- Was born early at less than 36 weeks
- Was born with certain heart problems or has chronic lung disease
Additional risk factors for premature infants may include:
- Having school-age siblings, or spending more than 4 hours in daycare with other children
- Being 12 weeks of age or younger at the beginning of RSV season
- Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke or other air pollutants
- Low birth weight (less than 5.5 pounds)
- Being a twin, triplet or other multiple
- Born with abnormal airways, or having a family history of asthma or a lung disorder
What Are The More Severe Symptoms?
Call your healthcare provider right away if your baby has any of these symptoms:
- A fever greater than 100.4° F (rectal)
- Persistent coughing
- Wheezing
- Rapid breathing
- Problems breathing or gasping for breath
- Blue color on the lips and/or around the mouth
How Is RSV Treated?
Most children with RSV get better without medical treatment. If hospitalized, some children may need breathing treatments or fever medicine.
RSV can be treated through the following, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- Manage fever and pain with over-the-counter fever reducers and pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. (Never give aspirin to children.)
- Drink enough fluids. It is important for people with RSV infection to drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration (loss of body fluids).
- Talk to your healthcare provider before giving your child nonprescription cold medicines. Some medicines contain ingredients that are not good for children.
What If My Child Needs Additional Treatment?
Monoclonal antibody products can help protect babies and young children from severe disease from an RSV infection, according to the CDC. Monoclonal antibodies are not vaccines, however. they provide an extra layer of defense that helps fight RSV infections and protect children from getting very sick. The protection these antibodies provide wanes over time. These products are not treatments for a child who already has RSV infection.
High-risk infants and young children with certain health conditions may be prescribed monthly injections throughout the RSV season to help prevent severe RSV, the American Lung Association notes.
Can RSV Be Prevented?
Talking to your healthcare provider is one of the best steps you can take to help reduce your baby’s exposure to RSV (and protect against them developing more serious symptoms).
In general:
- Limit Contact. Reduce your baby’s contact with people infected, or potentially infected, with the virus.
- Wash/Sanitize Hands. The RSV virus can live on the hands for up to 13 minutes.
- Isolate Your Baby. If the child is already in the hospital, ensure that they are as isolated as possible to limit infection.
- Get Vaccinated. Vaccines are given to pregnant individuals at 32 through 36 weeks gestational age for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) and severe LRTD caused by RSV in infants from birth through 6 months of age. Vaccines also prevent LRTD in individuals 60 years of age and older.
In addition, be sure to ask your doctor:
- When does the RSV season occur in my area, and what time of year is my baby most at risk for contracting RSV?
- Is my baby potentially at a higher risk?
- What additional protective steps can I take?
- How is RSV contracted, and how can I protect my baby from the virus’ germs?
- Is it okay for me to take my baby to public gatherings, such as church and family outings?
- Is it safe for me to travel with my baby?
Dr. Goldstein provided one last essential note: “Parents still have the right to be an advocate: they can reduce risk factors, ask politicians to push for more coverage, and use competing guidelines to help demand for RSV therapy coverage, such as what can be found at: http://nationalperinatal.org.
For more information about RSV, please visit:www.RSVprotection.com