About 125,000 babies are hospitalized with RSV each year in the US. It’s the leading cause of infant hospitalization and the leading cause of pneumonia and bronchiolitis (the swelling of the small airways). RSV is most common in the colder months and is highly contagious. The virus can survive for several hours on unwashed hands and on surfaces such as tables, playpens and countertops.
Some children are eligible to receive the RSV immunization, a series of monthly injections that usually begin in mid-October and continue for five months. If that’s not an option, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following:

Be sure that everyone washes their hands before they touch the baby.
Don’t take your child to crowded areas like malls and avoid anyone who has a cold, fever or runny nose.
Keep the baby away from tobacco smoke; it can increase the risk of, and complications from, severe viral respiratory infections.
Immunize your baby—all infants between 6 and 23 months old should receive the influenza vaccine, which can help protect against other respiratory viruses as well.

Warning signs for RSV

Watch for mild cold symptoms—runny nose, minor cough and fever—that develop into more pronounced coughing and labored breathing. You can tell if your child is having difficulty breathing if he or she: grunts, tightens the abdominal muscles, flares the nostrils or greatly expands the ribcage when breathing; wheezes when exhaling; or takes more than 60 breaths a minute, when not crying.

Also be on the lookout for: blue lips and fingernails, a sucking in of the skin between the ribs, below the ribcage or above the collarbone; or poor feeding.

If you suspect that your child has RSV, please contact your physician immediately. While most children can be treated as outpatients, there is a chance that the condition can become deadly if it’s not treated, especially for infants.