Parents warned about baby virus

Parents are being warned to be on the look out for a potentially-fatal winter baby infection.

The British Lung Foundation said October heralds the start of what is known as the RSV season.

RSV - respiratory syncytial virus - affects most children by the age of two. For most it causes no more than a cold, but can be serious for some.

A survey of 500 parents found nine out of 10 were unaware of the symptoms and dangers.

bbc news

Symptoms of the condition usually first appear in the form of the common cold.

These include runny nose, mild fever, sore throat, mild cough, blocked nose and ear infection.

After three to five days symptoms may worsen as the virus spreads to the lungs, causing breathlessness, rapid breathing, wheezing and a strong cough.

Watch the little ones. Scary when this happens.

While I think of it, I am going to share a recipe that my child specialist (Dr. Moisey, Smithers BC Canada) gave me when my daughter was still in diapers and was ill. (Gosh time flies!) This was when she was so sick she couldn't eat and was feverish, runny nose and all. I made sure she had a bottle with her at all times. To keep her fluids up and this acts as a food drink.

Speak to your own child specialist too please.

Recipe makes a big batch. Do NOT refrigerate. Leave on counter and at room temperature.

Jelly Powder Drink

6 cups boiling water
18 tablespoons jelly powder (pick flavor your child likes)
2 cans gingerale
6 cups cold water

Stir together in a big bowl then pour into containers or bottles. Once you make a batch, fill your child's bottle so they can drink whenever they want. Always make sure there is a bottle around when they need it. Remember do NOT refrigerate.

reply to post by BindareDundat
Good thread.
As a nurse, I see a lot of this every year. Most of these kids do extremely well. But some get in real trouble, and when that happens we have to transfer to a pediatric intensive care about 70 miles away. A few of these kids have to go on ventilators.
Parents, if you child, 2years or less, develops a "cold,'' get it checked out. If the child is an infant, do not hesitate to get to your peditrician. RSV is highly contagious to those under 2years of age, and if your child is admitted to the hospital, they will be placed on isolation. (The reason is not to protect the nurse. It is to protect the other children that nurse may come in contact with. Yes, we wash our hands, but this can be on your clothes, or in your respiratory tract.)
As I said, MOST kids do well with this. But some can get really sick. Better safe than sorry.

Keep them out of daycare... that's the best thing to do for your kid's health if it is at all possible.

Thank you kettlebellysmith


Some facts about Respiratory Syncytial Virus
Source

- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is a viral disease of the lungs. It is one of the most important causes of lower respiratory tract illness in infants and young children.

- RSV is spread by contact with droplets from the nose or throat of an infected person.

- Persons with mild infections usually get better without treatment. Severely ill children often need to be hospitalized.

- There is currently no vaccine to prevent RSV infection. The best ways to prevent the spread of RSV are to cover coughs and sneezes and to wash hands often and well. Intravenous immune globulin treatment has recently been approved for use in high-risk infants.

More links for information:

National Center for Infections Diseases

KidsHealth for Parents

MedicineNet

ds-health

====
Mod Edit: added 'ex' tags and trimmed excessive quoting
Mod Note: How to Quote– Please Review This Link.


[edit on 11/21/2008 by Badge01]

reply to post by BindareDundat


I'm sorry but this just reads like the common cold but re-badged. You get a cold, it either goes away or it gets worse. It gets worse then it goes to your chest, you get a respiratory infection. Whats the difference?
Just wait till next year and there will be a vaccine for it.
I am that cynical.

Perhaps this is a new virus, perhaps in days gone by "RSV infection" would of been treated as a cold and everything would of been fine, but now its this virus and that virus, get the flu jab, get the XYZ jab. It's not about health its about MONEY.

IMO RSV sounds like something else for parents to unnecessarily worry about.

This virus is nasty! My 13 month old grandson was diganosed with it. He did start our with a cold then it morphed into this RSV. He was hospitalized and put on oxygen, without it his blood oxygen level was 80. Ivs and breathing treatments he is one sick little dude! He has since been released but the breathing treatments have to be done at home. Keep an eye out for this they go downhill quick.