COVID-19 FAQs and resources
We are committed to providing our patient families with information and resources to help manage your health and overall well-being. Browse this page for tips from our experts on a variety of topics, links to trusted state and national sources, and more. If you are a health care professional, school or child care center please access our separate resources page.
can I or my child get a COVID-19 vaccine at Dayton Children's?
View more information about vaccines at Dayton Children's here.
my child has symptoms of COVID-19. should they be tested?
If your child has symptoms of COVID-19 or you believe they have been exposed, talk to your child's doctor to discuss options. If you can't get in to see your child's doctor, you can also schedule a video visit with Dayton Children's Kids Express to speak with a pediatric nurse practitioner.
If your child is sick, they should not go to school or child care. Depending on the circumstances, they may need to stay home and away from others for a period of time. There is no different treatment for COVID-19, unless symptoms become severe.
If you develop trouble breathing or a high fever (above 104 degrees F), go to the emergency department. These are severe symptoms that need immediate treatment.
who is being tested for COVID-19 at Dayton Children's? can I bring my child there for testing?
Dayton Children's has two options for COVID-19 testing – antigen and PCR.
- A provider’s order is needed for PCR testing.
- An antigen test can be billed through insurance with a physician’s order or paid out-of-pocket with no order. If you wish to pay out-of-pocket, no order is needed and the cost is $60 payable by credit or debit card.
If you believe your child needs to be tested, please contact your child's primary care physician or schedule a video visit with Dayton Children's Kids Express.
At this time, Dayton Children’s is testing the following patients for COVID-19.
- Patients who are seen in the emergency department with possible symptoms of COVID-19
- Patients with a physician order
- If you do not have a physicians order, you can pay $60 out of pocket at our testing locations for an antigen test.
Please visit childrensdayton.org/covidtesting for information on our drive thru testing locations.
my child has been vaccinated for COVID-19. do they still need to be tested before surgery or being admitted?
Currently, patients are not being tested for COVID-19 before surgery or admitted to an inpatient unit. Depending on the level of community transmission, you may receive instructions to have your child tested prior to the surgery or procedure.
what if my child has a chronic illness, like asthma, diabetes, or cystic fibrosis?
We want to ensure that our families with children who have chronic conditions feel supported during this time. That includes how you can visit with your care team, how to care for your child at home, and providing you resources with more information related to your child’s condition. Our experts have pulled together information as a starting point, but always let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
what are the symptoms of COVID-19? what should I do if I have these symptoms?
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are:
- a dry cough
- fever
- shortness of breath
However there are a variety of other symptoms that have been associated with COVID-19 including:
- severe headache
- sore throat
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- stomach pain
- loss of taste or smell.
If you have these symptoms, call your family doctor. If you can't get in to see your child's doctor, you can also schedule a video visit with Dayton Children's Kids Express to speak with a pediatric nurse practitioner.
Consulting a medical professional will guide you to the appropriate next steps. Those could be recovering at home, getting tested, or going to the emergency department depending on the severity of your symptoms.
how does COVID-19 impact babies, kids and teens? is my child at risk?
Each day, we’re learning more about the COVID-19 virus. Most children have mild symptoms like a cold. In most cases, it seems to impact children and teens much less severely than adults.
In rare cases, children can develop pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), which resembles Kawasaki disease, which would require more intensive treatment and care. This is why it’s important to keep doing what we’re doing to prevent the spread of infection—getting vaccinated if you are able, good hand hygiene, social distancing, etc. If you have any concern about your child, you should check with your pediatrician.
how can I prevent COVID-19?
The number one way is to get vaccinated. The next best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed. Here are some things you can do to help prevent the spread and being exposed:
- Wear a mask covering both your mouth and nose when in public or interacting with anyone within six feet.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. You can also use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol when your hands are not visibly dirty.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
- Stay home, especially when you are sick.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If someone in your household is sick, try to have them isolate in a separate bedroom and bathroom, if possible. They should also use a homemade mask or bandana to cover their mouth and nose when other people are in close contact caring for them. The person caring for them can also wear a homemade mask or bandana.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
For more information, visit the CDC.
can a person test negative and later test positive for COVID-19?
If you test negative for COVID-19, it is possible that you were very early in your infection at the time of your specimen collection and that you could test positive later. You also could be exposed later and then develop illness. In other words, a negative test result does not rule out getting sick later.
are at-home tests FDA approved? are they accurate?
information pages to view and print
These sheets can be printed and shared with the community as necessary. Please visit the KidsHealth COVID-19 hub and the CDC COVID-19 hub for more information.
About COVID, prevention and testing
- About COVID (novel coronavirus)
- 6 steps to protect yourself against COVID-19
- Types of COVID-19 tests and comparison
- MISC in kids
Wearing a mask
Tips to help your children cope
At home care
Quarantine and isolation
- What do quarantine and isolation mean?
- How to quarantine or isolate at home
- Being ready to quarantine
School and child care
Are you a provider looking for resources to give to your patient families? Visit our brand resource center for downloadable resources you can print in your office.
local and national resources
These are trusted sources for up-to-date information on COVID-19 in our community and around the world.
- Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association
- Ohio Department of Health website and hotline: 1-833-4-ASK-ODH
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- American Association of Pediatrics
- World Health Organization (WHO)
