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Kids Health Info

Coronavirus COVID-19

  • Key points

    • COVID-19 is an infection caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2.
    • The virus spreads quickly and easily through droplets and very small particles.
    • Most children with COVID-19 have mild cold-like symptoms.
    • Good hygiene, physical distancing and face masks can help to protect your family from COVID-19.
    • To limit the spread of infection, keep your child at home if they are unwell with symptoms like a fever, cough, or runny nose.
    • Contact your child’s doctor or go to a hospital if your child’s symptoms worsen and you are worried.

    What is COVID-19?

    COVID-19 is an infection caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2). The virus can spread easily from one person to another. 

    The SARS-CoV-2 virus infects the lungs and airways.

    In most children, COVID-19 causes mild cold-like symptoms, usually lasting between two and seven days. Children with obesity, chronic heart, lung, or neurological problems are at greater risk of becoming more unwell from COVID-19.

    Signs and symptoms of COVID-19

    Common symptoms of COVID-19 include:

    • Fever
    • Runny nose
    • Cough
    • Sore throat
    • Fatigue
    • Headache
    • Irritability
    • Loss of appetite
    • Trouble breathing
    • Vomiting and/or diarrhoea
    • Dehydration.

    Some children are ‘asymptomatic’, which means that they do not show any signs or symptoms of infection.

    Is COVID-19 contagious?

    COVID-19 is very contagious; it passes easily from one person to another. This is because the virus spreads through droplets. When someone with COVID-19 coughs, talks or sneezes, they release infected droplets into the air. This means that other people can become infected if they breathe in the infected droplets, or if they touch a surface with droplets on it before touching their mouth, eyes or nose.

    Stopping the spread of COVID-19

    It is common for COVID-19 to spread in a household. Good hygiene can help limit who catches the virus.

    The best ways to avoid spreading COVID-19 are:

    • Try to keep your child at least one metre away from other family members.
    • Prompt your child to sneeze, cough and blow their nose into a tissue. Then, immediately throw the used tissues in the bin and wash your child’s hands with soap or alcohol hand sanitiser.
    • Teach your child to wash their hands often and encourage other family members to do the same.

    If your child is over two years old, they could wear a face mask if they are comfortable doing this. Many children are not comfortable wearing masks. Masks are a choking risk in children under two years and not recommended in this age group.

    How to care for COVID-19 at home

    There is no specific treatment for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 infections. If your child has COVID-19 with cold-like symptoms, you can look after them at home the same way you would with any cold or flu.

    This care may include:

    • ensuring your child drinks lots of fluids
    • encouraging your child to rest
    • giving your child paracetamol and/or ibuprofen if they are uncomfortable with a fever, or experiencing pain or discomfort such as a headache, muscle aches or sore throat
    • using saline drops if your child has a blocked nose.

    Infants may feed smaller feeds more often (breast or bottle).

    It is important to keep your child home from school or childcare while they are unwell with COVID-19. Do not take your child to any high-risk settings such as hospitals, aged care facilities or disability services.

    When to get help

    Call an ambulance (000) if:
    • your child is finding it very hard to breathe, breathing fast or taking long pauses between breaths.
    • your child has severe chest pain.

    Go to a hospital if:
    • your child has severe abdominal pain that does not go away after pain relief medicine.
    • your child is under three months old and has a fever (temperature of 38°C or more).
    • your child is very sleepy, hard to wake or confused.

    See a doctor or health professional if:
    • your child has a fever (temperature of 38°C or more) for longer than seven days.
    • your child shows signs of dehydration, such as dark yellow or brown pee, light-headedness, or dry lips and mouth.
    • your child has ongoing dizziness or headaches.
    • your child has pain and/or swelling in their legs.
    • your child has worrying symptoms for more than 14 days or gets new symptoms after recovering from COVID-19.
    • your child is unwell and has a weakened immune system (immunocompromised).

    Look after your child at home if:
    • they have mild symptoms of COVID-19 like a fever, runny nose, cough, sore throat, fatigue.

    Common questions about COVID-19

    What is a coronavirus?

    A coronavirus is a type of virus that can cause many illnesses, including the common cold. SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, is a coronavirus. While COVID-19 is a newer illness, coronaviruses are not new; scientists first discovered them in the 1960s.

    I am pregnant, and my child has COVID-19. Should I be worried?

    If you are pregnant, you should be more careful if your child has COVID-19. This is because you and your unborn baby are at a higher risk of complications from the virus. Speak with a doctor if you think you have COVID-19.

    Does my child need a COVID-19 vaccine?

    Children aged six months to less than 18 years with certain risk conditions can get the COVID-19 vaccine in Australia. This includes children with an illness that weakens their immune system, such as a chronic heart condition, and children having treatments that weaken their immune system, such as chemotherapy. For more eligibility information, read the Australian Immunisation Handbook entry on COVID-19.

    Can children get complications from COVID-19?

    In rare cases, children may get complications after a COVID-19 infection. One of these complications is Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PIMS-TS) – a serious illness that develops two to six weeks after COVID-19. If you think your child has a complication from COVID-19 or they get new symptoms after recovering, you should take them to a doctor immediately.

    Do I need to test my child if I think they have COVID-19?

    You no longer need to test and report whether your child has tested positive for COVID-19 in Australia. However, testing can be a good tool to learn why your child is unwell and if you should keep them at home.

    The easiest way to test your child for COVID-19 is with a rapid antigen test (RAT) which you can buy from a pharmacy. You now need a doctor’s referral for a nasal or throat polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

    My child has tested positive for COVID-19. Do they still need to isolate?

    If your child tests positive for COVID-19, they should isolate at home until they are well. You can still take your child to the hospital or call an ambulance (000) for urgent medical care while they have COVID-19.

    This podcast is also available in audio format below, and on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

    Podcast Image

    Winter wellness season: Colds, flu and COVID

    For more information

    Developed by The Royal Children’s Hospital General Medicine department, with input from the Infectious Diseases department. We acknowledge the input of RCH consumers and carers.

    Reviewed April 2025

    Please always seek the most recent advice from a registered and practising clinician.


Disclaimer

This information is intended to support, not replace, discussion with your doctor or healthcare professionals. The authors of these consumer health information handouts have made a considerable effort to ensure the information is accurate, up to date and easy to understand. The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies, information perceived as misleading, or the success of any treatment regimen detailed in these handouts. Information contained in the handouts is updated regularly and therefore you should always check you are referring to the most recent version of the handout. The onus is on you, the user, to ensure that you have downloaded the most up-to-date version of a consumer health information handout.