The 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has caused concern throughout the world, closing schools, stores, and more public places to encourage people to protect themselves from the illness. Although the virus is new, researchers and doctors are learning more each day to determine how it spreads and who is most at risk.
Risk & Symptoms
The CDC states that older adults and those with serious chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, lung disease, and heart disease are at higher risk for the virus. Children do not seem to be at higher risk. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and can include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
Protecting Your Family
Keep your family healthy by following the following practices and teaching your children to do the same. Wash your hands with soap and water often, and do so for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer that is 60% or higher alcohol-based if soap and water are not available. Avoid touching your face, nose, eyes, etc. Keep your home clean and disinfected using regular household cleaning sprays or wipes. If your child is ill, keep them home.
Informing Your Children
News coverage about the outbreak of COVID-19 may cause children to feel overwhelmed or frightened. Talk to your child about the virus in a way that they can understand. Provide reassurance that researchers and doctors are taking the necessary steps to keep everyone safe and are learning more about the virus every day. Remind them what they can do to keep themselves healthy, like washing their hands, getting enough sleep, and coughing into their sleeve or a tissue rather than out in the open. Monitor your child’s media, keeping young ones away from news that may cause them anxiety and correcting any misinformation your older children may hear.
Stay Informed
Stay informed about this situation as doctors and researchers learn more about how to prevent the virus from spreading in homes and communities. Visit the CDC website to learn more about prevention and treatment.
Walton Academy
Walton Academy is always striving to provide a consistent, nurturing and innovative environment for our students. We understand that early childhood education plays a large role in your child’s development, so we ensure they receive a high-quality education. With small classrooms and highly qualified teachers, you can be sure your child will receive individualized instruction, character education, and social-emotional habits.
Walton Academy firmly believes that an environment with minimal distractions is key to student success. To achieve an optimal learning environment and experience, we require each child to undergo our enrollment screening process. During our enrollment screening process, students are observed and assessed academically, behaviorally, and socially. Our enrollment screening ensures that our classroom environment remains focused and that each student can excel and reach their full potential. Contact us today to learn more!