This post was sponsored by AstraZeneca as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
I CAN’T believe that it’s already October?! I feel like this summer flew by and now fall is going to fly by too. I absolutely love fall and it’s definitely my favorite season. Despite my love for all things fall (PSL’s, bonfires, boots, hoodies, cider…), there is one thing I despise when it comes to fall & winter: ILLNESS.
October is National RSV Awareness Month. RSV, or Respiratory Syncytial Virus, is a common, seasonal virus that is contracted by nearly 100 percent of infants by the age two. It is the leading cause of hospitalization for babies in their first year of life and typically occurs between November and March. RSV is a contagious viral disease that affects a babies lungs and nasal passages. It is easily spread between children and most recover within 1 to 2 weeks, however infants and children can continue to spread the disease for 1 to 3 weeks. Since babies (especially preterm babies) have such small lungs and nasal passages, those who contract RSV can develop serious lung infections, like pneumonia and/or bronchiolitis (swelling of the lower airways).
As a mom to a young infant, RSV is one of my main concerns when heading into this season. I’ve had many friends who had little ones that contracted RSV. Some were able to rest and heal at home and others had long and intense hospitalizations. Seeing their little ones on IV’s was heartbreaking. As I do my best to keep my infant warm and safe this season, I’m familiarizing myself with the facts the help keep protect and keep her little lungs healthy.
What common signs and symptoms should I look for?
If you see any of these RSV disease warning signs, call your baby’s doctor right away:
- Coughing or wheezing that does not stop
- Labored or heightened breathing
- Spread-out nostrils and/or caved-in chest when trying to breathe
- A bluish color around the mouth or fingernails
- A fever (in infants under 3 months of age, a fever greater than 100.4°F rectal is cause for concern
Is my child at risk for severe RSV disease?
- Infants born at or before 35 weeks gestational age are more at risk for severe RSV.
- If your baby has congenital heart disease (CHD) he or she may be at high risk for severe RSV disease.
- If your baby has chronic lung disease (CLD), he or she may be at high risk for severe RSV disease
How can I help prevent RSV?
- Wash your hands before touching and holding baby. Encourage others to do the same.
- Don’t allow anyone to smoke in your home or near baby.
- Wash children’s toys, clothes and bedding often.
- Limit babies exposure to crowds, young children and others with colds.
For more information about RSV, be sure to visit the RSV Protection site by Astra Zeneca.
Has your family been impacted by RSV?
What do you do to keep your family healthy?
Nathan was hospitalized with rsv at 6 weeks old It was the most terrifying experience in my life to date. Little man was on oxygen and monitors for days. I’ll never forget when his oxygen level dropped one night in the hospital and how scary it was watching a whole team of nurses and doc run in while all I could do was get out of the way and cry. He has lasting breathing problems for having the virus at such a young age. We spend most the fall and winter season with a nebulizer at his bedside and now that he’s older an inhaler at the ready. The whole experience definitely impacted my current view on people needing to stay home when they aren’t feeling well and my fear of boogery kids.