Know the Facts: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

This is part of a sponsored collaboration with AstraZeneca and DiMe Media. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

There is a good chance that you have heard of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), especially if you have followed me for a while. You already know some of the facts that I am going to share with you but it is always good to have a refresher. Respiratory Syncytial Virus or RSV is seasonal virus contracted by nearly 100% of infants by the age of 2. That sounds scary enough all byself.

RSV occurs in epidemics, typically from November through March in most of the US. However the “RSV season” can vary from year to year. So what do you look for? Well that can be difficult since in most babies RSV leads to mild respiratory infection with symptoms similar to the common cold or flu. It can develop into a much more serious infection. Here are a few facts:

• RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization for babies during their first year of life in the US
• RSV is the cause of approximately 125,000 hospitalizations and up to 200 infant deaths each year in the US
• RSV causes up to 10 times as many infant deaths each year than the flu
• RSV is the reason for every 13 pediatrician visits and one of every 38 trips to the ER in children under the age of five

Those are some hard facts aren’t they? Well here is another one! Preemies (babies born earlier than  35 weeks gestation) are at a greater risk of contracting a severe case of RSV. Preemies are twice as likely to be admitted to the hospital for RSV. The reason is because of their underdeveloped lungs and the fact they don’t have the full amount of infection-fighting antibodies that are transferred in utero. This is not good and the fact that more than half a million babies are born prematurely in the US each year it really makes me nervous.

Symptoms of RSV

Knowing the symptoms of RSV can help you get the care your child needs when he or she needs it. Symptoms include:

• Coughing or wheezing that does not stop
• Fast or troubled breathing
• Spread-out nostrils and/or a caved-in chest when trying to breathe
• Bluish color around the mouth or fingernails
• Fever (especially if it is over 100.4°F [rectal] in infants under 3 months of age)

Those symptoms can of course mimic other things as well. Reese had many of those symptoms last month and we were worried but he simply had a cold. It was scary though because he had RSV before and we knew what to watch for. The picture below is an old where he finally got over his RSV and although it wasn’t serious (he had a mild case) we were HAPPY! Luckily neither of the twins had it.  

Ways to Prevent RSV

You can prevent RSV! In fact prevention is the key since there is NO treatment for RSV.

• Wash your hands and make sure you ask others to do the same. If they don’t DON’T let them touch your baby!
•  Keep toys, clothes, blankets, and sheets clean
•  Avoid crowds and/or being around people. This includes young children who may already be sick during RSV Season (remember it can vary but is typically November through March)
• Ask your child’s pediatrician if he or she may be at high risk and any ways that you can help protect a high-risk baby

Let’s fact we want them all to grow up and do simply and sweet things like this:

Educate Yourself about RSV

You can find out more by visiting  www.RSVprotection.com which I highly recommend you all do. This is something that you need all the facts you can get to be prepared for.