CNN
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When Amber Sizemore and her family left the state last week to celebrate her birthday, she hoped her young daughter Reagan would try swimming. This 15-month-old wasn’t himself on Saturday.
“She hates it and usually loves water,” Sizemore said.
By Sunday, when the family returned to Ohio, the girl was “coughing like crazy.”
“She coughed hard and vomited,” Sizemore said. Raegan also stopped eating and developed a fever.
When Tylenol didn’t help, Sizemore took her to emergency care, where RSV or respiratory syncytial virus (a common cold-like virus) was prevalent at Raygan’s daycare, where Sizemore also works. I told you I was there.
The test came back positive, and with Raygan’s vital signs, emergency care staff told Sizemore to take his daughter to the hospital.
Upon seeing her vitals, staff at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland knew that Raegan had to be hospitalized, her mother said. she needed oxygen.
“They were great here and looked after her, but the scariest thing is that she might have just coughed if she didn’t already know she was exposed to RSV. “I’m glad I didn’t have to wait.”
Some doctors have told CNN that there is an “unprecedented” increase in RSV cases among children in the United States.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t track RSV hospitalizations or deaths like it does for the flu, but it said Thursday that many parts of the United States are seeing an increase in RSV cases.
Several children’s hospitals told CNN they were “overwhelmed” with cases at a time when surges in RSV cases are unusual.
with RSV surge, UH Rainbow Babies Due to the sheer number of patients, we were unable to accept emergency admissions from the outside as we were diverted for a few days in early October. Now accepting patients again, but still accused of RSV cases.
With cases rising dramatically in Connecticut, Connecticut Children’s Hospital is coordinating with the governor and the Public Health Commission on whether the National Guard should be dispatched to expand its capacity to treat these young patients. is judging
“I’ve been doing this for a long time. In my 25 years at Connecticut Children’s Hospital, I’ve never seen RSV enter our hospital at this particular level,” said the hospital’s executive. Vice President and Chief Physician Dr. Juan Salazar told CNN.
In Texas, where RSV cases typically spike in December or January, the Cook Children’s Emergency Department in Fort Worth and its emergency care have seen a significant number of RSV cases. Nearly half the ICU is filled with his RSV cases, said Kim Brown, a spokesperson for the hospital. Between October 2 and 8, at Cook Children’s, he had 210 of her RSV cases. A week later, it’s 288.
Jeff and Zoe Green’s 4-month-old Lindy was admitted to Cook on Sunday.
At the hospital, Lindy’s fever became so high at one point that she was told they would use ice packs to keep her cool.
“I don’t know how, but I slept with an ice pack on top,” Zoe Green said as she hugged an exhausted Lindy at the hospital. She’s trying to stay hydrated so she doesn’t have to go back to an IV, she said.
“Certainly, we want her to do better.”
Dr. Mallory Davis, an infection prevention physician at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is also seeing an early surge.
“We are very full and looking for ways to accommodate all the sick children in our community, so the census numbers are pretty high,” she said.
Children’s Hospital Colorado saw an early rise in hospitalizations for RSV, seeing the first few flu cases of the season, said Kevin Messacar, M.D., an infectious disease expert and associate professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. I’m here.
“We have seen an increase in the number of cases since the end of the summer, starting with rhinovirus and enterovirus when children returned to school and now caused by respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza,” he said. “With flu season fast approaching and what appears to be an early start, we are concerned that the number of sick children requiring hospitalization continues to rise.”
The staff at UH Rainbow Babies hope things don’t get any worse. “I mean, I hope we’re peaking now. If we’re not, hell,” said Dr. Amy Edwards, deputy medical director of pediatric infection control.
Edwards said RSV cases often fill hospitals even during normal seasons.
Sick children “can’t stay at home because they need oxygen support,” she said.
Experts believe cases in the United States may be surging because of the stage of the Covid-19 pandemic we are in.
The typical RSV season seemed to change in 2020 and 2021 when everyone stayed home to prevent the spread of coronavirus. small number of cases, “immune gap”.
Children who would normally have been infected with the virus back then are now infected.
According to the CDC, most children get RSV at some point before they are two years old. I am elderly Or chronic heart or lung disease, or a weakened immune system, and in some infants and children.
There is no specific treatment for RSV and no vaccine. Symptoms usually last 1-2 weeks and resolve with plenty of fluids and rest.
However, it can be a much more serious illness for some children. RSV is especially dangerous for premature babies, newborns, immune-compromised children, children with neuromuscular disorders, and her children under the age of two who have chronic lung or heart conditions. CDC says.
RSV can turn into bronchiolitis, the small airways can become inflamed, congested, or even pneumonia. The child may need to be hospitalized to get additional oxygen or a ventilator to help breathe.
An infected person can transmit RSV through coughing or sneezing. If respiratory droplets land on a surface such as a doorknob or desk, and someone else touches it and then touches their face, it can make them sick.
Symptoms of RSV
Generally, adults are so mildly ill that they either don’t realize they have it or interact with others thinking it’s just a cold or allergy.
“It’s not an exhausting virus like the flu or Covid, so it’s really good,” Edwards said. Bring it on and kiss that little baby because you feel good.
The virus can also be passed from older siblings to younger siblings.
“Babies drool over toys and other things, so daycare passes that on too,” Edwards said.
If your child is coughing, lethargic, or doesn’t look like you, it’s a good idea to take him/her to the pediatrician. You will be tested to find out.
Pediatrician says trip to ER may need if the baby is dehydrated; if breathing is difficult, difficult, shallow or rapid. If you have a high fever or bluish skin. Or if they become unresponsive. Most people get better with supportive care and can often go home after treatment, according to the CDC. Several days.
Doctors say the best way to prevent RSV infection is to teach children to cough and sneeze into a tissue or elbow instead of their hands. .
“Hand hygiene is the most important thing we can do to keep ourselves and others safe,” said Davis of Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids. I tell people never to touch their faces.
When a child or adult gets sick, she said, there is only one thing to do.
Sizemore, whose daughter is still hospitalized with RSV but appears to be recovering, also advises people to take the virus seriously.
“I want other parents to know that their child’s cough should not be taken lightly and the symptoms taken seriously,” she said. not.”
