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What is RSV and how do you spot it in your child? Here’s what you should know
KCRA Staff
What is RSV and how do you spot it in your child? Here’s what you should know
THE STRONGEST ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY. OVER TO YOU. BRANDI: SOME U.S. PEDIATRIC HOSPITALS ARE NEAR CAPACITY AS RSV CASES SPIKE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SAYS PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL BEDS ARE MORE FULL NOW THAN IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. HERE TO TALK ABOUT RSV AND HOW TO SPOT IT IN YOUR CHILD IS DR. NICOLE MAKRAM. SHE IS A KAISER PERMANENTE PENETRATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING. FIRST OF ALL, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS CONCERN ABOUT HOSPITAL BEDS, THE NUMBER OF CASES WHAT ARE WE SEEING HERE IN THIS AREA? >> EARLY RSV, WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF VIRUSES BUT WE HAVE CAPACITY AND PEDIATRICIANS ARE HERE TO TAKE CARE OF CHILDREN. BRANDI: WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE PERCEIVED TRIPLE THREAT WHERE YOU HAVE RSV, FLU, AND COVID IS THAT A CONCERNED? >> I THINK THIS WINTER WE ARE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENT VIRUSES. RIGHT NOW WE ARE SEEING ALL THREE OF THOSE. WE ARE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE SOME FLU AND ARE SEEING A WHOLE SLEW OF OTHER VIRUSES RATED IT’S A VIRUS PARTY. BRANDI: WHY DO YOU THINK WE ARE STARTING TO SEE IT NOW AND DID WE SEE IT LAST YEAR? >> NOT AS MUCH LAST YEAR AND NONE THE YER BEFORE. THE PANDEMIC’S YEAR OF SHUTDOWN THE KIDS HAD ALMOST NO COLDS SO THAT IMMUNE SYSTEMS DID NOT DEVELOP. BRANDI: WHAT ARE SOME THINGS PARENTS SHOULD BE LOOKING OUT FOR YOU TALK ABOUT THE VIRUS PARTY, ARE THERE DIFFERENT SYMPTOMS? DIFFERENT THINGS THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING OUT FOR FOR THE DIFFERENT IRISES? >> I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS NOT WORRYING ABOUT WHAT VIRUS YOUR CHILD HAS BECAUSE IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH THEM. THE GREAT NEWS IS WITH OUR TEAM THE MAJORITY OF KIDS DON’T NEED TO COME TO THE HOSPITAL. OR COME TO SEE THEIR PEDIATRICIAN. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS WATCHING HOW YOUR CHILD IS DOING. BABIES ARE AT HIGHEST RISK. THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LOOK OUT FOR OUR TROUBLE BREATHING, IF THERE BREATHING REALLY FAST, HER TUMMY AND CHEST IS MOVING A LOT, THE NOSE IS FLARING, AND THE BIG ONE IS IF THE BABY CAN’T EAT. BRANDI: WHAT ABOUT OLDER KIDS? I HAVE TODDLERS SO I’M ALWAYS AKIN TO THAT AGE SPECIFICALLY. >> TODDLERS GENERALLY HANDLE RSV A LOT BETTER. THEY CAN STILL GET ONE OF THE COMPLICATIONS BUT THEY TEND TO DO MUCH BETTER. THEY WILL HAVE TONS OF NASAL CONGESTION AND THE COUGH LASTS 2-3 WEEKS. THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS TO DO. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN CARING FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS IS A COOL MIST HUMIDIFIER, BULB SECTION TO HELP THEM BREATHE. BRANDI: OLDER KIDS, ARE THE SYMPTOMS DIFFERENT? >> THEY ARE GENERALLY MORE MILD BUT WE HAVE THIS GROUP OF KIDS THAT HAVE NOT HAD RSV BECAUSE OF THE LOCKDOWN SO THEY MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE SYMPTOMS BUT THEY TEND TO HANDLE IT BETTER BECAUSE THE AIRWAYS ARE BIGGER. THEY CAN CLEAR THE MUCUS BETTER. BRANDI: WHAT SHOULD PARENTS AND FAMILIES DO TO PREVENT THESE IRISES IS THERE A WAY TO PREVENT THEM? OUR PEDIATRICIANS AS YOU WANT THEM TO HAVE THESE VIRUSES WHEN THEY ARE SMALLER SO THEY HAVE BUILT UP THIS IMMUNITY WOULD YOU SAY THE SAME THING? >> I WOULD SAY THERE IS NO WAY TO AVOID THEM COMPLETELY. WE KNOW WITH THE TWO YEARS OF SHUTDOWN AND LOCKDOWN OUR KIDS SUFFERED BECAUSE OF THAT SO IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE BACK IN SCHOOL. PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THINGS TO HELP PREVENT THIS VIRUS PARTY, ONE IS TO GET YOUR FLU VACCINE. THE FLU VACCINE SEEMS TO BE A GOOD MATCH THIS YEAR. IT’S GOING TO HELP PROTECT THE SPREAD AND IT ALSO HELPS PROTECT FOR THE SEVERITY. OF COURSE GOOD HANDWASHING AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. IF YOUR KIDS ARE SICK IT’S BEST FOR THEM TO STAY HOME UNTIL THEY FEEL BETTER. SO THEY DON’T SPREAD IT. BRANDI: WHAT ABOUT MASKING? WOULD YOU SUGGEST THAT? >> I THINK THAT IS MORE OF A PERSONAL CHOICE FOR PEOPLE. THERE IS PROOF THAT THEY HELP TO PREVENT SPREAD AND WE SAW THAT LAST YEAR WE DIDN’T HAVE AS MANY VIRUSES BECAUSE KIDS WERE STILL REQUIRED TO MASK AT SCHOOLS. IF YOU HAVE HIGH-RISK MEMBERS, THAT’S AN IMPORTANT THING. IT’S A LITTLE BIT OF A PERSONAL THING. BRANDI: JUST FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT KNOW THERE IS NO VACCINE FOR RSV, RIGHT? >> OUR VERY HIGHEST RISK BABIES, THESE ARE BABIES WHO ARE EXTREMELY PREMATURE OR HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE GET ALL WINTER LONG AND INJECTION CALLED SYNERGIST WHICH IS AN ANTIBODY TO HELP PREVENT IT BUT THAT IS ONLY FOR THE HIGHEST RISK. BRANDI: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE FAMILIES SHOULD BE DOING NOW AS WE HEAD INTO THE WINTER SEASON? >> I GET, I’M GOING TO PUSH FOR THE FLU VACCINE. I THINK THEY’RE GOING TO BE EXTRA IMPORTANT THIS YEAR. WE HAVEN’T SEEN THAT MUCH FLU AND WE ARE ALREADY SEEING THE FLU. THEN, JUST THINKING ABOUT WHO YOU’RE GOING TO BE AROUND FOR THE HOLIDAYS. DO NOT GO AROUND GRANDPARENTS IF THE KIDS ARE SICK OR AT LEAST DO YOUR COVID TEST. BRANDI
