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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 .‬

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