As temperatures start to drop, a handful of respiratory viruses Unusually high levels of prevalence in the United States Landing a child in a hospital, doctors are urging parents to recognize what symptoms are signs of a serious illness.
Pediatric cases of influenza and RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus,Increased has. The number of infected children is decreasing, but the coronavirus is also circulating at high levels.
Dr. Paul Offitt, a pediatrician and vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said most children should recover naturally from a Covid, RSV or flu infection, especially with rest and adequate hydration. said. However, some people, including very young children and those with underlying lung problems, may need additional care.
Here are some signs and symptoms to look out for if your child has a respiratory virus.
Does my child have RSV, Covid, or the flu?
Dr. Christine Moffitt, an infectious disease specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital, said each virus usually begins as an upper respiratory tract infection, so it’s not impossible to know early on which viruses parents are dealing with. Even for doctors, the only way to determine which virus is causing the infection is with tests.
Early symptoms of Covid, RSV, and the flu are similar to many children, including:
- congestion
- cough
- runny nose
- muscle pain
- heat
- headache
Less common symptoms include:
- stomach ache
- vomiting
- diarrhea
Moffitt said a sore throat could be a sign of Covid, As the doctor noticed the infection Using the omicron subvariant often starts with a sore throat.
At-home Covid testing can help parents determine if Covid is the cause of their child’s illness.
Children can also be tested for RSV or influenza at the clinic, usually called a multiplex test, Moffitt said.
It’s also possible for a child to have multiple viruses at the same time, she said. known as co-infection.
Why are respiratory viruses dangerous to very young children?
It all comes down to anatomy. Babies and young children have much smaller airways than older children and adolescents. says Dr. Deanna Behrens, a pediatric emergency physician at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
child Those with underlying diseasesChronic conditions such as chronic lung disease and heart disease may also put people at increased risk of serious illness from respiratory viruses, says Nusheen Ameenuddin, M.D., a pediatrician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. .
Moffitt said parents should contact their pediatrician if they are unsure if their children need more help recovering from the infection.
“Pediatricians’ clinics are now very responsive in trying to ease the pressure that emergency care and pediatric emergency department settings are feeling. but open up sickness slots and things like that so they can evaluate children who don’t fully meet the criteria for evaluation in the emergency department.”
When should my child go to the emergency room?
Symptoms warranting immediate trip to the emergency room include the child refusing to eat, difficulty urinating or breathing abnormally.
This is “especially important for babies and toddlers who can’t tell their parents what’s wrong with them,” she said.
Abnormal breathing can manifest as rapid breathing, loud wheezing, or trouble breathing, Behrens said.
Breathing problems can also manifest as blue lips or the muscle between the ribs pulling inward with each breath, says Ameenuddin of the Mayo Clinic.
Parents should seek emergency help if their child has had a fever for more than four days, according to Dr. Sunisa Kaiser, a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco.
Left untreated, severe cases of Covid, RSV, or the flu can develop into pneumonia, an infection of the lungs, said Dr. Peter Hotes, co-director of the Vaccine Development Center at Texas Children’s Hospital. said.
RSV is also known to cause bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small airways in the lungs, Hotez said. Both conditions can be fatal, especially in children with underlying medical conditions.
Is there a cure for RSV?
Moffitt said children infected with the new coronavirus could be given steroids or the antiviral drug remdesivir. Similarly, influenza might be given a handful of antiviral drugs, including Tamiflu.
However, there is no cure for RSV, so children with the virus who become sick enough to go to the hospital are usually offered only supportive care, including oxygen therapy.
There is also no vaccine against RSV, Hotez said. Only a handful are in development, one of them from Pfizer.
Certain children with underlying medical conditions may also be eligible monoclonal antibody injection Prevents severe respiratory syncytial virus.
Hotez also urged parents to get their children vaccinated against Covid and the flu.
“There are three viruses circulating. If we can get rid of one or two of them by vaccinating our children, things will be much easier.”
Ameenuddin said parents can protect children who are too young to be vaccinated by creating a “cocoon” in which everyone around them is vaccinated, reducing the chances of infection and serious illness. said it can.
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