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This post was written by Andrew Piropato, MD, PPG – Pediatrics.
Every year, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) affects countless children across the nation as it spreads in homes, childcare centers and schools throughout the fall and winter months. While RSV may mimic the common cold in older children, it can lead to more severe complications in infants and toddlers, even resulting in hospitalization. In this post, we'll explore why RSV is so dangerous and introduce a new preventive solution to give you peace of mind and help protect your little ones during this cold season.
The challenge
RSV is highly contagious, spreading through droplets when someone coughs or sneezes. It can survive on surfaces for several hours, making it difficult to control in heavily populated spaces.
Complicating matters further, people are susceptible to infection by two primary forms of RSV, along with numerous subtypes, which means the body never becomes entirely immune to it. This can subject individuals to recurrent RSV infections, sometimes multiple times within the same season. The lack of immunity, paired with the infection's ability to spread rapidly, makes RSV challenging to recognize and prevent.
Symptoms
This illness can be especially dangerous in infants due to the mild nature of its initial onset and its tendency for symptoms to escalate quickly. Recognizing the early stages of RSV allows for timely intervention, which can prevent its progression to more severe conditions.
Common symptoms in infants and toddlers can include:
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Runny nose
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Eating or drinking less
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Cough, which may progress to wheezing or difficulty breathing
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Irritability
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Decreased activity
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Apnea (pauses in breathing for more than 10 seconds)
It's also important to note that many infants do not have a fever with RSV, which can make it even harder for parents to recognize the severity of the condition early on. Left untreated, RSV can progress to bronchiolitis or pneumonia, resulting in hospitalization. Call your doctor immediately if your baby or child experiences moderate trouble breathing.
In this video, hear from Rachael and Luke about their experience visiting the urgent care walk-in clinic at Parkview Southwest.
Treatment and prevention
Until recently, there was no specific treatment for an RSV infection. While good practices like frequent handwashing, disinfecting surfaces and keeping infants away from sick contacts can help reduce the risk of transmission, these methods often fall short, given how easily the virus spreads.
Thankfully, we now have a treatment available that can prevent or lessen the severity of RSV infection. Beyfortus® (mirsevimab-alip), an antibody injection, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2023. Parkview clinics began administering Beyfortus last fall.
The treatment itself is not a vaccine but a preventive drug that works by providing recipients with immediate, short-term defense against severe infections caused by RSV. The effects of the medication wear off after six months, similar to how antibodies transferred to infants through breast milk eventually fade away. This characteristic was intentional, as older children often can handle the infection without needing to seek medical attention.
Clinical trials and studies of Beyfortus have proven to be effective and very safe for infants and newborns. Furthermore, additional data provided by the CDC indicate an incredible 80–90% effectiveness in preventing severe outcomes from RSV, such as hospitalization.
If your infant is eight months old or younger, we strongly recommend they receive this immunization to protect against RSV this winter when they are most vulnerable. Talk to your child's primary care provider or pediatrician about getting the RSV preventative immunization today.
If your child does not have a provider, you can find one by visiting the website here or calling 877-PPG-TODAY.
