The LBJ Hospital is seeing a lot of sick children under the age of two with a virus known as RSV or Respiratory syncytial virus.
Sharmaine Mageo, who takes charge of Infection Prevention at the LBJ Hospital explains it is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms.
“Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults,” she says.
RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than 1.
Mageo says there are simple things you can do to prevent the spread of RSV in your household. These include practicing good hand hygiene, covering your mouth when coughing and staying away from sick people.
Although most children will recover on their own, there are some who may need to see a doctor.
Mageo advises: “If your child is showing any flu like symptoms that do not respond to home health measures such as tylenol for fever, cannot drink or eat, is fussy, please bring them to the hospital during the day when pediatricians are working. Don’t forget to mask up when visiting LBJ especially if you or your sick one has a cough. Practice good hand hygiene and practice social distancing.”
