Since I was old enough to work, I have had a full-time job. I love working and, quite frankly, would make a terrible stay-at-home mom. However, because my husband and I both work full-time, our girls have always been in daycare and, now, after-school programs.
I love the teachers and caregivers that my children spend their time with, but let’s face the facts. Those places are breeding grounds for germs and illness. Those are just the facts of life. As a matter of fact, my youngest is home today with a case of pink eye.
For older kids, those germs are a pain in the butt and not fun at all. But, for babies under the age of 2, some of that general “ick” from daycare can be especially hard to deal with.
What is RSV?
Did you know that about two-thirds of kids under the age of one will contract RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus) and almost 100% of babies will face it before they’re two? RSV season is basically November through March and symptoms are generally pretty much the same as a common cold. The difference between a common cold and RSV is that RSV can result in a serious respiratory infection in some babies, especially those born prematurely since their little lungs aren’t fully developed and they have fewer infection-fighting antibodies.
Preventing RSV
Some symptoms of severe RSV are:
· 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 in infants under 3 months of age)
If you think that your child might have severe RSV, make sure to get them immediate medical care. However, even if your little one only shows outward signs of mild or moderate RSV, it’s best to keep them away from other kids for awhile since the virus is extremely contagious.
Since there is no treatment for RSV, it is important to protect your little ones from ever contracting it, especially if they are at a higher risk (your pediatrician can help you determine this). The best ways to protect their babies are to wash hands, toys, bedding frequently and avoid crowds and cigarette smoke.
My little Dumpling had a mild case of RSV when she was a little baby and I remember feeling so sorry for her. The coughing fits alone are scary enough to cause a mom to worry. During this RSV season, keep an eye on your little ones and keep them safe from this awful virus.
Learn More
To learn more about RSV and how you can protect your child from the virus, visit www.RSVProtection.com and follow #RSVProtection on Twitter. Also, here is an easy-to-understand infographic with some of the most important facts about RSV. Almost 1/3 of moms have never heard of RSV – make sure you’re not one of them.
Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of MedImmune and I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
My 4 year old grandson had RSV last February. Normally it isn’t dangerous in most 4 year old children, but my little guy has severe asthma. He was hospitalized for a week with it and secondary pneumonia. It was really scary! I’ve lived in fear this winter that he would get it again, but so far so good.
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Lindsay Reply:
February 11th, 2013 at 2:35 pm
Oh my gosh how scary! I’m glad he’s alright!
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I have four children and haven’t heard of it. I’m glad I stopped over. Thank you for sharing the article and the symptoms. It’s a little scary that there’s no treatment.
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