What are the symptoms of respiratory virus in RSV children? – Telemundo New York (47)

NEW YORK – At a time of year when COVID and seasonal flu have many confused about what their symptoms might represent, the earlier than usual onset of RSV, a common childhood respiratory virus that most we contract when we are young children, it is creating another problem in public health plans at the state, local and national levels.

The capacity of children’s hospital beds is already overloaded in nearly half a dozen states due to the atypical influx, doctors say. Doctors are investigating whether COVID plays a role in the spread, with children back together in classrooms.

Sankaran Krishnan, chief of pediatric pulmonology at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, is among those who believe COVID was a factor in what he describes as an “unusual increase” in RSV cases. But without a diagnostic test, it’s hard to know for sure which problem is affecting you or your child.

So what is RSV, how can you best protect yourself, and what else should you know?

Short for respiratory syncytial virus, RSV is a common ailment that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms, according to the CDC. Most people recover in a week or two, but the virus can be serious, particularly for infants and the elderly.

Krishnan says the main warning signs for children include rapid breathing, the development of persistent cough or fever, or continuous shortness of breath.

The virus typically peaks in the winter, but started circulating this summer, surprising and worrying doctors and likely reflecting how the COVID pandemic disrupted circulation patterns for conditions like RSV. The CDC notes that the season typically begins between mid-September and mid-November and peaks between late December and mid-February.

Positive tests begin to decline between mid-April and mid-May, typically. Florida has an early start to the RSV season and even there it lasts longer than other parts of the United States.

RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lungs) and pneumonia (lung infection) in children younger than 1 year in the United States.

According to the CDC, each year RSV leads to approximately:

• 2.1 million visits to the doctor among children under the age of 5.
• 58,000 hospitalizations among children under 5 years of age.
• 177,000 hospitalizations among adults over the age of 65.
• 14,000 deaths among adults over the age of 65.
• 100 to 300 deaths in children under the age of 5.

Little comparative data is available for this season right now, depending on test limitations and other factors, according to the CDC. The five-week average of positive RSV PCR testing in New York, for example, has increased weekly since mid-April, when the final season ended. The average for the week ending October 8 is 133,333, up from 41.4 in early August when the CDC began noticing trends earlier than usual. This compares to a five-week average of 47,333 positive PCR tests in New Jersey that ended that week on October 8. Connecticut data is incomplete. See more state-by-state analysis here.

How is RSV diagnosed and what are the symptoms?

Like COVID, RSV can be diagnosed by antigen test or PCR. The most common diagnostic measure is an oral swab or blood test that evaluates the count of white blood cells, which are affected by the virus. In severe cases, additional tests such as chest x-rays or CT scans may be needed to assess possible pulmonary complications.

Symptoms are similar to those of COVID, the common cold, and the flu. According to the CDC, people typically show symptoms within four to six days of being infected. These can include a runny nose, cough, sneezing, fever, wheezing, and decreased appetite. In particular, symptoms often appear in multiple stages and do not appear all at once.

Almost all children will have had an RSV infection, diagnosed or not, by their second birthday, according to the CDC. For very young children, irritability, reduced activity, and difficulty breathing may be the only identifiable symptoms.

Parents are advised to call their pediatricians if their child has difficulty breathing, does not drink enough fluids, or experiences worsening symptoms. Dehydration and shortness of breath are more likely to lead to severe cases and hospital admissions. In the worst case, infants may need to be intubated. In most cases, hospital stays last a few days.

How is RSV transmitted and what about treatment?

Transmission of RSV is also similar to how COVID and cold-like diseases spread. This virus is spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes; you receive droplets of cough virus or sneezing in your eyes, nose or mouth; touching a surface on which the virus is present, such as a doorknob, and touching your face without washing your hands; and you have direct contact with the virus, such as kissing the face of an infected child.

The contagious period usually lasts three to eight days, but in cases involving some immunocompromised infants or adults, RSV can continue to spread for up to a month, even when patients no longer show symptoms.

Children are often exposed to RSV outside the home, such as at school or daycare, and can pass it on to the family.

RSV can survive for many hours on hard surfaces like cribs and table rails, and typically lives on soft surfaces like handkerchiefs and hands for less time.

You can get RSV at any age, but subsequent infections tend to be less severe, according to the CDC. People at highest risk for severe RSV disease include premature babies, young children with congenital heart disease or chronic lung disease, people with weakened immune symptoms, and the elderly, particularly those with underlying heart or lung disease.

There is no specific treatment for RSV infection, but researchers are working to develop antivirals and vaccines. A drug called palivizumab is available to prevent severe RSV disease in some children, but the CDC says it cannot help cure or cure children who already have severe RSV-related illness and cannot prevent infection.

What about symptom relief and prevention?

Over-the-counter fever reducers and pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, can help control fever and pain, although parents should never give their children aspirin. Make sure infected people stay hydrated.

Here’s what the CDC has to say about prevention, which should sound familiar:

• Cover coughs and sneezing with a tissue or the top of the sleeve, not with your hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid close contact, such as kissing, shaking hands, and sharing cups and cutlery, with other people.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs and mobile devices.
• Whenever possible, people with cold-like symptoms should avoid interacting with children at high risk for severe RSV. If they can’t, they should follow the prevention steps and make sure they don’t kiss high-risk babies while they have symptoms.

Parents of high-risk children are advised to take extra precautions, the CDC said. Those include:

• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid touching your face with dirty hands.
• Limit the time they spend in nurseries or other potentially contagious settings, especially during fall, winter, and spring. This can help prevent infection and the spread of the virus during the RSV season.