The health ministry on Wednesday issued detailed guidelines for management of the coronavirus disease in children amid concerns that a po...
The health ministry on Wednesday issued detailed guidelines for management of the coronavirus disease in children amid concerns that a possible third wave of the pandemic could affect those below 18 years.
The guidelines, issued by the Directorate General of Health Services, said antiviral drug remdesivir is not recommended for children. “There is lack of sufficient safety and efficacy data with respect to remdesivir in children below 18 years of age,” it said.
The ministry advised that steroids should be used to treat only moderately severe and critically ill patients who are hospitalised. “Steroids should be used at the right time, in the right dose and for the right duration,” it said. “Self-medication of steroids must be avoided.”
The government also recommended a six-minute walk test for children above 12 years to assess “cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance”. However, it is not meant for patients with uncontrolled asthma.
The guidelines suggested that doctors treating children who have contracted the virus must be highly selective in prescribing high-resolution CT scan. “The scan of chest provides better visualisation of the extent and nature of lung involvement in patients with Covid-19, but any additional information gained from HRCT scan of chest often has little impact on treatment decisions, which are based almost entirely on clinical severity...
