Respiratory illness is on the rise in children – here’s what to know
Doctors are seeing a spike in respiratory illnesses this fall, possibly due to weakened immunity in children following isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Many children weren’t exposed to these viruses in their first couple years of life because they were staying at home,” said Marissa Hendrickson, MD, a pediatric emergency physician at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital. “Now they’re returning to daycare, school, and other group settings and contracting these viruses.”
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the main culprits. The Minnesota Department of Health reported a sharp increase in RSV hospitalizations in October, with the majority of patients under the age of 1 and many others 2-4.
While RSV is usually similar to a mild cold, it can be severe, especially for infants and older adults. It’s the No. 1 cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia, both forms of serious lung infection, in children under 1, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
RSV often starts mildly but can quickly progress to serious illness. Early signs to look out for include:
- Runny nose
- Decrease in appetite
- Cough, which may progress to wheezing
Young infants with RSV may show different symptoms, according to the CDC. The only early signs of RSV in infants under 6 months old may be:
- Irritability
- Decreased activity
- Decreased appetite
- Apnea (pauses while breathing)
If your child is showing any of these symptoms, bring them to their pediatrician or an urgent care clinic for evaluation and to start ongoing monitoring.
Signs of a more serious infection include coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.
Fast or labored breathing is a sign that your child requires immediate medical attention. Children with a serious infection can be admitted to a hospital for oxygen and breathing treatments, Hendrickson told KSTP News.
“When children are having trouble breathing, they pull in the muscles so that you can see their ribs outlined with every breath, or you can see their stomach sucking in and out in a way that it doesn’t normally do,” Hendrickson told CNN. “Or the muscles in the neck and that go up by their shoulders over the collarbone can pull in with their breath.”
