Respiratory Synctial Virus (RSV) and Your Child
Many of the boomer generation have never heard of RSV or Respiratory Synctial Virus. This illness has become a major cause of infections in the respiratory tract, and can affect the nose and the lungs. The symptoms of RSV are similar to the common cold and include, sore throat, cough, low-grade fever, headache, and just not feeling good. They may have a stuffy or runny nose. For children under three, RSV can cause more severe problems such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia and if left untreated could result in respiratory failure.
Signs to watch for if your infant or child has cold symptoms are rapid breathing, bluish color around the mouth or fingernails, high fever, sever cough, and wheezing. If your child seems to be struggling drawing in oxygen, they may have RSV.
RSV is a virus so usually not treated with antibiotics and causes infection of the lungs and breathing passages. It can reoccur several times and will cause more severe problems in infants and small children. After each infection, your child’s body will start building some immunity to the virus, but it’s never complete enough to keep them getting it again.
RSV is very contagious and is passed from person to person by nasal fluids as well as oral fluids. One infant can pass it to another just by chewing on a toy the other child picks up and chews on too. It also can enter the body through the eyes or nose after touching something that has been handled by a person with RSV. This infection spreads quickly through a pre-school or daycare setting and an older child can bring it home to a younger sibling. It occurs more frequently from late fall to early spring and children between two to six months are more susceptible to catching RSV. It rarely occurs in the summer months.
Prevention of RSV is the same as any other bacteria. Frequently washing your hands, avoid being in contact with someone who you know has a cold or infection, and not touching your nose or eyes after touching someone with the RSV virus.
RSV will usually last between seven to fourteen days but could last as long as three weeks. If a child needs to be hospitalized for this infection, their stay is usually five to seven days. Once a child has been exposed to the RSV virus they will normally get it within four to six days.
If your child is having an RSV infection and it’s not serious enough for them to be hospitalized, there are some treatments you can do at home. Put a cool-air vaporizer in the room where the infant or child sleeps, it will soothe the breathing passages and lessens the cough. Be sure to give your child plenty of liquids. Water and fruit juices are best because they will keep nasal dripping watery and easier to clear. If you have an infant less than six months, either breastfeed or give bottles more frequently with smaller amounts. Dehydration is dangerous so watch carefully for those signs.
If you need to loosen mucus in their nose, use salt-water nose drops and a little petroleum jelly under the nose can relieve irritation from blowing and wiping. If your child doesn’t know how to blow their nose yet, you may want to use an aspirator to remove the mucus.
Call your doctor if the mucus turns from watery to green, gray, or yellow. If your child is running a temperature of over 101 degrees, if they have a cough that lasts more than four days, or they have rapid breathing. Other signs that it’s time to call your doctor is; if the lips, skin, or fingernails are bluish in color, if they’re having problems breathing, complaining of pain in their chests, or if they start coughing up mucus either yellow, green, or gray.
It is hard to tell in some infants if they have signs of RSV, if you are unsure or have any questions, always contact your child’s doctor. Your doctor may tell you if your infant is at a higher risk of catching the RSV virus. Always call your doctor if your child is unusually inactive, refused to eat, or is very inactive.
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