“One of the red flags that should lead you to take your child to be examined by a doctor or for referral to a hospital should be permanently elevated temperature above 38.5 degrees. When it cannot be lowered with standard medication, if the child begins to breathe very fast and shallow, if the child is very pale or his lips are bluish in color, these are indications for a quick referral to a doctor,” said Blagomir Zdravkov, director of the Children's Hospital “Prof. Dr. Ivan Mitev” in Sofia.

According to him, the influx of sick children with COVID-19 is serious, but there are no cases of a child who is not examined, if they need hospitalization, they are redirected to another medical institution.

“Treatment of children should be done by a doctor and there is no self-medicating, it is imperative to be examined by a doctor. Currently, the maximum capacity of the Covid Children's hospital has been announced - 11 beds, all busy, both newborns and those up to the age of 18 are accepted. New beds are freed when necessary,” added Blagomir Zdravkov.

According to him, it is right to examine patients, and not just to prescribe treatment schemes remotely, which is unsuccessful, especially for children.

“Some deficient medications are provided, especially in the hospital treatment of children. Covid spreads very quickly in children, but the disease is milder. Children with a serious clinical picture are treated in the hospital, the disease mainly affects the upper respiratory tract,” added Blagomir Zdravkov.

He explained that when the child is positive and there is a patient with COVID-19 in the household, it is necessary to move to isolation. In extracurricular activities, contacts are risky, said Blagomir Zdravkov. The absence of a National Children's Hospital is palpable, the complexity of children's services is the biggest problem, said Blagomir Zdravkov.

/BNT