Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) - More Than a Cold

What is RSV?

Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, is very common in infancy and early childhood. It is the most frequent cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia during the first year of life and infects virtually all children by the age of 2 years ¹.

RSV infections tend to occur at a certain time of year - from autumn to Spring in temperate climates, but RSV season may vary by region, so it's best to ask your doctor when it occurs in your local area.

¹ Law BJ and the Pediatric Investigators Collaborative Network on Infections in Canada.Pediatr Infect Dis J 1993;12:659-63.

How serious is RSV?

In many babies, RSV causes a mild cold. But in certain cases, most often in premature infants and in babies with chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease, RSV can cause an infection of the lungs. These babies can then become very ill and may require hospitalisation.

What are the symptoms of RSV?

The symptoms of RSV may be like a cold at first and can include:

fever
runny nose
other cold-like symptoms

The symptoms may then get worse as the virus spreads to the lungs, and can include:

coughing
difficulty breathing
wheezing (a whistling sound)
rapid breathing

Is it easy to catch RSV?

Yes, it is easy to catch RSV. This very common virus is spread by any physical contact-such as touching, kissing, or shaking hands-with an infected person. The germs are also spread through the air by sneezing or coughing.

What's more, RSV can live for hours on a countertop or on a used tissue. RSV infection is very common in crowded living areas and day-care centres. A person can be exposed to the virus and give it to others without knowing it. That is why you must be very careful to take steps to prevent your baby from being exposed to RSV.

How to reduce the risk of RSV infection

There are several steps which you, as parents, can take to help reduce the risk of RSV infection, both at home and away from home.

Wash hands with warm water and soap before touching the baby
If you have a cold or fever, be aware that kissing the baby can spread the infection. Hug your baby gently, or stroke your baby's head instead
If other young children have a cold or fever, try to keep them away from the baby. This is hard to do, since young children will not understand the reason why they can't be around the baby. You might want to set up a "special place" for other young children in the house, just as the baby has a special place. Put colouring books and other quiet activities in the "special place"
Keep people with cold symptoms or fever away from baby
Keep your baby away from crowded places (especially daycares, shopping centres, large family gatherings...)
Do not smoke around the baby
Ban smoking inside your house

You may want to tape these rules somewhere in the house, so they are easy to remember. These may be hard to follow at times, but they are very important to the baby's health.

What you need to remember about RSV:

RSV is highly contagious. Following the steps listed above will help reduce the risk of your baby getting the infection. If you have any questions on RSV, please consult your doctor or nurse.