7 warning signs of RSV in children

7 warning signs of RSV in children

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a respiratory virus that causes common cold-like symptoms. Generally, it affects those with weakened immunities, such as infants and older adults, more than others. Although people with this condition recover from it within a week or two, it can become dangerous for individuals with compromised immune systems. For children especially, people must sense certain warning signs of this condition at an early stage. Here are a few warning signs:

Runny nose
RSV is known to cause inflammation in a child’s upper respiratory tract which consists of the nose and throat. Children with early-stage RSV will have an excessive amount of mucus produced in their bodies, causing them to blow their noses every now and again. Like many other symptoms of RSV, this one also closely resembles those related to a common cold.

Decreased appetite
The cold-like symptoms of RSV make it difficult for children to taste and smell food components properly. Additionally, the virus also tends to block kids’ throats with an excessive amount of phlegm. This causes them to have great difficulty not only in eating, drinking, and swallowing meals and drinks, but also completely takes away their sensory enjoyment of all foods. As a result, children with RSV will slowly experience a progressive reduction of appetite.

The parents and other relatives responsible for such kids must ensure that they are fed despite their lack of appetite. Not feeding them would result in eventual weakness and a loss of muscle mass, both of which can have other adverse health reactions for them.

Incessant coughing, wheezing, and sneezing in babies
Babies are at great risk of experiencing some of the severe RSV symptoms. A clear indicator that one’s infant may have RSV is incessant coughing and sneezing. Both these symptoms are a result of the inflammation that RSV brings about in the baby’s sinus areas, lungs, and throat. The inflammation tends to cause swelling and irritation in these areas in babies. As a result, they tend to cough and sneeze frequently. Critically, the droplets of cough and sneezes carry the virus. So, other children need to be kept away from babies infected with RSV to reduce the risk of the former contracting the disease.

Apart from coughing and sneezing, wheezing is also a common early indicator of RSV in babies and young children. RSV virus causes mucus to accumulate and eventually jam the throat and all the airways leading up to the lungs. This narrowing of the airways causes babies to produce a peculiar high-pitched whistling or wheezing sound when they inhale and exhale.

Persistent fever
RSV closely mimics the symptoms of the flu or the common cold. This is why babies and slightly older children may get extremely high fever (with body temperatures as high as 101°F – 103°F) when they contract RSV. As is the case with any other viral infection, RSV triggers the immune system to go into overdrive and attack the foreign microbial particles in the bloodstream. This results in a raising of a child’s body temperature.  These fevers come and go in a few days, but parents should not take this particular symptom lightly.

Difficulty in breathing
The most critical indicators of the RSV virus all point toward making the act of breathing difficult for children. Because of their nasal blockages (brought about by RSV), children usually resort to breathing through their mouths. Difficulty in breathing is a sign that one’s child does not have a common cold and that they need expert assistance immediately to fight their condition.

Decreased activity
Normally, children are full of whim and energy. They can keep running around for hours on end. However, RSV slows down the circulation of nutrients and oxygen to various parts of a child’s body. Due to this, parents will notice their children not showing any inclination to perform physical activity or even do the things they enjoy doing the most.

Decreased activity and energy is a symptom shared across many other health conditions. This is why, parents need to get their children checked at a healthcare center when they show a distinct lack of energy or enthusiasm towards any activity.

Bluish lips & fingernails
Due to disrupted breathing, kids who experience RSV have extended respiratory issues too. This means that they will experience a lack of oxygen reaching many parts of their body. As a result of that, kids tend to develop blue-tinged fingernails, toenails, and lips. The bluish-purplish tinge is an indicator that their limbs, face, and other parts of the body are not receiving adequate (or any) amounts of oxygen needed for sustained functionality.

RSV preventive measures
Here are some ways in which one can prevent children from getting RSV infection:

  • Washing hands frequently with soap
    The RSV virus tends to stick to one’s hands. These particles jump from commonly-touched surfaces such as staircase railings, elevator buttons, or door handles onto peoples’ hands when they come into contact with them. Therefore, one needs to wash their hands regularly with soap to eliminate the viral particles from their palms, wrists, and other areas.  One must refrain from touching their eyes, nose, or other facial areas to keep the virus from entering their body. Parents must encourage their children to do the same.
  • Avoiding people with obvious cold symptoms
    RSV is an infectious disease, so parents need to keep their children at least 6 to 10 feet away from infected people. This reduces the possibility of the kids contracting RSV.
  • Using RSV booster shots
    The CDC has approved multiple kinds of vaccinations and booster shots to build kids’ immunity against this disease. However, these booster shots have side effects that include fever, unexplained irritability, and a distinct redness at the shot site.

