Respiratory Syncytial Virus is a form of respiratory infection that has the ability to affect the respiratory tract and lungs of children and adults both. This effect of this virus can be as mild as of common cold and sometime may even require hospitalization. Very young children are likely to get affected by it severely because of having a weaker immune system.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus is considered to be highly contagious and affects kids mostly when they are around 2 years of age. This virus affects adults who work in the healthcare domain taking care of young children. This virus causes respiratory problems. Most children suffering from this condition have reported incidences of bronchitis and pneumonia as a result of Respiratory Syncytial Virus. If you suspect that your child may be suffering from any of the symptoms, consult a paediatrician in Chandigarh today.
Causes : This condition is known to be highly contagious, spreading through droplet transmission. When the people who are infected sneeze or a cough, secretions come in contact with the air. The virus can live on hands, clothing, and tabletops for hours making it easy for people to get infected.
Some populations may have a higher risk of developing this condition like people suffering from chronic lung disease or congenital heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma.
Symptoms – The symptoms are usually visible in about 2 or 8 days after getting infected. Some of the common ones include:
- Fever
- Runny nose
- Decreased appetite
- Skin turning blue
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Runny nose
- Rapid breathing, wheezing, with other difficulties in breathing
- Mild headache
Treatment – Comfort measures are adopted in case of mild RSV to ease out the symptoms. These measures include:
- Increased fluid intake
- Bulb suction
- Cool mist humidifiers
- Nasal saline
- Keeping an upright position
In severe cases, the treatment of RSV is done in hospital settings may need oxygen supplementation, mucus removal, etc. Inhaled medicines are also prescribed like nebulized bronchodilators, ribavirin, albuterol, etc.
The condition gets better in a time frame of one or two weeks when extensive care is provided.
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