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What is RSV and how do you spot it in your child? Here’s what you should know
KCRA Staff
Some United States pediatric hospitals are near capacity as respiratory syncytial virus cases spike across the country. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says pediatric hospital beds are more full now than in the past two years.Dr. Nicole Makram, a pediatrician, sat down with sister station KCRA 3 on Wednesday to speak more about RSV.Q: There is a perceived triple threat with RSV, flu and COVID. Is that something that patients should be worried about right now? Makram: I think this winter, we are going to see a lot of different viruses. And in fact, right now, we're seeing all three of those. We're already starting to see some flu, and we're seeing a whole slew of other viruses. It's a virus party.Q: Why is this happening now, and did we see something like this last year? Makram: Not as much last year and none the year before. And that's probably why we're seeing quite a bit of it now. So the pandemic year of shutdown, kids had almost no colds. So their immune systems did not develop immunity to the things they would have normally had.Q: What are some of the things that parents should be looking out for? Makram: I think the most important thing is not worrying about what virus your child has because it can be difficult to distinguish them. The great news is with RSV, the majority of kids don't need to come to the hospital and don't even need to come to see their pediatrician. The most important thing is watching how your child's doing.Babies are at highest risk from RSV, and the things that you look out for are trouble breathing. So they're breathing really fast. Their tummy, their chest is moving a lot, and their nose is flaring. And then the big warning sign for parents is if the baby can't eat.Q: What are some of the signs we should look out for in toddlers? Makram: Toddlers generally handle RSV much better. They still can get one of the complications called bronchiolitis, but they tend to do much better. But they will have tons of nasal congestion, and the cough lasts 2 to 3 weeks. And there isn't a lot of things to do. The most important things for caring for babies and toddlers are a cool mist humidifier, saline drops in a bulb's suction to help them breathe.Q: Are there different symptoms in older kids? Makram: Yes. They generally are more mild. But we've had this group of kids that haven't had RSV because of the lockdown. And so they may have a little bit more of the symptoms, but they tend to handle it better because their airways are bigger and they can clear the mucus.Q: Is there any way to prevent these viruses? Makram: I would say that there's no way to avoid them. Obviously, we know from our two years of sort of shutdown and lockdown that our kids really suffered because of that social distancing. So it's really important for them to be back in school. But probably the biggest things to help prevent this virus party, one is for sure to get your flu vaccine.The flu vaccine seems like it's going to be a good match this year. It's going to help protect the spread. And then it also helps protect from the severity. Of course, good hand-washing. And those sorts of things. And then, if your kids are sick, it's best for them to stay home until they feel better, so they don't spread as much.Q: Would you suggest masking? Makram: I think that's more of a personal choice for people. There's definitely proof that the masks helped prevent spread. And we saw that last year we didn't have as many viruses because kids were still required to mask at schools. So if in the family you have high-risk members, and that's an important thing, I would have your child mask, but it's a little bit of a personal family decision.Q: Is there a vaccine for RSV? Makram: No, but our very highest-risk babies, these are babies who are extremely premature or have significant congenital heart disease, they get all winter long an injection called synergistic, which is a monoclonal antibody to help prevent it. But that's only for the highest risk.

