What You Should Know About RSV

Although RSV is the most common cause of respiratory tract infection in children under five years of age, most people are unfamiliar with the disease. RSV can be particularly serious in infants born prematurely, children under the age of two suffering from chronic lung conditions, and young children with hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease. Multiples are also at increased risk for serious RSV disease.

Virtually all children are exposed to the virus during the first two years of life and re-infection throughout life is very common.2 Infants born at less than 36 weeks gestational age are at a significantly elevated risk for severe RSV disease. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year, up to 125,000 children are hospitalized with serious RSV disease and some of these children may die from RSV complications.3

For otherwise healthy children, RSV usually amounts to little more than a cold. However, for preemies and other at-risk infants, the health consequences can be much more serious. In the US, approximately 125,000 children are hospitalized each year with serious RSV disease and sadly, some of these children die.

RSV spreads easily from person to person via respiratory secretions. The chance of spreading the virus within a family is very high. Many times school-aged children introduce the virus into the family. Despite strict infection control procedures, hospital nursery units, day care centers and other similar institutions are also at high-risk for RSV outbreaks.

To help protect your baby, there are simple steps that parents and caregivers can take:

• Have family members and caregivers wash their hands with warm water and soap before touching the baby
• Avoid being around the baby if you have a cold or fever
• Avoid exposing the baby to other children with cold symptoms
• Keep the baby away from crowded places
• Never smoke around the baby
• Talk to your baby’s pediatrician about RSV risks and prevention

If you, or someone you know needs assistance in paying for medication to help prevent RSV, please let us know and we will try to help them. If you have any questions about RSV contact PreemieCare at (631) 859-1110 or email us.

1 Committee on Infectious Disease and Committee on Fetus and Newborn. Preventions of respiratory syncytial virus infections: Indications for the use of palivizumab and update on the use of RSV-IGIV. Pediatrics. 1998; 102(5); 1211-1216.
2 Glezen WP et al. Am J Dis Child. 1986;140:543.
3 Shay, DK, Holman, RC, Roosevelt, GE et el. J. Infec. Dis. 2001;183;16-22.

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PreemieCare RSV Links:

RSV Tracking System

Find up-to-date information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) about RSV outbreaks by state, region, or the entire US.

RSV FAQs
What is RSV? What are the symptoms? What can I do to prevent it?

Sample letter to friends and family explaining the risks associated with preemies and RSV

PreemieCare/MOST RSV Campaigns
Read about MOST's campaign to promote RSV awareness.
See videos of both doctors and mothers talk about RSV and their experiences.

RSV Stories

Read stories about RSV submitted by other parents of preemies.

Going Home

A Parent's NICU Discharge Checklist

If Lungs Were Trees

Pediatric Pulmonologist, Dr. Alan Cohen, compares the lungs of preterm infants to full term infants

A Preemie's Letter to Mom & Dad

A premature infant reviews his first year.

RSV Fact Sheet

RSV & Synagis Parent Brochure

About Synagis

RSV immunization

This Virus Season, Safeguard Your Preemie’s Lung Health: Highlights of National Telephone Press Briefing

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RSV News:

An Overview Of RSV by Kelli Shidler, MD January 2, 2008

The symptoms are similar, but RSV is not your common cold by Meg Nugent December 31, 2007

RSV Season Dangerous for Babies by Melanie Ruberti December 28, 2007

What's Going Around in Kansas by Jemelle Holopirek December 27, 2007

RSV Going Around December 27, 2007

RSV: Cold-like virus easily spread December 26, 2007

RSV Close to Epidemic Levels in Houston December 21, 2007

Health alert: Seasonal virus can lead to pneumonia by Chau Nguyen December 21, 2007

RSV cases on the rise by Mia Fleming December 20, 2007

Preventing RSV by Vincent Iannelli, M.D. October 2, 2007

Holiday Peak in Pulmonary Admissions is Linked to Social Gatherings September 17, 2007

PreemieCare: Flu Season Subsides While Incidence of the Most Common and Lethal Children's Respiratory Virus Continues to Rise  January 28, 2005

See the MOST Medical News page for more preemie and multiple birth related medical news

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Outside Websites with Information on RSV and Preemies:

RSV Prevention Information Center
Useful information for parents and pediatricians that will help identify and protect high-risk infants from RSV disease, funded by MedImmune Inc.

Meriter Website - Information on Preemies
A comprehensive website for parents of premature babies. Includes information on statistics, birth, NICU, care, what to expect (now and in the future), and more

RSV Prevention Tips

About.com's comprehensive information page on RSV with tips for parents on how to prevent the spread of RSV as well as an extensive list of RSV resources.