Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common seasonal virus which largely affects our youngest patients. It is easily spread, and can quickly run through a community.
The story of RSV is a little different from other respiratory viruses. Most viruses get worse over 3-5 days whereas RSV gets worse over 5-7 days. RSV can also affect the lower respiratory tract into the lungs more often than other viruses. This can be difficult for our younger patients less than 2 years of age, and especially so for infants. Most of the time the illness starts with runny nose, congestion, fever and cough. The cough, however, can then get much worse and ‘barky’ sounding. The amount of nasal congestion can also become rather extreme, even preventing very young children from being able to eat and sleep properly.
Some children may even have difficulty breathing with increased respiratory distress and wheezing. The difficulty in breathing with RSV can be very intermittent. it is not unusal to observe respiratory distress in your child at home, but by the time you get to your pediatrician’s office he or she can be back to a nearly unsymptomatic baseline. This off-and-on characteristic can be frustrating, but if it persists, it’s still a good idea to see your pediatrician for further evaluation.
The virus can be identified by an in-house test through a nasal swab at your pediatrician’s office. Treatment of RSV is supportive. This means that there is no medicine to make the virus go away, but there are treatments available that can help to alleviate your child’s discomfort. These include Tylenol or Motrin for fever, pain, or crankiness, suctioning with saline for the congestion, and even use of Albuterol given through a nebulizer. There are further variables within this treatment regimen, and your pediatrician will help guide you on the best treatment for your child.
Finally, a new medication called Beyfortus has recently become available. It’s a medication that can be given as a preventative therapy to help prevent the worst symptoms of RSV.
It can be very difficult to witness our kids experience the symptoms of RSV, and there are many avenues of treatment available. Your pediatrician can help to alleviate your child’s symptoms and guide you and your child toward recovery.
Dr. Savannah Browning grew up in Fayette, AL. She moved to Mobile to attend Medical School at the University of South Alabama in 2009, and has been a proud Mobilian ever since. She joined Children’s Medical Group in 2016, and her office is at the Airport Boulevard location. She lives in Mobile with her husband, Andrew, and their three children: Jude, Luke, and Annie.
Author: Savannah Browning
Dr. Savannah Browning grew up in Fayette, AL. She moved to Mobile to attend Medical School at the University of South Alabama in 2009, and has been a proud Mobilian ever since. She joined Children’s Medical Group in 2016, and her office is at the Airport Boulevard location. She lives in Mobile with her husband, Andrew, and their three children: Jude, Luke, and Annie.