Featured Articles

3 ways to deal with an overactive bladder
health

3 ways to deal with an overactive bladder

People with an overactive bladder (or OAB) experience a sudden and frequent urge to urinate. About 40% of women and 30% of men in the country deal with this condition, which can be caused by weak pelvic muscles, nerve damage, and excessive caffeine consumption. Those affected may have to urinate more often than usual and can even experience leakage. Here are a few treatment options, foods to eat and avoid, and ways to manage OAB: Treatment options Persistent symptoms should be discussed with a doctor so that they can determine the right course of treatment for OAB. Here are popular options that can be considered based on the doctor’s recommendation: Gemtesa:  It is an FDA-approved prescription treatment for adults affected by OAB. It helps relieve urinary symptoms like urgency, frequency, and even incontinence. Gemtesa is an oral treatment, usually taken with water. Common side effects include diarrhea, headache, or nausea. Myrbetriq:  It can help treat bladder issues like neurogenic detrusor overactivity and overactive bladder. This treatment option relaxes the detrusor, a bladder muscle, making it easier for the bladder to accommodate more urine and reduce OAB symptoms. Doctors recommend oral consumption of  Myrbetriq once a day. Adults can have it with or without food, while children must take it with food.
Top tips for managing rheumatoid arthritis
health

Top tips for managing rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition that affects one’s joints. In some cases, it can also damage several other body systems like blood vessels, the heart, lungs, eyes, and skin. It is an autoimmune disorder that occurs when your immune system starts mistakenly attacking your body’s tissues. The condition affects the joint’s lining, resulting in painful swelling, which can later cause joint deformity and bone erosion. Here are some treatment measures for rheumatoid arthritis: Treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis Actemra® It is a prescription, FDA-approved biological therapy for relief from rheumatoid arthritis. Actemra ® helps lower the inflammation in the body by directly blocking the action of a protein in your body called interleukin-6 (IL-6). Your doctor may administer it as a subcutaneous or intravenous injection. The former is administered at home or at a medical facility, but the latter is given solely at a medical facility. Plaquenil It is an FDA-approved prescription treatment that helps treat acute and chronic rheumatoid arthritis. It helps manage symptoms such as stiffness, inflammation, joint pain, and swelling. It is to be taken exactly as per the recommendation of one’s primary healthcare professional. Rinvoq® Rinvoq ® helps treat moderate to severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis in adults when tumor necrosis factor blockers were used but could not be tolerated or did not work well.
4 practical ways to deal with psoriatic arthritis
health

4 practical ways to deal with psoriatic arthritis

Arthritis commonly affects people with psoriasis, a disease that results in red patches on the skin with silvery scales. Typically, people experience psoriasis years before they get diagnosed with this arthritis. It affects thirty percent of people with psoriasis. However, in some people, joint problems start before psoriasis or during the same time. Swelling, stiffness, and joint pain are the key signs of psoriatic arthritis. Here are the prevalent treatment options for psoriatic arthritis: Treatment options These prescriptions are known to work well against the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis: Otezla Otezla is an oral treatment plan that can be taken with or without food, or as the healthcare professional recommends. You should not chew, split, or crush the tablet before consumption. The recommended dosage depends on your response to treatment and condition. To keep side effects at bay, the doctor may start with a low Otezla dosage and gradually increase it. Rinvoq Rinvoq  should be consumed by mouth with or without food, typically once daily or as the doctor recommends. Do not split, chew, or crush the tablet. It can release the entire dosage in one go and heighten the susceptibility to side effects. To get maximum benefit, you must use Rinvoq regularly. The dosage depends on age and response to the treatment.
How to manage osteoporosis and improve bone health
health

How to manage osteoporosis and improve bone health

Osteoporosis is a condition that makes the bone brittle and weak. When severe, even slight pressure caused by coughing, bending over, or falling can cause a fracture. Such fractures are predominant in the spine, wrist, or hip. Osteoporosis occurs if the new bone fails to keep up with the loss of the old bone. It affects men and women, but post-menopausal women are more susceptible. Let’s discuss the correct osteoporosis treatment and management plan: Treatment plan Prolia It is a prescription treatment plan for relieving osteoporosis in women post-menopause who cannot use other options or have not responded well to prior treatment and are susceptible to fractures. Doctors will prescribe it for at least six months. Prolia helps treat both men and women. However, professionals do not recommend it for pregnant women, women trying to get pregnant anytime soon, or people with low blood calcium. Further, those allergic to denosumab or any other Prolia ingredient must avoid it.   Evenity Evenity helps with osteoporosis in two ways: it slows down bone loss and helps build new bone simultaneously. It is an FDA-approved treatment for osteoporosis that comes as a prefilled, single-use syringe with solution. But Evenity may have severe side effects.

Top Articles