It’s incredibly stressful to worry about young children being sick, especially if they cannot communicate well yet. It’s hard to tell what their condition is, and it’s even more difficult to know exactly what to do to remedy their illness.
There are types of illnesses that are common, contagious, and can be a significant cause of stress for the children and their parents. One of which is the sickness caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Let this article tell you what you need to know about it.
What Is the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)?
RSV is a virus that can infect a person’s respiratory tract. In particular, it affects the air passages that supply the lungs.
This virus is a common cause of sickness for young children, but it can also affect adults. It is contagious, but it is not a life-threatening illness. RSV usually goes away when the body has fought off the virus, but it can also last two weeks to six weeks.
RSV is different from the other viruses. It is a virus that causes a long-term cold because it contains cell-damaging protein. Babies and toddlers are more likely to get this sickness. In fact, it’s the most common cause of hospitalization due to respiratory illness in children.
What Are the Symptoms of RSV in Babies?
Babies usually get symptoms when they are first infected. To know what to look for when your child has RSV, you should know the symptoms of this virus.
When your child is sick with RSV, your child will have a fever, runny nose, sneezing, and congestion. They will also have trouble breathing. These symptoms show that your child has RSV, and you should see a doctor.
If Your Child Has RSV, What Should You Do?
If your child is less than one year old and has these symptoms, they need to get to a doctor right away. Babies are most likely to get hospitalized when they have RSV.
If they have an older sibling with RSV, the parents should have them tested for it. If it is confirmed that the older sibling has RSV and the baby has RSV symptoms, the parents should take them to urgent care right away.
If your child is showing signs of dehydration, they might need an IV. They will also most likely be given medication to help them breathe.
Children need emergency medical attention if it seems like they’re having difficulty breathing. Make sure that they are breathing a lot and are coughing a lot.
How To Prevent The Spread Of RSV
If you have a child with RSV, you can keep it from spreading to everyone else in the family. If you have other children, you will want to keep them away from your sick child. You can do this by separating the sick child from everyone else.
Conclusion
Knowing what to do when your child gets RSV is important. It’s a contagious virus that can be stressful to deal with, but with a dependable children’s urgent care provider, you can rest assured that your child can get the immediate healthcare they need.
Your Kids Urgent Care offers superior and convenient urgent care and pediatric services in New Providence, NJ. Call us at 407-751-2297 to set your appointment.
