RSV - RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS

This viral infection is really serious and pretty common in early infancy too. It causes respiratory illness in children usually less than a year old and frequently requires hospitalization. It often produce symptoms like common cold including a runny nose, low fever and cough but then lasts for several weeks that may cause infection in bronchial passages that may result in bronchiolitis or bronchitis depending on whether the breathing tubes or larger airways are infected respectively. It causes wheezing in children when they breathe and may spread to the lungs causing viral pneumonia. If the baby is coughing like a barking seal, it may help her to sit with her in steam that can be produced at home by setting the shower to its hottest and standing in the bath for sometime (just to let the baby inhale the steam).

You may also want to take her outdoors into the damp night air for a brief period to help her breathe better. If the child is less than 3 months old, she needs immediate medical attention and may need to be taken to an emergency room if she has difficulty in breathing or is wheezing. Consult your doctor if the colds last more than a week. You can avoid infection or irritation in breathing passages of the babies by not allowing anyone to smoke near the baby. Premature children are more at risk of RSV and Synagis, a series of preventive shots are helpful in keeping your baby safe from this disease. Be careful that you choose your daycare wisely where sick infants are kept away from the healthy ones and keep washing your hands frequently.