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Signs & Symptoms of RSV in Infants

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common virus that infects the respiratory tract. According to the Center for Disease Control, almost all children have been infected with RSV by age 2. Older infants and toddlers experience mild symptoms that can mimic the common cold. However, newborns who contract RSV display serious respiratory tract infections that may require hospitalization. RSV is spread through contact with, or inhalation of, nasal secretions or saliva of people infected with the virus.

  1. Breathing Difficulties

    • RSV can make breathing difficult for a baby. Contact your pediatrician immediately if your baby develops a runny nose, cough or wheezing. If your baby is exhibiting signs of severe respiratory distress, take him to the emergency room. Signs that your baby may be struggling for air include grunting and a depression under the breastbone. If the baby's belly is rising and falling with each breath, he is having a hard time breathing and should be evaluated for RSV at the emergency room

    Fever

    • Fever that occurs with breathing difficulty is a sign of RSV. Call the pediatrician immediately and ask if you can give the baby Tylenol to help her fever. Any fever your baby has should be seen as a sign your baby is sick. Take her to the hospital to diagnose or rule out RSV.

    Irritability

    • If your baby has RSV, he will be grumpy. After all, he is uncomfortable, and his difficulty breathing makes it almost impossible to eat or sleep. Some new parents write off his irritability as colic. If your baby appears more irritable than usual, and experiences any other symptom of RSV, it is important that you seek medical attention immediately.

    At the Hospital

    • Doctors will order a blood test to diagnose RSV. They also will monitor the amount of oxygen in your baby's blood. Ideally, blood should be 100 percent oxygenated with little fluctuation. If your baby's blood oxygen level falls steadily below 95 percent, she is not getting enough oxygen. This can indicate RSV complicated by pneumonia or bronchitis. If your baby has RSV that is complicated by pneumonia or bronchitis, she will need to be hospitalized.

      Once your baby is diagnosed, she will be placed in a tented crib that is pumped full of cool-mist humidity. Her oxygen levels will be monitored. She also will receive an IV with fluids and any medication the doctor orders. She also may receive visits from the respiratory therapist who will give her albuterol breathing treatments to help loosen the mucus inside her lungs and to relax her airways.

    Home Treatment

    • If your baby has a simple RSV infection, you may be able to treat him at home. Your doctor will prescribe at-home breathing treatments given through a nebulizer. You need to keep the baby's head elevated while he sleeps so he can cough out the mucus. Put your baby in the smallest room possible with a cool mist humidifier. This loosens his phlegm and helps him breath easier. Keep the baby's fever down with Tylenol. Ask the pediatrician what the appropriate acetaminophen dosage is for your baby. Feed him as much as he will take, but don't force him. He will eat when he feels better. Make sure he is making at least three wet diapers a day to be sure he is not becoming dehydrated. RSV will usually run its course in three weeks. If your baby is not getting better, take him back to the doctor for further evaluation.

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