The holidays should be about spending time with loved ones, not spending time in the emergency room. But plenty of children do end up in the hospital over the holidays with various injuries and illness. Which ones are most common?
We spoke to emergency room physicians and pediatricians about the top reasons kids end up in the hospital over the holidays and how parents can help keep kids safe.
Flu, colds and respiratory viruses
“Right now we are smack dab in the middle of cold and flu season. We’re seeing a lot of RSV and influenza and still a bit of COVID-19 (among children),”  Dr. Meghan Martin, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, tells TODAY.com.Â
Up to 5.4 million people in the United States have already gotten the flu this season so far, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is also on the rise in most of the country, and COVID-19 cases are increasing as new variants continue to circulate.
During the holidays, people often travel and gather indoors, which creates more opportunities for children to share germs, Dr. Kara Kowalcyzk, an emergency medicine doctor at Riley Children’s Health in Indianapolis, tells TODAY.com.
While most kids will recover from these common respiratory viruses, some may end up with serious illness, difficulties breathing, or hospitalized, Martin notes. Young children under 2 or those with underlying conditions are at higher risk, says Martin.
The experts recommend parents make sure all family members are up to date on their vaccinations, including the seasonal flu shot and updated COVID-19 vaccine. RSV vaccines are also available for pregnant people to help protect infants, says Martin.
“For newborns (under 3 months old), the risk of RSV and hospitalization are a lot higher so I would consider skipping the large gathering or opting for a smaller gathering,” says Martin.
If a child is not feeling well, parents should try to…
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