DEADLY coronavirus is continuing to sweep through the UK – with cases jumping to 163 and a second patient feared to have died from the killer bug.
And as the outbreak progresses, parents are being faced by questions from their toddlers and teens who are concerned about Covid-19.
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Many mums and dads have been left daunted about tackling the topic with their kids, given the fear and uncertainty surrounding the illness.
However, as with any situation of this kind, it’s key for parents to present themselves as supportive and reliable in the midst of all the confusion.
To help guide this tricky conversation, with the help of experts, we take you through how you should be talking to toddlers and teens about coronavirus…
1. Keep calm and carry on
Make sure you keep a calm head and take stock of your own feelings of fear and anxiety before talking to your toddler or teen about the outbreak.
Mark Reinecke, clinical director and senior clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, told HuffPost: “In ambiguous situations, young children often turn to their parents for how to respond and how they should feel.
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“If you’re calm and reassuring, they will pick up on this. If you’re anxious or frightened, they will respond accordingly.”
Reinecke adds that if you remain calm, your child will more likely grasp what’s important.
2. Be open and honest
When your teen or toddler comes to you with questions, answer directly to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding.
Nicky Cox MBE, editor of children’s newspaper First News, said: “Children are far more switched on than we give them credit for and there is no point trying to pull the wool over their eyes.
“Talk to them openly about their worries and concerns and don’t make it an ‘off-limits’ topic.
Talk to them openly about their worries and concerns
Nicky Cox MBE
“By discussing the issue openly we can help children to understand the importance of handwashing and staying germ-free.”
Experts urge mums and dads not to make fear-inducing statements like “Everyone is scared” or “There’s nothing we can do.”
Instead, offer reassuring truths, such as “We use soap to clean our hands” and “If you don’t feel well, come to me, and I always take care of you.”
3. Keep it age appropriate
Make sure that when you approach the topic of Covid-19 that you do so in a way that suits their age and developmental level.
Children under the age of five don’t need much detail like the name of a virus or the global threat of an illness because they’re too young to process it.
Instead, chat to them about germs and ways they can stay healthy like hand-washing.
For school-age kids, you can give them more information about the outbreak – what it is, how it spread and ways to prevent it.
However, it’s best to keep away from talking about people dying – especially if your child is at the younger end.
And for preteens and teens older than ten, make sure you’re factual and don’t hide things from them.
Clinical psychologist John Mayer told HuffPost: “Keep in mind they will pick up things on social media, so don’t think they are not hearing about this illness.”
4. Focus on the facts, not the negatives
When it comes to speaking to your children, focus on the facts and figures as these are surprisingly reassuring:
- Around 100,000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed worldwide, with just 163 of these in the UK.
- There have been around 3,400 deaths in total, but only about 400 of which have been outside of China and only two victims have been UK residents (both of whom were in their seventies and had underlying health conditions).
What to do if you’re worried you’ve got coronavirus
The new coronavirus is continuing to sweep its way across the globe with Britain seeing more cases in people who aren’t linked to outbreaks overseas.
Symptoms of Covid-19 can include:
- a cough
- a high temperature
- difficulty breathing
In most cases, you won’t know whether you have a coronavirus or a different cold-causing virus.
But if a coronavirus infection spreads to the lower respiratory tract, it can cause pneumonia, especially in older people, people with heart disease or people with weakened immune systems.
It is incredibly contagious and is spread through contact with anything the virus is on as well as infected breath, coughs or sneezes.
The best way to prevent catching any form of coronavirus is to practice good hygiene.
If you have cold-like symptoms, you can help protect others by staying home when you are sick and avoiding contact with others.
You should also cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough and sneeze then throw it away and wash your hands.
Cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces which you may have touched is also important.
Meanwhile, leading symptom-checking provider to the NHS Doctorlink has been updated to help identify patients’ risk of having coronavirus.
Source: NHS
- To put this in context, so far this winter, the ‘normal’ flu virus has killed 84 people in the UK and over 16,000 in the United States.
- For four out of five people contracting the virus, their symptoms will be very mild, like a normal cold or flu. Children are also far less likely to contract the virus, making up less than two per cent of patients.
- Yes, the Covid-19 strain is very contagious, but in the same way that coughs, cold and flu-type illnesses are.
5. Lastly…encourage good hygiene
Good hygiene is key in preventing the spread of coronavirus – and we know kids aren’t always the most hygienic of beings!
Encourage thorough handwashing, throwing tissues straight in the bin and avoiding people who are ill.
Health bosses say the best way to protect yourself is to wash your hands with soap and water for the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice.
Happy Birthday takes about 20 seconds to sing twice and is said to be the perfect number to clean your hands to thoroughly.
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Dr Daniel Atkinson, clinical lead at Treated.com, said: “Hygiene is incredibly important to ward off any viruses.
“Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly – for at least 20 seconds – and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
“If you can, avoid contact with sick people and avoid shaking hands with anyone displaying flu-like symptoms.”
