March is here and the time change has happened - “Spring Forward”. I love this time of year when we start to have warmer weather, robins appear and the hint of green grass starts to come out. It is also a great reminder for us to start managing our focus as we move into this new season.
The new season hopefully means more outside time and less TV time. Currently any time you turn on your TV or radio you will likely hear a political ad and a news story about Covid -19 (Coroavirus). Iowa Specialty Hospital has been very involved with our local Public Health and Emergency Response group making sure we are prepared if there were to be an outbreak in our area. Our team is updating our emergency plans, attending webinars, and educating staff and public. Since this is a new virus, updates are coming out daily. As I was meeting with one of our team members they stated that their 9 year old was concerned about the virus. This tells me that the media is putting so much fear out there, that it is also affecting our children.
The Iowa Department of Public Health has published a few talking points that can be used when discussing this outbreak with children. We want to make sure our children feel safe and we can ease any concerns that they may have. Below comes from IDPH:
Advice for Talking to Children about COVID-19 2/26/2020
Stressful situations often cause children to worry and have many questions about why it is happening and how it can be fixed. Your confidence and calm attitude will help your children ease their worries and feel safe and secure.
Helpful Tips Regarding Children and COVID-19
Suggested Points to Emphasize When Talking to Children
These are great reminders for all of us with the most important being frequent and good handwashing is the best way to stop the spread of disease. If you have any questions relating to the virus please reach out to Infection Control as there are many resources available.