A stuffy nose, low grade fever and irritability are not uncommon symptoms in babies. If your baby is sick it can be difficult to tell the difference between the symptoms of RSV and the common cold. Unlike the common cold, RSV can lead to serious complications in your infant. There is no vaccine to prevent RSV. But like most upper respiratory diseases, there are simple things you can do to reduce the possibility of your baby contracting it.
Causes
According to Health-Cares.net, RSV is also known as respiratory syncytial virus. Symptoms run the gamut from very mild to severe. The severity of the symptoms is linked to your baby's age and health status. What may be an uneventful respiratory infection in your older son or daughter could be a severe illness in your infant. The virus lives in the mucous secretions of adults and children.
Sick Contacts
RSV is spread when your baby comes into contact with infected droplets from the eyes, nose or throat of another person with the infection. It is one of the most common causes of lower respiratory tract illness in infants and young children; almost all children in the United States contract it by age 2, notes Health-Cares.net. Symptoms of RSV usually begin 3 to 5 days after exposure to infected droplets. If your baby is premature or has chronic heart, lung or immune problems, RSV can be a serious disease leading to complications including death.
Since RSV is spread by infected droplets from others, be sure to cover your cough or sneeze. If your school age child is sick, teach her to cover her cough. Wash your hands often and wipe down any surfaces that you or your family members may have contaminated. Put all used tissues in a plastic bag, seal it and dispose of it promptly and properly
Seasons
RSV, like influenza, is a highly contagious infection that is most prevalent in the winter, peaking in January and February -- the months that force most children indoors. As suggested by the Centers for Disease Control, symptoms can include runny nose, persistent cough, congestion, low grade fever, irritability, listlessness and difficulty breathing. RSV can develop into pneumonia and severe respiratory distress. A trip to any enclosed public place, such as a school, the market or a mall in the winter, can result in RSV exposure.
