GREEN BAY, Wis. (NBC 26) -- These are the months where we typically worry about our children getting sick. Because of the pandemic, everything seems a little different this year.
It is still true that RSV season is upon us and we need to take steps to protect ourselves.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, has been around for a long time.
It spreads most commonly between October and April each year and is one of the leading causes for children to be hospitalized for respiratory illness.
Symptoms include:
- Runny nose
- Cough
- Sneezing
- Fever
In more severe cases you can see:
- Wheezing
- Difficulty breathing
- Shortness of breath
RSV can cause cold symptoms in anyone but kids under the age of 2 are most susceptible.
"When young kids get RSV for the first time, they're at a higher risk for getting lower respiratory tract infections in addition to the upper respiratory tract infections," said Dr. Thomas Huffer, a Prevea Health pediatrician and the Executive Medical Director of HSHS St. Vincent Children's Hospital in Green Bay. "Those tend to be a little bit more severe."
So how can you protect your little ones?
Doctors recommend keeping your new babies away from other people for the first couple of weeks because a virus that can look like a regular cold for adults can be more severe for infants.
"It is okay to be around babies if you're taking the appropriate precautions," said Dr. Huffer. "Certainly if you're sick, that's a time where we would discourage that from happening."
Something as simple as washing your hands or using hand sanitizer can reduce the risk of transmitting RSV to a baby.
It is still to early to know what can happen if you get RSV and COVID-19 at the same time.
"Kids under 10 are less likely to have complications from COVID and they are much more likely to have severe illness from things like RSV or influenza," said Dr. Huffer. "Making sure that they get their influenza vaccine is still one of the very most important things a parent can do to help keep their kids healthy."
There is no vaccine for RSV and there aren't any medications to help with treatment aside from oxygen and a ventilator.
Doctors say, on a positive note, with social distancing and masking in place it is likely that RSV cases could be down this year.
If you have any questions about the health of your baby or young child call your pediatrician right away.
