Coughs are hard to distinguish… How do you know if your child has a common cold--or something more serious like RSV?
RSV is highly contagious. It's spread through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
I spoke with a local doctor who tells me he sees plenty of patients with RSV or Respiratory Syncytial Virus; he adds it’s most dangerous to children.
"It’s an infection that in older kids and adults, can present like a cold, but in very young infants, especially neo-nats, they can get quite sick with this infection."
Dr. Sergio Ramirez says RSV can lead to respiratory infections like bronchiolitis and pneumonia, and if left untreated, can result in death.
"Infants who have RSV and is not receiving the right treatment, they can develop apnea, and stop breathing."
According to the centers for disease control, RSV is responsible for sending more than 57,000 children under the age of 5 to hospital each year.
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