During his intervention at the Permanent Information Center on the Coronavirus (CIPC), Pediatrician Rodin Ferdinand responded to a series of concerns related to health guidelines and the possible psychological impact of information disseminated on children during the confinement period.

"The coronavirus has just changed our way of life. However, life must be lived. In this sense, all care is required for children. Continue to vaccinate children according to the vaccination schedule to avoid the problems of ear infections noted, at this time of health crisis."

For parents who are afraid to take children to hospital, his message is clear "Go get your children vaccinated to protect them from other illnesses, because it's not just the coronavirus."

Faced with an emergency, he reminded parents to avoid self-medication and advised parents who have medical concerns with their offspring to call a pediatrician or the 2020 emergency number from the Ministry of Public Health.

In addition, Pediatrician Ferdinand recalled that asymptomatic children are contagious. He insisted that the strict application of health instructions in adults is also valid for children (hand washing, avoid touching the T-zone : eyes, nose, mouth). He advised parents against using masks for children under the age of 2 to avoid the risk of suffocation.

He also reassured people who are breastfeeding that "no transmission of Covid19 has been scientifically proven."

Dr. Rodin Ferdinand concluded his intervention with a series of recommendations to parents, to help reduce stress or other psychological problems in children:

• Check the information relating to the number of people reached and/or died daily by the Covid-19;

• Avoid cases of domestic violence;

• Use familiar language to explain the disease to children, emphasizing the methods and means of transmission and prevention to be applied;

• Practice family distractions while respecting health instructions;

• Continue the academic activities of children even in confinement.

IH/ iciHaiti