Pediatric Care During COVID-19
Wellstar is committed to helping children stay healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Count on our dedicated healthcare team to keep your child in safe, expert hands.
COVID-19 Vaccine: Children Ages 5 to 11
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use authorization for children ages 5 to 11 years old. Now, anyone age 5 and older is eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Certain immunocompromised children ages 5 to 11 may now receive a third primary series dose. Young people ages 12 and older can also get their booster, as well. Learn more.
Getting vaccinated is an important way to protect your child’s health during the pandemic, especially as new variants of the virus emerge.
Wellstar will be offering COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 years old. For more information or to book a vaccine appointment, contact your child’s Wellstar pediatrician.
You can also schedule a COVID-19 vaccine for your child at your local retail pharmacy or visit vaccines.gov to find a convenient vaccination site close to you.
Pediatric COVID-19 Testing
As new variants of the virus emerge and spread, parents may be worried about their child’s health and possible COVID-19 exposure.
Before you take your child for a COVID-19 test, it’s important to know the proper location for their medical circumstance.
Know Where to Go
If you are concerned your child may have been exposed to COVID-19 and is:
- Asymptomatic (showing no symptoms): Find a local COVID-19 testing site near you.
- Showing mild to moderate symptoms: Contact your Wellstar pediatrician’s office directly to determine the appropriate location to receive care.
- Experiencing severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, persistent high fever, unable to keep liquids down, lethargy, or severe gastrointestinal symptoms: Seek immediate medical care at the nearest pediatric emergency department.
Choose the Right Location
Take your child to the right location for their medical circumstance.
For more information about the types of testing offered at Wellstar, visit our main COVID-19 testing page.
If you, your child or a loved one has been diagnosed or exposed to COVID-19, we encourage families to follow the CDC's recommended guidelines for quarantine or isolation, especially for school-aged children.
Keeping Your Child Safe
The best protection against COVID-19 is prevention and stopping community spread.
Young children who are not eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine are counting on the community to take action and get vaccinated. Be sure you and your family members who are age five and up get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Parents can also help protect their child’s health by teaching them the 3Ws — wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance.
Learn how you can make well happen.
For more health tips, visit our COVID-19 resource page.
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Highlights
Marking Milestones with Wellstar’s Pediatricians
As children prepare for the new school year, one step families can take to stay healthy is to head to the pediatrician for an annual check-up.
Regular pediatric check-ups are beneficial for the whole family. Together, you can discuss your child’s development, behavior, eating habits, sleep schedule and any other concerns you may have about their health. Because you and your child share the same goal — staying healthy and happy — your Wellstar pediatrician will partner with you both.
Highlights
Wellstar Pediatric Emergency Departments
When a kid experiences a sudden medical emergency, it can be a stressful experience for both the parents and the child.
With four dedicated pediatric emergency departments, Wellstar Health System helps families have peace of mind that their little ones are in expert hands. Find a location near you:
- Wellstar Cobb Hospital
- Wellstar Douglas Hospital
- Wellstar Kennestone Hospital
- Wellstar Paulding Hospital
Here, we know quick action, advanced services and compassionate care are essential to treating children like 12-year-old Alex. When he broke his leg during football practice, the injury could have caused lasting damage if he didn’t get the proper care.
“From the moment we arrived at the ED, the experience was absolutely phenomenal. He wasn’t treated like a number,” said Stephanie, Alex’s mother. “Knowing that the Wellstar team really cared about my son helped build my trust.”
Due to the severity of the break in Alex’s leg, surgery was a likely outcome.
“There was a 90% chance that my son would need surgery,” Stephanie explained. The odds seemed stacked against them.
However, the skilled pediatric team, led by Dr. Mark Brown, didn’t give up. They expertly set Alex’s break in a cast. Because it was done so well, he never required surgery to heal.
Now, months after the injury, Alex is on the mend and finishing up his last few physical therapy sessions. He will make a full recovery and can keep playing the sports he loves.
That’s because Wellstar knows kids aren’t just “mini adults.” Our pediatric specialists take time to understand your child’s unique needs, even in an emergency.
Expert emergency care just for kids
Our pediatric emergency departments are designed for our youngest patients, from birth to early adulthood. We deliver emergency care for a full range of pediatric emergency conditions, including:
- Fracture
- Head injury
- Gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction or severe abdominal pain
- Acute asthma
- Pulmonary issues
- Diabetic emergency
- Severe allergic reaction
- Seizure
Wellstar Pediatric Emergency Departments are powered by Pediatric Emergency Medicine Associates (PEMA) to provide high-quality care. Pediatric patients also have access to child life specialists who are trained to help children understand their injuries, medical care and even how to cope with difficult emotions.
In addition to our skilled medical team, each facility offers special equipment — like small casts and crutches — that are the perfect size for kids at any age or stage. Having the right technology, treatments and resources in place helps your child heal and feel better.
Don’t delay care for kids
Medical emergencies are just as serious for children as they are for adults. If your child needs care for a life-threatening condition, call 911 right away.
For routine care and other specialty services, find Wellstar pediatric care near you.
Wellstar has a wide network of experts close to home. From well-child exams and specialty care to diagnostic testing and high-tech treatments, our team is here to protect your child’s health.
Highlights
COVID-19: Caring for Children
Wellstar is committed to providing the best and safest care possible to children. Across our health parks, pediatric offices, pediatric emergency departments and dedicated pediatric center, we’ve put extra precautions in place to prevent the spread of infections such as COVID-19 so children can thrive.
When it comes to pediatric surgery, we are committed to providing safe care. Therefore, each child will receive a pre-op COVID-19 test, and we’ve developed this helpful resource for parents so they know what they and their child can expect.
Keeping Kids Calm & Engaged
We understand many children may be going through a difficult time during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many may experience anxiety and stress—especially if they can’t visit a loved one in the hospital. Wellstar has created some talking points for parents to help them explain to children why they must not visit at this time.
Additionally, if parents are struggling to keep kids feeling connected during the pandemic, our pediatric experts have developed these great ideas for engaging kids at home.
Kids & COVID-19
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children are as likely as adults to contract COVID-19. Some children — especially those with underlying medical conditions — can get severely ill from COVID-19 and may require hospitalization.
The key to slowing the spread of COVID-19 is to limit contact as much as possible. While adults make up the majority of COVID-19 cases, children may be asymptomatic and may pass the virus to others. Children should have limited interaction with higher-risk individuals, such as older adults and those with underlying medical conditions.
If your children may be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, contact your healthcare provider and keep your children at home and away from others as much as possible.