These parents have likely heard of babies who have got RSV and developed wheezing, trouble breathing, and may even have needed to be hospitalized. Fortunately, many kids who get RSV, especially older children, get simple cold symptoms like a runny nose, cough, and fever.
Younger children, especially newborns and infants, are more at risk for more severe RSV infections though. These children can develop worsening symptoms after about 2 to 4 days of having regular cold symptoms and after their fever may have gone away including:
- irritability and poor feeding
- lethargy
- worsening cough
- difficulty breathing, with retractions and nasal flaring
- fast breathing
- wheezing
- hypoxemia (low oxygen levels), although cyanosis, is not common
- apnea, although this is most common in infants under 6 weeks of age
Preventing RSV
Synagis is a monthly injection that can be given to high risk children, especially premature babies, to prevent them from getting RSV. Since RSV season typically runs from November until March, Synagis shots are usually started in October and are given until the end of RSV season.
