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All about RSV: A guide for parents.
Questions:
1. What is RSV?
2. When does RSV occur?
3. What are the symptoms of RSV?
4. Can RSV be serious?
5. How do I know if my child hasNa serious RSV infection?
6. When should I call the doctor?
7. If my child should get an RSV, how is it treated?
8. Where does RSV come from, and how can I prevent my
child from being infected?
9. Can my child get RSV again?
10. Will RSV weaken my child's lungs and make him more susceptible to pneumonia in the future? Texts:
1. Although a child can get a second RSV infection, it is very
likely that the symptoms will be much milder than the first time.
2. In the great majority of cases RSV infection is self-limiting
and requires no specific therapy. If your child has a fever, your
pediatrician may prescribe some medication to control it. If he or
she develops an ear infection associated with RSV, antibiotics may
be prescribed. Most children exhibiting the respiratory symptoms
commonly associated with RSV {such as a stuffy nose and cough)
require no treatment.
If, however, your child has more severe symptoms of RSV infection and needs hospitalization, then specific antiviral treatment with ribavitin may be administered Whether your physician decides to use this drug — which is administered in a mist form — will depend on the severity of the illness, any associated diseases or conditions, and several other factors.
3. A child who develops signs of more stressful breathing,
deeper and more frequent coughing, and who generally acts sicker
by appearing tired, less playful, and less interested in food may have developed a more serious RSV infection. But only your doctor can tell for sure.
4. Most children recover completely and will handle their next
respiratory infection with no more'difficulty than the average child.
A few children, however, appear to be more susceptible to
subsequent respiratory problems. Susceptibility may relate, however,
to some other underlying medical condition or allergy.
5. RSV causes nasal stuffiness and discharge, cough, and
sometimes ear infections. It is usually self-limiting and does not
require hospitalization or specific treatment — even in the majority
of those who also have lower respiratory tract involvement. These
children may have a low-grade fever for several days, respiratory
symptoms that may last for 1 to 2 weeks, and a cough that
sometimes persists beyond 2 weeks.
6. Children and adults of all ages can become infected. The
infection-in older children and adults may be very mild, usually causing
cold-like symptoms. A person becomes infected by coming in close
contact with another infected person or with the secretions from an
infected person. An infant usually acquires the infection from close
contact with an older family member who may not be aware that
he or she is ill or who may have only mild, cold-like symptoms.
As noted earlier, RSV occurs throughout the year, but because it occurs in wide scale, sudden outbreaks, and is so prevalent in the winter months, it is not feasible or advisable to attempt to prevent the normal child's exposure to RSV infection. When a family member is infected, extra precautions may be taken by washing hands often and preventing the spread of infectious secretions on tissues and objects.
7. RSV occurs throughout the year and is most prevalent during
the winter months.
8. RSV stands for respiratory syncytial virus, the most frequent
cause of serious respiratory tract infections in "infants and children
younger than 4 years of age. This is such a common virus that
virtually all children have been infected by RSV by the age of 3.
In most young children it results in a mild respiratory infection
that is not distinguishable from a cold.
9. As in any case of illness, you should call your pediatrician
whenever you are worried about your child. He or she can best
decide with you whether the symptoms and behaviour you describe
suggest that your baby should be seen.. In general, pediatricians
prefer to examine ill infants in person, as severity may be impossible
to determine over the phone.
Certainly, if the respiratory syptoms appear to interfere with your baby's ability to sleep or drink, or if the baby appears to
have difficult or rapid breathing, you should call your pediatrician. If your child is younger than 1 year of age and has an underlying disease such as heart disease or lung disease or was premature, with lung disease developing after birth, you should let your physician know whenever the baby develops a respiratory infection.
10. Yes. An infant or young child who is experiencing his or
her first RSV infection may develop a severe infection in the lower
respiratory tract that is best managed in the hospital. Approximately
80,000 children are hospitalized with these infections each year.
Most commonly, the ones requiring hospitalization are newborns
and infants and those who have another complicating or underlying
condition, such as congenital heart or lung disease.