Is it Common Cold or Something Beyond That?

Most Kids Get Well Soon Without Any Medication

​Newborns and small children suffer from cold, nose block or running nose quite often. Are all these just signs of common cold or something more serious?

It could be respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common form of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children under age of 1. It has symptoms similar to other viruses, such as runny nose, fever, coughing, sneezing, loss of appetite and irritability. While RSV is not a serious problem for most little ones, infants can be hit hard sometimes.

Babies under six months of age are at an increased risk of RSV because:

1. Their lungs are very small and cannot handle too much inflammation.
2. White cells of the immune system that protect us against infections are not ready for defense yet.
   
   

Infants attacked with RSV might feel restless, avoid bottles and breathe more rapidly than usual. Children mostly recover on their own in a week’s time with certain exceptions. Young infants, patients suffering from chronic lung disease, congenital heart disease and individuals with compromised immune systems can suffer badly from RSV. RSV spreads through cough, sneeze, blowing your nose, touch, kiss, hand shake or when you touch an object contaminated with the virus.

Children attending day care, having school-aged brothers or sisters, living in crowded areas or being near tobacco smoke increases the risk of RSV. Read more on the disadvantages of tobacco smoke at www.firsteatright.com.

No vaccine is available till date for RSV and antibiotics do not kill the virus. Vaporizers can help young children breathe and youngsters older than 6 months should be fed with plenty of liquids, such as water and fruit juices. Infants below 6 months must be breastfed or bottle-fed small quantities of liquids every now and then.

RSV can be prevented by taking safety precautions such as washing hands frequently, not sharing utensils and dishes and disinfecting hard surfaces.