Now that we have gotten out of the major RSV season, I can almost breathe easy knowing that my 3 month old is out of the clear and probably won’t get RSV again this year. He is doing so much better than when we had our two day stint in the hospital. There were a couple days after that he was coughing a lot, but now a couple weeks later, he’s not showing any signs that he was sick.
As a mom, I still feel really guilty that he got RSV in the first place. I did everything I could to keep my other two kids away from him, but as we know germs still spread like wildfire especially around little ones.
I wish I would have known what to do to prevent the virus from attacking my two boys when they were so itty bitty (one got RSV when he was 5 weeks and the other at 9 weeks).
With my littlest baby, I did do many of the things our doctor said to do like hand washing and keeping the kids from breathing and sneezing on the baby but I think I needed to make sure that everyone surrounding him did the same. I never wish the 2 day hospital stays that I had to do with 2 of my 3 kids on anyone. It’s not fun and there is nothing you can really do for them when they get sick when they are so small except take them to the hospital to get monitored.
Below are a few tips that I want to share with my readers so that during RSV season, you know the proper precautions to take when you around a new baby. I wish I had posted this on my child so that we could have prevented this in the first place.
A few tips to remember when a loved one has a new baby:
- Call before you visit. New parents need time to set up a routine and bond. By giving them time to do so before you visit, you are respecting the new family.
- Postpone a visit if you feel that you may be getting sick, have recently been ill or exposed to illness.
- Remember that parents know best. If you feel they are being overprotective or overly cautious, just consider that only they know what’s best for the health of their new son or daughter.
- Offer to do something to ease their responsibilities as they spend time as a family, such as laundry, cooking or dishes. Sleep-deprived moms and dads will appreciate your help!
If you do schedule a visit with a new baby:
- Wash your hands frequently—upon entering the home and especially prior to holding the baby. Parents, and the new baby, will appreciate it.
- Leave toddlers at home, especially during the winter months. Young children, especially if they attend day care or preschool, often carry germs and viruses, like RSV, that are easily spread.
A few facts about RSV that all parents, caregivers and loved ones should know:
- Almost every baby will contract RSV by age 2, but only 1/3 of moms say they’ve heard of the virus.
- Serious RSV infection is the leading cause of infant hospitalization, responsible for more than 125,000 hospitalizations and up to 500 infant deaths each year.
- RSV occurs in epidemics each fall through spring. The CDC has defined “RSV season” as beginning in November and lasting through March for most parts of North America.
- There is no treatment for RSV, so it’s important for parents to take preventive steps to help protect their child (e.g., wash hands, toys, bedding frequently; avoid crowds and cigarette smoke).
- Certain babies are at an increased risk of developing serious RSV infection, so it’s important to speak with a pediatrician to determine if a baby may be at high risk for RSV, and discuss preventive measures.
- Symptoms of serious RSV infection include: persistent coughing or wheezing; rapid, difficult, or gasping breaths; blue color on the lips, mouth, or under the fingernails; high fever; extreme fatigue; and difficulty feeding. Parents should contact a medical professional immediately upon signs of these symptoms.
To learn more about RSV, visit www.rsvprotection.com.
Disclosure: “I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of MedImmune and received promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”
