A dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases in children has been a cause for alarm over the last two weeks.

Maria Ribeiro says her three kids have been learning from home since Thanksgiving. She says as soon as she saw a spike in COVID-19 cases in the East Meadow district, she pulled them from school.

"We figured around this time we would get more cases ... we're just trying to take it day by day," says Ribeiro.

And over the last two weeks, the number of coronavirus cases in children has done just what Maria was expecting -- increase significantly. According to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, COVID-19 cases have gone up 25% nationwide between Dec. 3 - Dec. 17. A total of182,000 cases in children were diagnosed in just last week alone.

East Meadow pediatrician Dr. John Zaso says he has seen the increase in his office.

"The weekend alone ... we had 14 positive children Saturday just on Saturday, which is through the roof," says Zaso. "I mean normally if you have one or two on a busy day ... Saturday I think we saw 50 kids and 14 of them were positive."

Dr. Zaso says the good news is that in general, COVID-19 cases in kids are not as severe, with many being completely asymptomatic. But he says as we head into the holidays, parents need to take precautions.

"Keep your group small, keep your pods, your close family grandma, grandpa, try to avoid all the cousins," says Zaso. "Because while they may be healthy right now, they can bring the disease in quietly and then effect grandparents, which is what we're really worried about."

Zaso says after the necessary studies are done, he believes it will be roughly eight months to a year before the coronavirus vaccine will be available for use for children.