{"id":16378,"date":"2020-10-27T09:00:13","date_gmt":"2020-10-27T13:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=16378"},"modified":"2020-10-19T16:34:24","modified_gmt":"2020-10-19T20:34:24","slug":"rsv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/rsv\/","title":{"rendered":"A parent\u2019s guide to RSV"},"content":{"rendered":"

Endless coughs and sneezes, runny noses, and unexplained itchy bumps\u2014kids seem to be a magnet for germs. In our parent\u2019s guide to childhood illnesses, we talk about the symptoms and treatments for the most common conditions. Read the full series <\/span><\/i>here<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

What is RSV? <\/a> | Symptoms <\/a> | Diagnosis <\/a>| Treatments <\/a>| Prevention <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

When I was pregnant with my first child and reading all the information about newborns I could get my hands on, one of the \u201cwatch out for\u201d topics that caught my attention was RSV. In my super-cautious new-mom-to-be state, RSV became a lurking monster, particularly with a baby due in February\u2014right in the middle of RSV season. I knew it could be serious for young babies, and so in my head, it became enemy number one. Thankfully, once I got past the visceral reaction, I learned that most of the time, RSV is not serious. In fact, almost all children will have had at least one RSV infection by the time they reach 2 years old, usually without serious effects.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is RSV?<\/h2>\n

\u201cRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV)<\/span><\/a> is a respiratory virus which usually causes mild,<\/span> cold symptoms<\/span><\/a>,\u201d says<\/span> Soma Mandal<\/span><\/a>, MD, a board-certified internist at Summit Medical Group. \u201cIt can be problematic in infants and older adults. It is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways of the lungs) and<\/span> pneumonia<\/span><\/a> in children who are less than 1 year old.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

RSV is very common and very<\/span> contagious<\/span><\/a>, spreading easily through places like daycare centers and schools. <\/span>An infected person is <\/span>usually contagious with RSV for three to eight days<\/span><\/a>, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but some infants and people with weakened immune systems may remain contagious for up to four weeks, even if they are no longer symptomatic.<\/span><\/p>\n

While it is possible to catch RSV at any time of year, RSV is most common between late fall and early spring, around the same time period as<\/span> flu season<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

People of any age can catch RSV, but some demographics are at a higher risk for complications. \u201cInfants and older adults, especially those older than 65, are at [higher] risk for RSV,\u201d says Dr. Mandal. \u201cAdults with chronic heart or lung disease or those that are immunocompromised are also at particular risk. RSV can sometimes worsen conditions for people with asthma, COPD, and congestive heart failure.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Risk factors for RSV in a baby or young child <\/span>include<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n