Why you should worry about respiratory syncytial virus

Last year when my daughter was only a year old, she became very ill, very quickly. It turned out her simple sniffle was actually respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and made it into her lungs within a day. She had a hard time breathing, had to be placed on a nebulizer, and was on constant watch 24 hours a day just in case this nasty virus progressed further. She became very lethargic, had a fever around 104, and was not able to run around and play. It pained me to watch my usually active little girl lay on my bed all day without any interest in anything. Her pediatrician assured me that she would get better, but noted that even once the virus ran its course, she would have a cough for a few weeks after. RSV weakened her immune system so much, that she was struck with a secondary infection soon after.

Since she was over a year old, my toddler did not have to be hospitalized and I was able to care for her RSV at home. As it turns out, nearly ALL children will end up with RSV by the time they are two. Had she been just a few months younger, RSV would have been life threatening and she may have been hospitalized due to complications that come along with RSV, such as trouble breathing, wheezing, and high fever.

November 17 is World Prematurity Day. You may wonder what this has to do with RSV – and I will explain that to you in just a moment. About 1,400 babies are born prematurely each year, and may have underdeveloped organs. The lungs are especially susceptible to underdevelopment prior to 37 weeks gestation because they are the last organ that develops before your baby is born. Having underdeveloped lungs poses a higher risk to preemies because RSV can cause further complications in a premature baby.

Here are some RSV Facts:

• RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization, responsible for more than 125,000 hospitalizations and up to 500 infant deaths each year.
• RSV occurs in epidemics each fall through spring. The CDC has defined “RSV season” as beginning in November and lasting through March for most parts of North America.
• Certain regions have longer RSV seasons than others, with the season beginning as early as July (e.g., Florida) or ending in April.
• Despite its prevalence, one-third of mothers have never heard of RSV.

How to prevent RSV:

There is no treatment for RSV, so it’s important for parents to take the following preventive steps to help protect their child:

• Wash hands, toys, bedding, and play areas frequently
• Ensure you, your family, and any visitors in your home wash their hands or use hand sanitizer
• Avoid large crowds and people who may be sick
• Never let anyone smoke near your baby
• Speak with your child’s doctor if you believe he or she may be at high risk for RSV, as a preventive therapy may be available

What are the symptoms of RSV?

• Persistent coughing or wheezing
• Rapid, difficult, or gasping breaths
• Blue color on the lips, mouth, or under the fingernails
• High fever
• Extreme fatigue
• Difficulty feeding

To learn more about RSV, visit www.rsvprotection.com.  For more about the specialized health needs of preterm infants, visit www.preemievoices.com. 

 

Disclosure:  I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of MedImmune and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.