Some United States pediatric hospitals are near capacity as respiratory syncytial virus cases spike across the country.

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says pediatric hospital beds are more full now than in the past two years.

Dr. Nicole Makram, a pediatrician, sat down with sister station KCRA 3 on Wednesday to speak more about RSV.

Q: There is a perceived triple threat with RSV, flu and COVID. Is that something that patients should be worried about right now?

Makram: I think this winter, we are going to see a lot of different viruses. And in fact, right now, we're seeing all three of those. We're already starting to see some flu, and we're seeing a whole slew of other viruses. It's a virus party.

Q: Why is this happening now, and did we see something like this last year?

Makram: Not as much last year and none the year before. And that's probably why we're seeing quite a bit of it now. So the pandemic year of shutdown, kids had almost no colds. So their immune systems did not develop immunity to the things they would have normally had.

Q: What are some of the things that parents should be looking out for?

Makram: I think the most important thing is not worrying about what virus your child has because it can be difficult to distinguish them. The great news is with RSV, the majority of kids don't need to come to the hospital and don't even need to come to see their pediatrician. The most important thing is watching how your child's doing.

Babies are at highest risk from RSV, and the things that you look out for are trouble breathing. So they're breathing really fast. Their tummy, their chest is moving a lot, and their nose is flaring. And then the big warning sign for parents is if the baby can't eat.

Q: What are some of the signs we should look out for in toddlers?

Makram: Toddlers generally handle RSV much better. They still can get one of the complications called bronchiolitis, but they tend to do much better. But they will have tons of nasal congestion, and the cough lasts 2 to 3 weeks. And there isn't a lot of things to do. The most important things for caring for babies and toddlers are a cool mist humidifier, saline drops in a bulb's suction to help them breathe.

Q: Are there different symptoms in older kids?

Makram: Yes. They generally are more mild. But we've had this group of kids that haven't had RSV because of the lockdown. And so they may have a little bit more of the symptoms, but they tend to handle it better because their airways are bigger and they can clear the mucus.

Q: Is there any way to prevent these viruses?

Makram: I would say that there's no way to avoid them. Obviously, we know from our two years of sort of shutdown and lockdown that our kids really suffered because of that social distancing. So it's really important for them to be back in school. But probably the biggest things to help prevent this virus party, one is for sure to get your flu vaccine.

The flu vaccine seems like it's going to be a good match this year. It's going to help protect the spread. And then it also helps protect from the severity. Of course, good hand-washing. And those sorts of things. And then, if your kids are sick, it's best for them to stay home until they feel better, so they don't spread as much.

Q: Would you suggest masking?

Makram: I think that's more of a personal choice for people. There's definitely proof that the masks helped prevent spread. And we saw that last year we didn't have as many viruses because kids were still required to mask at schools. So if in the family you have high-risk members, and that's an important thing, I would have your child mask, but it's a little bit of a personal family decision.

Q: Is there a vaccine for RSV?

Makram: No, but our very highest-risk babies, these are babies who are extremely premature or have significant congenital heart disease, they get all winter long an injection called synergistic, which is a monoclonal antibody to help prevent it. But that's only for the highest risk.