away from eyes, nose and mouth. Cleaning and sanitizing frequently touched surfaces and objects and optimizing fresh air are also important.
When young children become sick, the best treatment is often supportive care such as extra fluids and rest. In severe cases, medical providers may recommend medications to reduce fever or antiviral medications.
However, long-standing symptoms such as cough may take a few weeks to resolve completely. By then, the child may catch a cold again.
“I tell parents of young children to expect them to be sick about once every month, every month and a half,” Torres said. “It will feel like that.”