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COVID-19 and Your Child

COVID-19 Testing Information

Testing at either ACH or ACNW requires an order from your primary care provider, so please contact them before arriving. Your primary care provider will be notified of the test results within 36-48 hours of testing. Your results will also be available in your MyChart account.

If your child is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19:

  • Please note: Arkansas Children's is following the Arkansas Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for testing for COVID-19. We are ONLY testing those children who meet the qualifying criteria. 
  • Most fever, cough, and cold symptoms can be managed at home with over-the-counter medications like Tylenol, Motrin and oral hydration fluids like Pedialyte. However, we encourage you to bring your child to the Emergency Department if:
    • They are having difficulty breathing
    • They are dehydrated (crying without tears, infrequent urination)
    • They are overly drowsy or hard to wake
  • Fever (a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees) in babies less than 3 months old should prompt you to call your primary care physician or bring your child to the Emergency Department.
  • UAMS HealthNow is also offering a free online tool available 24 hours a day at UAMSHealth.com/healthnow. UAMS HealthNow is intended for adults (at least 18 years old). 

About Your Visit to an Arkansas Children's Facility

Although the statewide mask mandate is no longer in effect, all visitors to any Arkansas Children’s facility are required to wear masks and follow our COVID-19 visitor restrictions. For the safety and well-being of our patients, we ask all visitors to be healthy when visiting our inpatient units. All visitors will be asked a wellness screen and should not have a cough, runny nose, congestion, fever or diarrhea. If you have any of those symptoms, we ask that you stay home until you are better. All visitors are asked to not visit until 48 hours after their symptoms stop.

Download a patient handbook for particular visitor guidelines when visiting Arkansas Children's Hospital or Arkansas Children's Northwest.

We are taking additional steps to protect children and their families from potential exposure. We are requiring that all patients and their accompanying parent or guardian wear masks in our facilities. If you have cloth masks, please bring and wear them while you are here. If you do not have a mask, we will provide a new, unused mask at the door. If your child is under 2 years old, or cannot put on or a remove a mask without help, they should not wear a mask.

Although the statewide mask mandate is no longer in effect, all visitors to any Arkansas Children’s facility are required to wear masks.

With safety as a core value, Arkansas Children’s is implementing procedures and protocols across the health system. Team members, patients and visitors entering Arkansas Children's facilities will be temperature screened upon entry to our facilities. As visitors, patients and families arrive on campus they should expect to be asked ALL of the following screening questions:

  1. Have you had recent onset of any of the following symptoms:
    • Fever or chills
    • Cough
    • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
    • Fatigue
    • Muscle or body aches (not explained by exercise)
    • Headache
    • New loss of taste or smell
    • Sore throat
    • Congestion or runny nose
    • Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
  2. In the last month, have you or anyone in your household:
    • Tested positive for COVID-19 or have a test pending?
    • Have been in direct contact with someone positive for COVID-19?

If you are cleared to enter, you will be asked to wear a mask.

Helpful information about the novel coronavirus outbreak.

CDC Coronavirus badge

As a parent or caregiver, you might be concerned about the coronavirus outbreak and how it could impact your family.

Arkansas Children’s is staying up-to-date with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) and is working closely with our Arkansas Children’s Infection Prevention team to keep patients and families safe and healthy during this uncertain time.

The number of cases continues to increase around the world, including more diagnoses in the United States. 

What is Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)?

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus that was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Several known coronaviruses infect people and usually only cause mild respiratory disease, such as the common cold. Some develop with more serious symptoms, like the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreaks in years past.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Patients with COVID-19 have had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath

How can I protect myself and my family?

The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19. Here are some everyday ways to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

How many cases of COVID-19 are in the U.S.?

The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was reported on January 21, 2020. The current count of cases of COVID-19 in the United States is available on CDC’s webpage at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html.

How does COVID-19 spread?

The virus that causes COVID-19 probably emerged from an animal source, but now it seems to be spreading from person to person. Some diseases are more contagious than others. An example of a very highly contagious disease is measles, while other diseases are less so. At this time, it’s unclear how easily or sustainably the virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading between people.

What are severe complications from this virus?

Many adult patients have pneumonia in both lungs. 

Is there a vaccine or specific treatment?

The COVID-19 vaccine, along with continued masking, social distancing, and frequent hand washing, offers the best protection from COVID-19. Learn more.

How is Arkansas Children’s preparing for the coronavirus?

Our Infection Prevention team is staying in close contact with the CDC and Arkansas Department of Health to stay updated about the coronavirus and how it could potentially impact our patients and families, volunteers and team members within the system. Additionally, we are screening patients at check-in to identify any at-risk individuals.

For more information visit: www.cdc.gov/COVID19.