When a newborn has been exposed to COVID-19, parents often seek clear, reliable information. This article provides guidance on immediate actions, how to recognize potential signs of illness, strategies to prevent further spread within the home, and when to seek urgent medical attention for your infant.
Immediate Steps After Exposure
If your newborn has been exposed to COVID-19, contact your pediatrician or healthcare provider immediately. Be prepared to share details such as when the exposure occurred, who the infected individual was, and any symptoms they displayed. Your doctor can offer specific guidance tailored to your baby’s health history and the nature of the exposure.
Your doctor may recommend testing for your newborn, typically through throat and nasopharynx swabs. While home antigen tests exist, their accuracy for newborns may be lower, and repeat testing might be needed if initial results are negative. Always follow your pediatrician’s advice regarding testing.
Recognizing Symptoms in a Newborn
Identifying COVID-19 symptoms in newborns can be challenging, as their signs may be subtle and differ from those observed in older children or adults. Many infants might experience mild symptoms, similar to a common cold, or show no symptoms at all. However, some babies can become very ill.
Common indicators include a fever, which in babies under three months old is a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Respiratory signs might involve a cough, a runny or stuffy nose, and sneezing. Pay close attention to changes in breathing, such as very rapid breathing (more than 60 breaths per minute in a newborn), snoring-like sounds, grunting, or flaring nostrils.
Beyond respiratory symptoms, newborns might exhibit changes in behavior or feeding patterns. This can manifest as increased lethargy, excessive fussiness, or difficulty feeding. Gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, stomachache, or diarrhea are also possible, though less common. Muscle pain may cause increased crying or trouble sleeping. Changes in mood or sleep patterns can also indicate illness.
Preventing Transmission Within the Home
Minimizing the risk of COVID-19 transmission to your newborn, especially if a household member is sick, involves consistent preventive measures. Consistent hand hygiene is important; all caregivers should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before handling the baby, preparing food, or after returning from outside. If soap and water are not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can be used.
Caregivers who are sick or have been exposed should wear a high-quality mask when around the newborn, including during direct care activities like feeding or changing diapers. Children younger than two years old should not wear masks due to safety concerns. Maintaining physical distance from the newborn when not directly caring for them can also help prevent the spread of respiratory droplets.
Improving ventilation within the home can reduce airborne viral particles by opening windows or using air purifiers. Regularly clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches, and countertops, using household cleaning sprays or wipes. For breastfeeding mothers with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, continuing to breastfeed is recommended as the virus has not been detected in breast milk, and antibodies can be passed to the baby. However, wear a mask and wash hands before each feeding or before touching pump parts if expressing milk.
When to Seek Emergency Medical Care
Certain signs in a newborn require immediate emergency medical attention. If your baby exhibits significant breathing difficulties, such as gasping for air, chest retractions (where the skin pulls in around the ribs with each breath), or pauses in breathing. A pale or bluish discoloration of the skin, lips, or fingernails suggests low oxygen levels.
Other concerning signs include an inability to wake up or extreme lethargy where the baby is unusually difficult to rouse. Refusal to feed, especially if accompanied by signs of dehydration like fewer wet diapers or no tears when crying, signals a need for immediate medical consultation. Persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, or severe muscle aches that prevent movement are reasons to seek emergency care. If any of these severe symptoms appear, contact emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.