Did you know that October is National RSV Awareness Month?
If you’re like many people, you may not be familiar with RSV and why it’s so important for parents to be aware of its risks. Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, is a common, extremely contagious, seasonal virus that affects infants at an early age.
Although many parents don’t even realize it’s happening, RSV affects nearly 100% of infants before they reach 2 years of age. In most babies, it can lead to mild respiratory infection, passing through the system with cold or flu-like symptoms. But in babies who were born premature, RSV can develop into a much more serious infection.
There are almost a half a million babies born prematurely (earlier than 35 weeks gestational age) every year in the United States. Preemies are born before their immune systems and lungs are able to develop fully, meaning the babies are less equipped to fight off infections and respiratory problems.
Because babies born prematurely aren’t able to fight infections easily, RSV can cause much more serious symptoms. Preemies can develop serious respiratory infections because they don’t have the necessary antibodies to fight off the infection. Because the virus can live on surfaces like doorknobs, toys and furniture for several hours, RSV is extremely contagious.
Since RSV occurs in epidemics each fall through spring, the CDC has defined “RSV season” as beginning in November and lasting through March for most parts of North America. There is no treatment for RSV, so it’s crucial for parents to be aware of the symptoms of RSV and to take preventative steps to help protect their child.
Keeping Babies Safe – Symptoms of serious RSV infection include:
• persistent coughing or wheezing
• rapid, difficult, or gasping breaths
• blue color on the lips, mouth, or under the fingernails
• high fever; extreme fatigue; and difficulty feeding
• fever (especially if it is greater than 100.4F [rectal] in infants under 3 months of age
Parents should contact a medical professional immediately upon signs of these symptoms.
Keeping Babies Safe – Preventive steps to help protect preemies from RSV:
• Wash hands, toys, bedding, and play areas frequently
• Ensure you, your family, and any visitors in your home wash their hands or use hand sanitizer
• Avoid large crowds and people who may be sick
• Never let anyone smoke near your baby
One of my nephews was born prematurely ten years ago. Since he was born weeks early and was born during the winter, the family was advised that he was at high risk for RSV. I remember at the time having absolutely no idea what RSV was. We’d had plenty of babies born in our family, including some with health problems as infants, but had never heard of RSV at the time. We were surprised to learn how common it is and to learn that our other babies had most likely all already had RSV without any problems. But mostly, we were extremely surprised to realize how dangerous RSV can be to premature babies.
Because my nephew was born so early, he was at a greater risk of infection than full-term babies. The pediatrician told my family that the baby needed to be kept away from any potential risk of the virus. He needed to be kept safe while his body grew and his ability to fight off infections slowly increased. For that reason, nephew was kept away from almost everyone but immediate family for several months.
All of our family and friends were excited to meet the new baby, but understood that his health was most important. We all complied with the doctors’ recommendations and waited until it was safe to spend time with our new nephew. He made it through RSV season safely and is now a happy and healthy middle-schooler.
Because I witnessed how serious the risk of RSV can be for a preemie, I’m always surprised how many parents are not aware of the virus. If you or a loved one have a premature baby, be sure to educate yourself about RSV and to share that important information with other parents.
Check out this infographic for more info and learn more about RSV Protection online.
