Rising number of illnesses give families awareness of health safety
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – For many, Christmas is a time to get together with friends and family.
But while that togetherness may spread joy and cheer, it can also help spread seasonal sickness.
COVID-19 is still around, and then there’s also the flu, RSV, and Strep.
And, catching a bug around the holidays can be more common for children.
“We are always here to help take a look and listen,” Stephanie Christy said. “All of the pediatric providers in our community, we want to take care of these kids.”
Although it may be time for Christmas shopping it can also be a time for seasonal sickness.
According to the CDC, there has been a rise in COVID-19 and other infections that can overlap like the flu.
With children leaving school and more people coming over for holiday get-togethers, clinics can get crowded in December.
Pediatric nurse practitioner Stephanie Christy said there are quick signs to tell you when children may be coming down with something more serious.
“Coughs that just sound different,” Christy said. “We are kind of choking and not catching our breath, and we’re not breathing well. We just look funny breathing, we are waking up in the night coughing or barking sounding and, those coughs that linger that linger over a week.”
People may associate these illnesses with cooler temperatures, but the weather’s not always the culprit.
“Weather may precipitate somebody to respond differently if they have underlying breathing issues but it’s mainly just what has spread,” Christy said. “When we are all well we are close quarters and we might not think it’s something contagious. It can just kind of spread through those close contacts.
Children are at a significant risk of getting sick due to their developing immune systems and their frequent close contact with germs.
Christy said health providers all around the community are there to help people get the medical attention they need..
“If you are ever in doubt, you can’t always listen to your child lungs, you cant always look in their ears,” Christy said. “It doesn’t hurt to bring them in and get them checked. We want to take of them no matter how we can.”
Vaccines that help reduce illnesses like COVID-19 and the Flu usually take around two weeks to take full effect and provide protection.
