RSV symptoms: What to look for if your child has a respiratory virus or the flu

RSV and other respiratory viruses are spreading in children. RSV symptoms include cough and it can be severe in babies and toddlers. There is no vaccine or treatment.

As temperatures begin to drop, a handful of respiratory viruses are spreading at unusually high levels in the U.S. and landing children in the hospital, and doctors are urging parents to be aware of what symptoms signal a serious illness.

Pediatric cases of the flu and RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, are on the rise. Covid cases are declining in kids, but the coronavirus, too, is circulating at high levels.

Most children should recover on their own from infections of Covid, RSV or the flu, especially with rest and plenty of fluids, said Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician and vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. But some, including very young children and those with underlying lung issues, may need additional care.

Here are the signs and symptoms to look out for if your child has a respiratory virus.

Because each virus typically begins as an upper respiratory infection, it can be difficult — if not impossible — for parents to know which one they are dealing with early on, said Dr. Kristin Moffitt, an infectious disease specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital. Even for doctors, the only way to determine which virus is causing an infection is by using a test.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/rsv-symptoms-look-child-respiratory-virus-flu-rcna53754

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