I’ve been sick recently with a head cold, as have several other folks I know. The doctor I went to see had been sick with the same thing over the last month.
Head colds can make you feel miserable, but really, there’s not much that can be done other than treating the symptoms and letting it run its course.
But in recent weeks, there have been two babies in my family that have been much sicker. At the time of this writing, my two-year old granddaughter has pneumonia, strep throat and two ear infections. She has been one sick little puppy and is not quite out of the woods yet, but mom, dad and the doctors are keeping a close watch on her. She’s improving slowly.
The other baby that has been sick in our family is my 11-month old great nephew. He has also has two ear infections, but worse than that, RSV. He’s going on his second week of illness, and is still running a high fever.
When I first heard he had RSV, I wasn’t too alarmed, I knew it was a respiratory virus, but when I was telling my daughter about it, she was very concerned. After talking with her a bit longer, I understood why. If you are not familiar with RSV, I will clue you in somewhat.
RSV is short for respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus. It is a very common virus that leads to mild cold-like symptoms in adults and older healthy children; however, for young babies and infants, it is considered high-risk, and the virus can be much more serious and complicated. Compounding that risk are babies born prematurely.
RSV is caused from an air-borne germ entering into the lung and airway passages of infants and young children. Surprisingly, most infants have had this infection by the age of two. Occurrences of RSV infections most often run from the fall into the spring.
RSV spreads very rapidly in households with young children and especially rapidly in daycares. It can be caught through a sneeze, a cough, kisses, handshakes, or even touching something like a doorknob or a toy the virus has contaminated. The virus can live up to five hours on countertops and for several hours on a tissue.
The symptoms for an older child are usually mild, and are mainly cold-like symptoms: stuffy nose, low-grade fever and cough. However, infants under the age of 12 months have severe symptoms, one of the worst being the inability to breathe.
RSV symptoms include:
• Bluish skin color due to lack of oxygen (cyanosis)
• Breathing difficulty or labored breathing
• Cough, sometimes croupy
• High fever
• Nasal flaring
• Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
• Shortness of breath
• Stuffy nose
• Wheezing
Many hospitals and clinics can rapidly test for RSV using a sample from a nasal swab. If RSV is confirmed, the infant may be admitted to the hospital for IV fluids and oxygen; however, antibiotics will not help.
Prevention
To help prevent the spread of RSV, people who have cold-like symptoms should:
• Cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing;
• Wash their hands often with soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds;
• Avoid sharing cups and eating utensils with others; and
• Refrain from kissing others.
There is not yet a vaccine to protect against RSV. However, for children at high risk for serious disease, monthly shots of a drug called palivizumab can help prevent serious illness during RSV season. Ask your healthcare provider if your child would be a good candidate for the drug.
If you think that you or your child might have an RSV infection that requires medical care, see your doctor. The healthcare provider will evaluate the severity of the illness and decide how best to treat it. RSV symptoms in most infants, children and adults clear up on their own in a week or two.
Sources: “Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases” by Gerald Mandel, John Bennett and Raphael Dolin; “Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics” by Robert M. Kliegman, M.D., Richard E. Behrman, M.D., Hal B. Jenson, M.D., and Bonita M.D. Stanton, M.D.; and the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, division of viral diseases.