{"id":3946,"date":"2022-11-21T07:39:06","date_gmt":"2022-11-21T15:39:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kpthrivingfamilies.org\/pediatricsblog\/?p=3946"},"modified":"2023-08-08T08:33:02","modified_gmt":"2023-08-08T15:33:02","slug":"understanding-rsv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kpthrivingfamilies.org\/pediatricsblog\/understanding-rsv\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding RSV – Video"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column][vc_video link=”https:\/\/vimeo.com\/772317426″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n
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Kaiser Permanente: Making Sense of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
\nSpeaker: Dr. Keedra McNeill M.D.
\nWe\u2019ve been hearing a lot about Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV this fall, and as a pediatrician, I want
\nto help answer your questions. Two years of masking and social distancing worked well to prevent our
\nkids from getting sick. However, since these measures are largely no longer in use, our kids seem to
\nconstantly be getting ill with multiple different viruses.<\/p>\n

RSV is a common contagious respiratory virus that we typically see during the winter months. This year,
\nRSV started much earlier than usual, and it\u2019s spreading faster. Children who were masked and distanced
\nfor the past two winters, now have little immunity to the virus. So, a greater number of kids are
\nsusceptible to catching it and spreading it quickly. There is no evidence that we are facing a stronger
\nnew or contagious strain of RSV.<\/p>\n

RSV causes infection in the nose, throat, and lungs. For most kids and adults, it is like a bad cold with lots
\nof nasal discharge and a cough that can last up to two to three weeks. It can be more severe for infants
\nwho are under the age of six months, premature infants, or those children who have underlying heart or
\nlung conditions. There is a test for RSV, but in general, this is used for infants under the age of year who
\nare very sick. A positive test for RSV does not change treatment recommendations. So, in general,
\ntesting for most kids is not needed.<\/p>\n

There is no specific medicine to treat or cure RSV. Humidity and suction are the best ways to support
\nyour child during an RSV infection. Even though children don\u2019t like it, squirting saline drops into their
\nnostrils and then suctioning them out can help to ensure that they are breathing more comfortably,
\nespecially before eating. Breast or bottle feeding or sleeping.<\/p>\n

Moist air from a humidifier, warm bath, or steamy shower can also help to loosen the mucus in the nose
\nand the lungs. In children over the age of 1, honey is a great natural cough suppressant. It is important
\nto remember never to give honey to a child under the age of 1. If your child has a fever, ibuprofen or
\nacetaminophen can help them to feel more comfortable.<\/p>\n

And lastly, ensure that your child is well hydrated by giving them plenty of fluids to drink. Children
\nusually do well with RSV, and while they can have symptoms for some time, they typically successfully
\nfight off the virus without any medical support.<\/p>\n

Red flags include difficulty breathing and feeding. Seek medical attention right away if your child is
\nbreathing harder or faster than usual. Wheezing or grunting, has blue discoloration of the lips or the
\nfingertips, if they are struggling to nurse or bottle feed because they\u2019re having difficulty breathing, if
\nthey\u2019ve not urinated at least three times within a 24 hour period, if they\u2019re looking very, very tired, or if they\u2019re
\nunder the age of three months and they have a fever greater than 100.4 degrees. I hope these tips will
\nhelp you to care for your child during this cold and flu season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

RSV is a common contagious respiratory virus that we typically see during the winter months. This year,
\nRSV started much earlier than usual, and it\u2019s spreading faster. Children who were masked and distanced
\nfor the past two winters, now have little immunity to the virus. So, a greater number of kids are
\nsusceptible to catching it and spreading it quickly. There is no evidence that we are facing a stronger
\nnew or contagious strain of RSV.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":3960,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[106],"tags":[641,307,158,306,531,676],"class_list":["post-3946","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-issues","tag-bronchiolitis","tag-cold-viruses","tag-colds","tag-common-cold","tag-cough","tag-rsv","ages-all-ages"],"metadata":{"_edit_lock":["1691508783:8"],"_oembed_3946597463f8c909a0803ccfaaac3fef":["{{unknown}}"],"_edit_last":["8"],"bonfire_pageloader_display":[""],"slide_template":[""],"ase_chapter_enable_timeline":["off"],"video_format_choose":["youtube"],"_wpb_vc_js_status":["true"],"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":["60"],"_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":["3"],"_yoast_wpseo_wordproof_timestamp":[""],"qode_animate-page-title":["no"],"qode_show-page-title-text":["no"],"qode_show-page-title-image":["no"],"qode_show-sidebar":["default"],"qode_hide-featured-image":["no"],"_oembed_c855b54b505d511ee2bfcb43aa27af55":["