RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is an organism that frequently infects infants and children under the age of 2. Illnesses that can stem from an RSV infection include pneumonia and an inflammation of the airways called bronchiolitis. RSV cannot be cured, and treatment for an infection involves supporting your child’s system until the illness resolves.
RSV Basics
In the U.S., RSV infections most commonly occur in the winter and spring, according to Children’s Hospital Boston. In most cases, children with RSV can be treated by their doctors on an outpatient basis. However, infants in certain risk groups tend to get more serious infections, which may require hospitalization. Common examples of these risk groups include premature infants; infants between the ages of 6 weeks and 6 months; and infants who have heart problems or breathing abnormalities. If your child contracts a serious RSV infection, her symptoms will typically resolve in one to two weeks.
Symptoms
Children’s Hospital Boston lists common symptoms of an RSV infection that include rapid breathing, coughing, poor feeding, irritability, lethargy, fever, clear nasal discharge and wheezing upon inhalation. Additional common symptoms include rattling that you can feel in your child’s chest or back; inward movement, or retraction, of your child’s chest wall; and bouts of apnea, a condition characterized by temporary lack of breathing. In many cases, RSV symptoms may be mistaken for symptoms of other illnesses, so take your child to a doctor for an accurate diagnosis of potential problems.
Diagnosis
Your child’s doctor will diagnose RSV with the help of a medical history and physical examination, the Nemours Foundation reports. If your infant has a minor infection that resembles a cold, the doctor may not try to differentiate between these two conditions. However, if your child has more serious symptoms, the doctor may perform additional tests that can produce a definitive diagnosis. Examples of these procedures include examination of your child’s nasal discharge, chest x-rays and measurements of the oxygen content in your child’s blood.
Treatment
Your child’s doctor will pick a specific course of treatment for RSV after considering a number of factors, Children’s Hospital Boston explains. Examples of these factors include severity of illness, your child’s age, your child’s medical history and general health, your preferences as a parent and your child’s tolerance for various potential treatment techniques. Examples of available treatments for RSV include medications that open your child’s airways, hydration with oral or intravenous fluids, and use of supplemental oxygen or a mechanical respirator. If your child has particularly RSV-related risks, she may also receive treatment with an anti-viral aerosol.
Prevention
RSV is an extremely contagious virus, the Nemours Foundation notes. You can help prevent an infection by washing your hands regularly and keeping any ill children away from close contact with your infant. If your child has high risks for RSV, you may also choose to give her regular injections of an RSV vaccine during traditional peak months of illness. Ask your child’s doctor if this approach is appropriate for your circumstances.
