Who is at Risk for RSV? #RSVAwareness #MC

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When Johnny was born he was always getting sick. He had a compromised immune system and he had to teach his body how to fight all the germs that were around him. The doctors told me he would be fine but he’d likely be sick a lot since he was full time in daycare while I went to college and worked. And it was but getting there was hard. He was always getting sick. In the beginning as a new young mom it was really scary.

He was born in November so the weather most definitely was not on our size and at just a few weeks old he was diagnosed with pneumonia. When it would get better we found ourselves in the ER and he tested positive for RSV and was admitted. The nurse explained everything to me and told me that since he was born a month early and was under a year he was high risk. Then I had Gavin. A relatively healthy baby. Not really sick at all. I remember what the nurse said and braced that whole first year since Gavin was also a month early.

Imagine my surprise when Gavin got sick one New Years Eve and his fever wouldn’t go down. He was 18, almost 19, months old. When his fever finally reached 104 and he was lethargic the doctor told us to head in to the ER. When we got there he was so dehydrated they couldn’t get an IV on him on any of his arm, hands, or feet. They poked him over and over again and finally got one in on his scalp. He was so out of it that he didn’t cry or even fight them and I was really scared.

They ran a bunch of tests on him and when they told me he had RSV I was so upset. I was told this was a baby thing. Gavin was a toddler! She went over everything, handed me some materials to read and explained it’s not just babies. They had a 5 year old little girl down the hall with it too.

Now that I have Sawyer I want to make sure that he avoids getting so sick. I want to fully educate myself and do everything I can to help him have a healthy winter!

World Prematurity Day is November 17th. If you’re baby was born early of has a special condition they could be at high risk of getting RSV. Here are some tips and ways to help prevent it.

• RSV occurs in epidemics each year, typically from November through March, though it can vary by geography and year-to-year
• RSV disease 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 400 infant deaths each year
• RSV disease is responsible for one of every 13 pediatrician visits and one of every 38 trips to the ER in children under the age of five
• Despite being so common, many parents aren’t aware of RSV; in fact, one-third of mothers have never heard of the virus

Learn the Symptoms of Severe RSV Disease:
Contact your child’s pediatrician immediately if your child exhibits one or more of the following:
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]

How Can I Help Protect My Baby From RSV?

RSV is very contagious and can be spread easily through touching, sneezing and coughing. Additionally, the virus can live on the skin and surfaces for hours. There is no treatment for RSV disease once it’s contracted, 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
• Keep toys, clothes, blanket and sheets clean
• 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

Speak to your child’s pediatrician to determine if your baby is at high risk for RSV disease, and if so, what additional steps may be recommended. For more information about RSV and prevention, visit www.RSVprotection.com.