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RSV in Babies

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is a common illness that affects many children, especially babies every year. It occurs in epidemic periods that can last up to five months, and during these periods it can infect as many as 50% of all infants. It is very contagious and can lead to entire daycares being infected with it (meaning as many as 100% of the attending children can contract the illness). It can be a very dangerous illness, and leads to approximately 125,000 hospitalizations and 2500 deaths every year. Since it can have such disastrous results, it is important for parents to be aware of its signs and symptoms, as well as risk factors and prevention methods.

• Symptoms—
The most common symptoms of RSV are as follows:

Runny nose

Coughing

Sore throat

Fever

Headache

Wheezing

Bluish lips and fingernails (due to lack of oxygen)

Can lead to pneumonia and bronchitis, as well as the symptoms of these illnesses

• Treatments—
If your child has RSV, you will want to treat the symptoms with over the counter medications, such as those for the cough, fever, etc. You should use a cool-mist vaporizer to help soothe your child’s lungs and ease coughing. If the child is under 6 months old, you should not let them have water or juices, and should instead increase their intake of formula or breast milk. Infants and children with severe RSV will have to be treated in a hospital. Since the illness is caused by a virus, it will not be treated with antibiotics.

• Risk factors—
There are a few factors that can increase the likelihood of a child contracting the RSV virus, and if your child falls under any of these categories, you should take extra care to be cautious and try to prevent them from catching it.

Babies and children that go to daycare

Babies with older siblings that go to school or daycare (the child could contract it and then bring it home and pass it to baby)

Premature babies (these babies are at high risk for catching it, even as they get older)

Children with preexisting medical conditions (this can include lung and heart problems)

Children with an immune deficiency

• Prevention—
If you know that RSV is spreading in your area, you should keep your child from public exposure as much as possible. Washing your hands frequently, washing your child’s hands frequently, as well as limiting who is in contact with your child (and making them wash their hands before holding baby) can help lower your child’s risk. If your baby falls under a high risk category and the virus is going around, your pediatrician may be able to give them preventative medication that makes them temporarily immune to it.

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