RSV. These three little letters can mean big trouble for your baby, especially if they are born prematurely. If you have never heard of RSV and wonder what is RSV you’re not alone. In fact despite this being such a common virus one-third of mothers have never heard of it. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common seasonal virus that typically causes mild to moderate cold-like symptoms in healthy, full-term babies. Nearly all children by the age of two will have contracted RSV at some point or another. And in most cases it’s no more than a short-lived illness that will pass. However RSV disease can be deadly and it is the leading cause of hospitalization for babies during their first year of life in the United States, with approximately 125,000 hospitalizations and up to 200 infant deaths each year. So it’s nothing to take lightly and every mother should educate themselves on RSV, especially those with premature babies who are most likely to suffer grave effects.
Every baby has the risk of contracting RSV, but babies who are born prematurely are at increased risk for developing severe RSV disease. In fact, preterm infants are twice as likely as full-term infants to be admitted to the hospital for RSV-related symptoms. There are many ways you can help protect your baby from RSV but one of the most important is to know how it’s spread. RSV is very contagious and can be spread easily through touching, sneezing and coughing. It can live on the skin and surfaces for hours so even if your child isn’t around someone who is sick, they can still contract it other ways. There is no treatment for RSV disease once your child has it, so prevention is critical. To help minimize the spread of RSV disease, all parents should:
- Wash their hands and ask others to do the same. Please don’t be shy about asking someone to wash their hands. Even if they get offended it’s your baby who could be the one to suffer it they get sick.
- Keep toys, clothes, blanket and sheets clean. This is especially true if you have other kids in the home.
- Avoid crowds and other young children during RSV season.
- Never let anyone smoke around your baby.
- Steer clear of people who are sick or who have recently been sick.
So how do you know if you baby has contracted the RSV virus? There are a few symptoms that you should be aware of and if your child shows any signs of these you should immediately contact your physician.
- Persistent coughing or wheezing
- Bluish color around the mouth or fingernails
- Rapid, difficult, or gasping breaths
- Fever (especially if it is over 100.4°F [rectal] in infants under 3 months of age)
RSV is most common during the cold and flu months everyone should be aware of this virus all year long. Educating people and helping to spread awareness about RSV is key and we can all do our part.World Prematurity Day is on November 17, 2014 and this is a great opportunity to spread the word about RSV. If you know a new mother ask them if they know what RSV is and if not give them some tips on how to protect the baby. For more information you can visit the RSV Prevention website. Here’s a good inforgraphic that also helps explain RSV a little more.