RSV: More than just a cold

LIMA — A common cold with it's simple runny nose and cough may not be as simple as it appears, especially if it's really the respiratory syncytial virus in disguise.

It's a not-so-simple name for a not-so-simple virus, and the pronunciation is far from simple as well — syncytial is pronounced (sin-SISH-uhl). Although it can strike anyone of most any age, it's young children and infants who suffer the most from this virus, with some not-so-simple symptoms requiring extra care and attention.

But despite the formidable name — let's refer to it as RSV from here on out — it can be successfully treated. However, premature infants do have a higher risk of complications or death due to their underdeveloped lungs and compromised immunity, according to the Centers for Disease Control website, www.cdc.gov.

Parents, please don't hit the panic button quite yet. There are treatments and RSV can be caught in children if you're looking for the right signs. Symptoms in adults can mimic a cold and they start that way in children and infants as well. You have your typical runny nose, decreased appetite and coughing, according to Becky Dershem, director of nursing for the Allen County Health Department.

It's the breathing difficulties: the tightening of the airways, the shortness of breath and the wheezing that affect these young ones the hardest, she said.

Katherine Hoying, a certified nurse practitioner in Lima, agreed and added a few more breathing issues to the symptom list: an increased work of breathing, an increased respiratory rate, and hypoxia, which is a lack of oxygen.

There doesn't seem to be any avoiding RSV, either. Most children have been infected by the age of 2 and outbreaks mainly occur in infants and children up to about age 5, Hoying said. The virus is often the cause for bronchiolitis or pneumonia in children.

The virus and its symptoms can last a couple of weeks, or up to four weeks in more severe cases, Dershem said, and it depends on the age and health of the patient.

And then every year another RSV season rolls around.

“It seems to rear its ugly head over the winter months,” Dershem said, with Hoying adding that cases start cropping up in November and peaking in January or February.

So with it seemingly unavoidable each winter, what's a parent to do if a child does contract RSV?

The best medicine is time for recovery and plenty of fluids, according to the health information website www.kidshealth.org. Treatment usually centers around the symptoms and making the child comfortable. Cool-mist humidifiers help with breathing, and unless the symptoms are severe, most treatment can be done at home or on an outpatient basis.

Dershem listed breathing treatments, oxygen and suctioning as common treatments, although she said some cases might require intubation if the breathing issues are serious enough.

Children and infants with RSV should be offered plenty of fluids, which can be tricky if a sick baby doesn't want to drink. The health website suggests offering small amounts of fluids at frequent intervals to encourage hydration. Dehydration can lead to a hospital stay and intravenous fluids.

The website also advises parents to call the doctor if their child has a high fever, a thick nasal discharge or a cough that produces yellow, green or gray mucus. A doctor should be notified if an infant is unusually irritable or refuses to breastfeed or bottle feed.

Now that the fear of RSV has been indelibly placed in every parent of all children of kindergarten age and younger, let's talk about prevention.

It's true that RSV can spread quickly, with “children being the social creatures that they are,” according to Dershem. That means daycares and schools are ripe with uncovered sneezes and runny noses that can easily bring the airborne RSV home to infect families.

You've heard the mantra before: wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. With plenty of soap and water, it really is the ounce of prevention that's worth a pound of cure. And ever the hardy little virus, RSV can live for many hours on hard surfaces, so Dershem recommends wiping down doorknobs and other surfaces frequently.

She also said to avoid contact with both adults and children who are sick. And if you have cold-like symptoms, refrain from kissing that baby, no matter how cute he or she is. Even a peck on the cheek can spread RSV to that bundle of joy.

With that said, it's easy to see why RSV is a not-so-simple virus, but armed with information, parents can rest a little easier and that simple assurance is an worth an ounce of prevention in itself.