Infants vulnerable to respiratory virus

Caleb was diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus, a respiratory infection that affects the lungs and breathing passages. It strikes most often during flu season, between November and April.

Almost all children are infected with the virus by their second birthday, but only a small percentage develop severe complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each year, 75,000 to 125,000 children are hospitalized with RSV. Most healthy patients recover within two weeks.

Synonymous with a bad cold in older children and adults, the virus produces coughing, sneezing, runny noses, nasal congestion, fever and loss of appetite. Very young infants may also suffer wheezing, irritability, dehydration, decreased activity and difficulty breathing.

“It might be just a cold to you, but colds are a big deal for a little guy or gal,” said Dr. Stephanie Walsh, a pediatrician at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Infants breathe primarily through their noses but cannot loosen congestion by blowing their noses or coughing. As mucus builds up in the lungs, symptoms can worsen and even become life-threatening, especially for premature infants or children with weakened immune systems or chronic lung or heart conditions. Caleb was born at 35 weeks (full-term is 40 weeks).

After eliminating the nasal obstruction by deep suctioning, hospitals may treat the most severe cases with supplemental oxygen through breathing tubes or mechanical ventilation. Fluids are also administered to rehydrate the child.

Researchers have not yet developed an RSV vaccine for the general population, but a drug called Synagis is available to help prevent severe RSV in children who are most susceptible and those who would develop dangerous complications if infected. The shots cannot prevent infection or treat children already suffering from serious cases of RSV, but they may help minimize the impact of RSV. Parents with children at high risk for developing severe RSV should talk to their physician about the shots given monthly during flu season.

Like other viruses, RSV spreads through the air, as well as human and surface contact, so good hygiene, hand washing and avoiding sick people remain the best defenses against the infection. “Telling people to wash their hands before touching your newborn makes you a smart parent,” Walsh said.

Parents should also observe their children for changes in wetting, eating and breathing patterns because hospitals do not administer routine testing for RSV. If your baby tilts its head or pulls its stomach or chest to breathe, you may need to see a doctor for possible respiratory distress, she said.

“RSV is not something to panic about, but parents should use common sense,” Walsh said, adding that everyone has suffered a bout of RSV. “If your baby is breathing fine, eating all right and making a wet diaper, then it’s probably just a cold.”