RSV Season: Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Has your child(ren) been coughing or is congested? With the cold winter approaching, many viruses tend to arise during this time and can cause different infections. During this time, we recommended our parents have their child(ren) be seen in the office so that our providers can do a full evaluation and listen to their lungs. An evaluation firsthand is very important as the most common respiratory virus to infect children worldwide is Respiratory Syncytial Infection (RSV). This infection usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms and most people recover in a week or two, however, RSV can be very serious in infants and young children (CDC, 2023).
RSV is typically spread from person to person via respiratory droplet, and symptoms usually begin to show within 4-6 days after getting infected. How can you determine if your child may have RSV? Symptoms for RSV can be shown as any common symptoms for most infections, which include runny nose, decrease in appetite, cough, fever, sneezing, congestion, and/or wheezing. In young infants, symptoms may be displayed as irritability, decreased activities, and/or difficulty breathing (CDC, 2023). Specific testing for RSV can be useful to differentiate from other infections. Two commonly used forms of testing that can help detect RSV are rapid antigen testing and polymerase-chain-reaction-based (PCR) testing (Jain, et. al, 2023). These tests are readily available in the office for nurses to swab the child(ren) and results are received as early as 15 minutes (for rapid test) and/or 48-72 hours (for PCR test).
The treatment plan for RSV is the typical recommendation for any viral infection, which is supportive care. This care includes raising the head of the bed, running a humidifier or hot steam shower to help loosen up their mucus, limited nasal suctioning in infants, saline nasal spray, lots of rest, encouraging giving them lots of fluids, monitoring their hydration levels, and infection control measures i.e. hand washing and sanitizing surfaces. We do advise against the use of over-the-counter decongestants in children younger than 12 years of age, as well as antitussives. We recommend the use of acetaminophen or ibuprofen (children older than 6 months of age) as needed for fever. If their symptoms do worsen, we recommend seeking further care at the ER as infants can develop severe RSV and need hospitalization (CDC, 2023).
There are many different ways to help limit the spread of RSV . The first course of prevention is getting your child immunized against RSV . This action will provide antibodies to your child, which will enable their immune system with the correct tools to fight off the infection. It is recommended that the vaccine for RSV is given to high-risk children, such as those with chronic lung disease from being born prematurely, immunocompromised, cystic fibrosis, and/or American Indian and Alaska Natives. Some other course of prevention includes staying at home when you are sick, covering your coughs/sneezes with a tissue or your shirt sleeves instead of your hands, practicing good hand washing, avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands, avoiding close contact with others, and frequent sanitization of touched surfaces (CDC, 2023).
Ezabelle Do, CCMA
References:
Jain H, Schweitzer JW, Justice NA. Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection.
[Updated 2023 Jun 20]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459215/
“Preventing RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 Aug. 2023, www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/prevention.html .
“RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 Aug. 2023, www.cdc.gov/rsv/index.html .
“Symptoms and Care of RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6 Sept. 2023, www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/symptoms.html .