World Prematurity Day {#protectpreemies #rsv}

By: The Hudson Family

November 17th is World Prematurity Day which is the day dedicated to help raise awareness about prematurity and the potential risks that are associated with premature birth. 13 million babies are born premature worldwide every year and it is the leading cause of neonatal death. As a premature baby myself I can tell you that babies who are born prematurely have many more problems than those that are full term. I was so small that there was not even a diaper to fit me. I had to wear the mask that the doctors wear in the hospital and that was my diaper for a while. I spent time in an incubator allowing my lungs to fully develop which meant my parents couldn’t hold me as soon as they would have liked.

The other big issue was that my immune system was not fully developed so I caught rheumatic fever which left scarring on my heart. I was born with a congenital heart disease but the scars left my the rheumatic fever did nothing to help an already damaged organ. That is just one of the problems that can affect premature babies. They are more likely to develop infections and much more susceptible to respiratory problems such as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV.) RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization and severe cases of RSV causes 10 times more deaths than the flu does a year.

RSV is very contagious and can be spread easily through touching, sneezing, and coughing. It is most prevalent during the winter months with the CDC defining “RSV season” as November through March for most of North America. Infants from U.S Hispanic communities are at an increased risk of developing severe RSV. While the exact reason for that is unknown I have a good theory about it, Hispanics tend to pass their babies around more. Family members tend to all want to hold the baby and so the germs are just flying round. RSV is contracted by nearly all children by the age of two often having minor symptoms similar to the common cold.

We can help prevent the spread of RSV by washing our hands often, especially before touching the baby. Making sure that toys, bedding, and play areas are all washed frequently as well. Don’t take baby out into large crowds and avoid people who have recently been sick (Sorry Grandma! No touching the baby!!) Finally speak with your child’s doctor if he or she may be at high risk for RSV, since there may be preventive therapy available. You can find more information at the RSV Protection Site.

The known symptoms of RSV are:

• Severe coughing, wheezing, or rapid gasping for breath
• Blue color on the lips, mouth, or under the fingernails
• High fever and extreme fatigue

**This is a sponsored post thanks to my connection with Latina Bloggers Connect however all opinions are 100% my own.