SALEM, Ohio - The American Academy of Pediatrics reports COVID-19 cases among children have increased 240 percent nationally since early July.

During that same period in Ohio - there has been a two-thousand percent increase in cases among Ohio children. 

Now one Salem boy is still recovering from the virus after being hospitalized. His mom is urging school districts to consider a mask mandate. 

Elijah is a 3rd grader at Reilly Elementary in Salem. Just last week, he came down with COVID-19. He was even hospitalized earlier this week for fluid therapy.

Amber Padula, Elijah's mother says they've been extremely cautious of the virus including homeschooling Elijah last year and even removing him from extracurriculars.

"He used to be in soccer, baseball, basketball, boy scouts and was in the youth choir at our church," Padula said. "I had literally canceled all of his activities."

But it's less than a month into the school year, Padula believes Elijah got the virus from school.

"Most parents take their kids to Walmart without a mask. I would never do that. Most parents have their kids playing football and other activities as normal. I haven't let me son do any of that," she said.

Elijah's symptoms included having a high fever, fatigue and digestion issues. Padula told 21 News Elijah's previously had issues with Epstein-Barr Virus and that could have contributed to worsening his symptoms. 

Salem City Schools currently strongly recommends students and staff wear a mask.

Padula is calling for all schools to implement a mask mandate so other kids don't have to go through what her son is experiencing.

"They have to make decisions sometimes that would make a lot of people upset but they're going to do it because it's the right thing to do," Padula said. 

Elijah is home as of Wednesday evening and on the mend.

21 News reached out to Salem's superintendent after hours for comment - and have not heard back yet.