There’s no doubt children returning to classrooms in Ohio this fall will have questions and experience feelings of fear and stress. That’s natural during a pandemic, said Dr. Andrew Hertz, vice president of community women and children services at University Hospitals.

Parents should communicate to their kids that things will be different, Hertz said.

“Children need to know masks are going to be expected to be worn (and) should start getting accustomed to wearing masks correctly,” he said, meaning their mouth and nose should be fully covered. “They shouldn’t wait for the first day of school for their child to be comfortable in a mask for hours at a time.”

Despite the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, health professionals say there are ways parents can prepare their child for learning in a new environment, whether that’s at school or through a computer screen at home. They offer key information about the coronavirus in children and advice meant to calm families navigating the pandemic.

Know the facts

While some children have been affected by COVID-19, research suggests their symptoms tend to be more mild and cold-like, according to the Mayo Clinic. Many recover in one to two weeks. Some children might have the virus and not exhibit symptoms.

“People of any age with certain underlying conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, are at higher risk of serious illness with COVID-19,” Mayo Clinic staff wrote in July. “Additionally, children who have congenital heart disease, genetic conditions or conditions affecting the nervous system or metabolism are also at higher risk.”

Among nearly 150,000 cases of COVID-19 in the United States between Feb. 12 and April 2, about 2,500 (1.7%) were in children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hertz, a primary care pediatrician at Suburban Pediatrics in Shaker Heights, has seen patients test positive over the months, but recently, it hasn’t been many kids.

“Far less than 10% of the children who have symptoms are testing positive at this time,” he said. “That should be reassuring to people. It’s also reassuring that new data shows younger children do not spread it as much as adults.”

How to talk to your kids

If you haven’t already explained to your child they will be washing their hands more than ever, keeping a distance from peers and, in some districts, getting their temperature taken before entering a building, don’t wait to do it, Hertz said.

“(Explain) people still care for them,” said Hertz, who has practiced for 25 years. “This is what is safe at this time. It’s not always going to be this way.”

Megan Steiner, a registered district nurse at Orrville City Schools, agrees. In moments of frustration this fall, parents should remind their child that school administrators implemented new rules with their best interests in mind. And kids are resilient, Hertz said. They’ll get used to the changes.

Some students will be anxious, but others are “starved for social interaction,” she said. For older children feeling glum about the incoming adjustments, she suggested reminding them it’s not all bad. Sure, they may not be able to congregate in large groups during lunch, but they may still be able to sit near a friend or two.

A mix of experts at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital — specialists in topics such as infectious disease, environmental safety, pediatrics, psychology — interviewed and visited schools in Ohio to better understand their concerns. It helped them design a Healthy Restart Playbook, which you can download, that features tips on how to talk to kids about COVID-19 based on their age.

Eat well, sleep well, play well, be well

Just like parents typically ask if their child has their lunch and homework, they should throw some extra questions into the morning checklist, Hertz said. He suggests some such as: Do you have your mask? Is your water bottle filled? Are you feeling OK?

If there’s a thermometer at home, Steiner recommends taking your child’s temperature every morning. Keep them at home if they’re above 100 degrees. She knows there are at-risk families in districts across the state, and encourages them to reach out for help.

When returning home from school, protocol should depend on who lives in the house and their risk. Hertz said hand-washing is major, and parents should consider having a set of play or lounge clothing for their child to change into. If someone elderly or someone with a chronic disease resides in the home, put the child’s mask and school outfit in the laundry. Taking a bath or shower after school is also an option, but isn’t mandatory, he said.

Routine is key, experts emphasized, and will help children has a successful school year.

“The keys to good learning are structured sleep, structured physical activity, good nutrition,” Hertz said.

COVID-19 at school

Steiner will send her kids in kindergarten and first grade to school. But at the districts giving families options between in-person and remote learning, she knows families feel torn. For those parents, and the ones who have children with health concerns, she said talking to their physician could help.

“Every parent has the right to make the right decision for their child,” she said, adding their physician would better understand their child’s risks and immune system strength.

What might be hard for Steiner to differentiate this fall will be a student with COVID-19 and a student experiencing a headache or tiredness — both coronavirus symptoms — for other reasons. The world is still learning about COVID-19, she said. Sometimes, students having a bad day visit her office, and she realizes they skipped breakfast and needed a break and snack to regain their focus.

That’s why each Orrville City school building will have a “clean clinic” space and a quarantine room, she said. Students who need basic first aid, daily medications or attention to illnesses, such as asthma and diabetes, would go to the clinic area, she said. The children exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms would be with her in a separate space, to assess their sickness and send them home.

She will wear gloves, goggles and a surgical mask, she said, when working with these students. The student would also need to wear a mask.

Though there is some general concern for the new year and what would happen if there is an outbreak, Steiner said, she’s “ready to respond.” Buildings will be “as clean and hygienic as ever,” she said.

Reach Valerie at 330-287-1638, vroyzman@the-daily-record.com. On Twitter @valerieroyzman.

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