Doctors seeing rise in co-infections in kids this winter season
(WKBN) — Pediatricians say they've seen a rise in children experiencing two viruses at the same time this flu season, but why is that?
The good news is this isn't something necessarily new. In fact, kids have been likely co-infected with multiple viruses before.
The difference? The availability of testing to know exactly what is causing a child's sickness.
Pre-COVID, doctors say they were not always testing for multiple viruses all at one time. Now that they are able to, the data shows a lot of co-infections, especially right now.
'A lot of these viruses are really spread through the air, but the majority of the spread, like with RSV is through close contact, so, really being careful about strict hand washing is important,' Dr. Camille Sabella with the Cleveland Clinic said. 'And when kids are sick, keeping them home from school and from daycare helps as well.'
While being sick with two viruses may sound stressful, Sabella said most kids tend to handle it pretty well and are able to recover at home.
If you or your child haven't been vaccinated yet, there's still time. Flu season, for example, usually goes until May.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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