RS virus causes severe symptoms in young children
The ICUs in the Netherlands are currently full of children who have contracted the RS virus. This cold virus, which mainly occurs in winter, can cause severe symptoms in young children. Parents should therefore be extra vigilant during this period.
What is the RS virus?
The respiratory syncytial virus – abbreviated as the RS virus – is the most common cold virus in children. The virus arises from an infection of the airways in children. Especially for young babies, the virus can cause severe illness. They experience difficulty breathing due to inflammation of the small airways, which can eventually lead to pneumonia. Worldwide, 100,000 children die from the virus each year. Fortunately, this is almost unheard of in the Netherlands because the disease is well treatable.
What should parents watch out for?
A severe cold and coughing are signs that your child is infected with the RS virus. For young babies, these symptoms can be accompanied by fever, difficulty breathing due to inflammation of the small airways, or pneumonia. An ear infection is also possible. Usually, treatment is not necessary, and the symptoms will diminish on their own. The RIVM recommends seeing a doctor if:
- Your child is having severe difficulty breathing;
- Your child has a high fever (higher than 39 degrees);
- Your child has a fever for more than 3 days;
- A child younger than 3 months has a fever;
- Children up to 1 year are not drinking or eating well
No panic over the RS virus
In the Netherlands, almost every child under the age of 2 gets infected with the virus at least once. Is your child having a cold? Then there is no reason to panic. Don't trust it? Just visit the doctor so he can give you advice.
Source: RIVM and RTL News