Sick child.Photo: Getty Images
Respiratory Syncytial Virus(RSV) cases are surging across the United States.
The virus, which causes mild, cold-like symptoms among adults and older children, can result in severe complications inbabies younger than 12 monthsas it spreads to the lower respiratory tract, causing pneumonia (infection of the lung) and bronchiolitis (inflammation of the lung).
Spread through coughing and sneezing, RSV usually peaks inlate winter, but it’s striking earlier this year and causing a shortage of pediatric hospital beds. About 71% of the nation’s 40,000 pediatric beds are currently filled, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
To help make sense of the spike, PEOPLE spoke withDr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatrician specializing in Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Child Health Advocacy and amember of PEOPLE’s Health Squad.
Why is RSV Spiking Now?
RSV is often one of the first germs we get early in life. Once you’ve had it, your body is able to identify it and fight it faster the next time you get the germ. These germs don’t provide lifelong immunity, but your body will recognize the germ from a prior infection and fight it more quickly, making you less ill. However, because of pandemic precautions like masking and social distancing, kids who are infants, or 2 or 3 years old, probably haven’t been exposed to RSV, like their older brothers and sisters were during previous years. So there’s an “immunity gap” and more children now are getting more sick from this germ.
For the past few years, no one was in school and everyone was wearing masks, so we had hardly any diseases spreading. And then last year we had schools back in session, but a lot of kids were still wearing masks. And now this year, there’s almost no masking in school. So we have have the normal fall season — when germs always spread because everybody’s back in school — combined with nobody wearing masks anymore. And all of those germs have been waiting in the corner for their chance to spring back into action. They’re back — and they’re back with a vengeance.
What are the symptoms? How do parents know it’s not just a bad cold or the flu?
We’ve heard of the twindemic of COVID and flu; can RSV make this a tripledemic?
When should parents seek medical care, and should they call the pediatrician or go straight to the ER?
Is there anything parents can do to prevent this?
Beyond that, it’s, it’s the regular stuff that we always know. Really good hand washing. Every time you come home, wash your hands, make sure everybody is washing their hands before they eat anything. And obviously after going in the bathroom, but everyone knows that. Those two other times are really important. I think sometimes if we’re home, we don’t necessarily think about washing your hands before we eat, but this time of year it’s really critical to do so. Teaching kids to cover their cough, using tissues, all of that kind of stuff can be helpful. And then again, that other key point here is if you are sick or your child is sick, you gotta keep ‘em home.
What else should parents know?
Whether your child is having trouble breathing or if your child needs stitches, when you come to the emergency department, they will be evaluated. We use the triage system. It’s never been first-come, first-served. We have to take the sickest kids first. Just know your child will be evaluated. We’ll make sure that they have what they need to keep them comfortable. It’s just that those kids who need stitches or have appendicitis — all of the normal kid things that are still happening — may be more important at a particular moment. But if you really think your child needs care in the emergency department, please don’t hesitate to come. Please don’t think, ‘Oh, they’re gonna to be too busy. Let me wait it out.’ We will take care of you and we will make sure that children get the care they need. If you can use other resources, that’s great, but don’t worry: Kids who need to be seen will get the care they need right away.
source: people.com
