ABILENE, Texas
– If your child has been experiencing cold like
symptoms, it could be something much more serious.It's a
rapidly spreading respiratory virus, called RSV or Respiratory
Syncytial Virus, and has put many Big Country kids in the
hospital.The common virus can be really serious for babies,
especially those that are under two years of age.Pediatrician
Dr. Justin Smith said he has seen numerous cases in his
patients recently.”I like to think of the disease as something
called bronchiolitis, which is a problem where kids will have a
virus it causes swelling in their lower air ways that makes
them wheeze and sound like they have asthma,” said Dr.
Smith.This year the virus seems to have started later than
normal.”Most viruses have seasonal patterns and so RSV gets the
most prevalent usually from November to March,” said Dr.
Smith.Dr. Smith said RSV symptoms are similar to those of the
common cold, such as runny nose,cough, congestion and fever.”If
you start to see that they're having difficulty feeding, their
urine starts to go down, they are not making many as many wet
diapers or if they show any signs of difficulty breathing,”
said Dr. Smith.Keep a close eye on your child's behavior and if
any of the RSV signs occur, parents should take them to the
doctor.”Most babies will do just fine at home, sucking their
nose out and making sure they're drinking plenty of fluids,”
said Dr. Smith.Dr. Smith said the virus usually last five to
seven days with the middle day being the worst.According to the
American Academy of Pediatrics, about 500 children die every
year from severe cases of RSV in the U.S.
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