Cold and flu season is upon us and one virus that always worries me this time of year is RSV. My oldest daughter had RSV right after her first birthday and it was one of the scariest viruses she had. Unlike roseola which ran its course and went away, RSV threatened to linger for weeks, causing upper respiratory distress, persistent coughing, excess mucous, fever, and a lot of lost sleep. I stayed up nights watching my baby have a hard time breathing. Our pediatrician opted not to hospitalize her, as long as I was able to keep up with her nebulizer treatments and bring her to his office for daily check ups. We were lucky- we caught it early and were able to control her symptoms at home, but if she was under a year old her doctor said a hospital stay would have been inevitable.
• Wash their hands and ask others to do the same
• Keep toys, clothes, blanket and sheets clean
• Avoid crowds and other young children during RSV season
• Never let anyone smoke around your baby
• Steer clear of people who are sick or who have recently been sick
