Doctors are reporting a surge in respiratory syncytial virus among young children, a common illness that typically emerges a little bit later in the f...
Doctors are reporting a surge in respiratory syncytial virus among young children, a common illness that typically emerges a little bit later in the fall and winter season.
A very small proportion of kids are at risk of severe RSV — mainly babies with heart or lung disease or those who were born prematurely, he says.HOW DO I KNOW IT’S RSV? “You can imagine that the smaller you are, the more that congestion affects your ability to breathe, ability to eat and drink, and be comfortable,” says Langevin.Expect a bout of RSV to last more than a week, says Langevin, with fever typically lasting one or two days and the peak of illness arriving on days four and five.
He suggests clearing a baby’s nose with saline so they’re able to drink properly. The drops can provoke a cough, and that’s good, he adds. “I always tell families, don’t worry too much about solids, your children may not be very hungry for solid foods, but you want to be drinking lots very frequently.”
For those a bit older, the society says symptoms that warrant a doctor’s attention include a fever for more than 72 hours, loss of appetite or vomiting, or coughing to the point of choking or throwing up.“If they’re not able to drink half of what they would normally drink, or if they’re in so much distress that they’re becoming fatigued … then obviously they have to be seen by the emergency department,” he says.