The fact that October is RSV awareness month brings back scary memories in our family.
In February of 2010 my sons were both sick with what we thought were colds. One of my sons was worse than the other. The new symptom he had that I had never seen before was fast breathing. Talk about scary. I started using Dr. Google and thought, “oh no, is this a symptom of RSV”?
RSV can be deadly in small children. Did you know it affects nearly 100% of infants by age two? RSV season is from November through March and October is National RSV Awareness Month to help spread the word about how to prevent this disease. The Little Lungs website is a good source of information about RSV. RSV stands for Respiratory Syncytial Virus which is a common, highly contagious and seasonal virus.
I immediately called our doctor. The nurse on the line asked me to count the number of breaths he was taking. RSV can inhibit babies from breathing so I would have thought the higher the number of breaths per minute would be good but it was the exact opposite. Because he was breathing faster meant he wasn’t getting enough oxygen. His number of breaths per minute was too high so we had to take him to the ER.
Signs of RSV disease
- Coughing or wheezing that doesn’t stop
- Fast or troubled breathing
- gasping for breath
- bluish color around the mouth or fingernails
- unusual lethargy or tiredness
- fever
They admitted him and we were put into an isolation room for highly contagious diseases. Another wake up call for how serious this illness can be. You had to walk into the first door and scrub in before you could go into the second door into the room. And anyone going in and out had to scrub in on their way in and scrub again on their way out. Luckily the doctors were able to administer steroid treatments and over the next 24 hours we were able to get my son’s oxygen levels to a better level.
After all of this you can bet I racked my brains thinking how did we catch RSV? I am pretty sure we caught it at our local children’s museum. We had been 3 days earlier and although they have plenty of hand sanitizer I don’t think I was vigilant enough in having my boys use it. In February in a crowded play area with lots of kids, it was the perfect scenario to catch RSV.
How to prevent RSV.
- Have everyone wash their hands when entering your home
- Wash toys and surfaces often
- Keep children away from people who are sick
- Keep young children away from crowds
- Ask your doctor if your child has a high risk for RSV disease
I am glad we were able to catch it quickly and get him to the hospital for treatment. Awareness of this disease is important because while the first symptoms look like a common cold it can quickly escalate into severe illness.
If you have any questions about RSV please talk to your pediatrician or go to Little Lungs for more information.
I also have become a big fan of Elderberry Syrup. I use it all winter. Here is the brand I love RD Naturals. If you want more information about see this article on why elderberry works.
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One of my nieces had RSV and it was scary for all of us. Thanks for helping to raise awareness for this.
It can escalate to such a serious illness. I am glad your niece is ok now.
I never even heard about RSV until I read your post. We must keep an eye on our sick kids as sometimes it can be more than “just a cold”.
I’ve never heard of this before so thank you for raising awareness on this illness. It sounds scary since it can escalate into severe illness!!
My nephew had this as an infant and it was a scary time. I did not realize there was a whole month dedicated to RSV but it seems like a good time of year to make people more aware.
This is such good information! I don’t know anything RSV. Definitely good to know for the future!
Tis the season! This is great to know,especially when so many different germs go around at school.
I don’t have little kids anymore but this is important information I could give to my brother and sister. It is so hard to know the difference and when to get concerned.
This is an eye opener! I hope a lot of parents would read this post. It’s a good reminder to have our kids checked especially when there are other signs appearing on their skin or symptoms that are manifesting.
RSV is so scary! I’m glad your kids ended up okay. Awareness is very important and the disease could be prevented with some effort!
My youngest had RSV and the lingering effects anytime she got sick after that lasted for almost two years. She seems to have finally gotten past it.
RSV does sound very scary for parents and little ones. Knowing the symptoms can definitely help you know when you are dealing with more than a cold and need to take your child to the doctor immediately.
I just wrote about RSV awareness too. It’s so important that new parents understand the risks and what they can do to help keep their babies safe.
RSV is a scary virus, especially with an infant. Knowing the signs and differences between RSV and a typically cold is important in deciding the actions to take.
This is great information. RSV really scares me and I think it’s great to know what the signs and symptoms are to be sure!
This is super helpful. My 6 month old has a cough so reading things like this always make me a little nervous. I appreciated all the info though.
This is such great information. I never would have thought about it being anything other than a cold.