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The past winter was characterized by a perfect storm of respiratory (and not only) childhood viruses, which greatly affected both young patients and their parents. What is the cause of this outbreak of childhood viruses, how worrying is it and when should we finally take our child to the hospital?

Will things get better?

They will undoubtedly get better!

It should be noted, however, that the outbreak observed this winter was something normal and expected for us who have been on the front lines for many years! And this is because children had been locked up at home for two consecutive winters without being exposed to viruses and building their immune system accordingly. Children’s only essential defense against viruses is their immune system, and the creation of antibodies. The isolation of children due to the pandemic resulted in viral infections losing their seasonality. As a result, this winter, when there was no new quarantine, viral infections occurred en masse!

How should parents manage the outbreak of viral infections? Is there any reason to worry?

The outbreak of viral infections is something normal and expected, so parents should not panic under any circumstances. Even during the periods of the greatest burden and the most intense outbreak of viral infections, there was no problem in managing the cases we encountered at the Athens Pediatric Center (https://paidiatriko.gr/el/content/paidiatriko). The only thing that protects children is their own immune system. Children should be socialized, they should live a normal life, and parents should not worry excessively, but instead should be in communication with their doctor, ask what they think they need, and offer their child a normal life, without isolation or excessive restrictions.

In what cases is it justified for a child to be hospitalized due to a cold?

Fortunately, the instinct of most parents is good and strong, and communication with the pediatrician is usually very good.

There should be no panic under any circumstances, but we should carefully monitor the child’s general health. For example, it is better for a child who has a fever of 40 but is active, running around and playing around, than for a child who has a low fever but remains unwell and lethargic on the couch or in bed. In any case, parents should not pretend to be doctors, but rather seek the advice of a pediatrician. It is important that in Greece, over 80% of children have a pediatrician who has been monitoring them since the beginning of their lives and can therefore give parents personalized advice. This year, it was common for many children to have repeated viral infections, and even at the same time, and this caused additional concern for parents who flocked to hospitals. As it turned out, in the majority of them, these visits were pointless and did not require hospital care.

Therefore, we must not forget that the pediatrician is the one who, if he deems it necessary, will advise taking the child to the hospital. We, at the Athens Pediatric Center, have all the technical and executive resources to manage even the most difficult incident, as we did with complete success during this difficult winter.