Few things are scarier for a new parent than when a newborn baby gets sick. With the severity of cold and flu viruses on the rise, such concern is legitimate. These days it seems the wide spreading of virus is no longer limited to a certain season. In the year 2009 the flu strain of H1N1 escalated to pandemic status in spring and summer months – far from the winter months usually designated as “cold and flu season.” Really, then, newborns need to be protected year round against these cold and flu viruses. One virus many parents are not familiar with is respiratory syncytial (pronounced: sin-SISH-uhl) virus, or RSV.
In healthy children and adults, these symptoms usually are not dangerous. Most people will recover from RSV without any major complications between one and two weeks. For newborn infants, however, this virus can quickly turn into bronchiolitis or pneumonia. In fact, it is the leading cause of these two illnesses in children under age one in the United States. For this reason, it is vital to be educated on how to protect your newborn from RSV and how to overcome it if your baby does get infected with this virus.
It is important for everyone to exercise appropriate caution with hygiene and sanitation; however, that importance cannot be stressed enough when it comes to protecting a newborn from RSV. Frequent handwashing is a must. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is a parent’s best friend as it is a convenient way to keep hands clean. Have a bottle available in every room of the house as well as in the diaper bag and in your car. To be effective, the FDA and CDC recommends that hand sanitizer have 60% to 95% ethanol or isopropanol. It is also important to make sure the hand sanitizer is rubbed thoroughly into your skin.
RSV can spread through droplets in the air from coughing or sneezing or through surfaces touched by an infected person. It is important to keep anyone who is sick away from your newborn. If an older sibling is presenting symptoms, reduce this child’s contact with the newborn as much as possible until his symptoms have passed. Though it may not be an option for some new parents, breastfeeding is an ideal way to build up your newborn’s immunities. Mothers who are experiencing symptoms should continue to breastfeed as the breast milk will continue to fortify your newborn against this virus.
When treating a newborn with RSV at home, it is important to do the following:
• Keep your newborn as comfortable as possible – Use saline solution and a nasal aspirator or bulb syringe to keep the nasal passages clear. This is important because your newborn does not understand that she can breathe through her mouth. Thus, she will continue to try to breathe through her nose even though she is congested. You can also keep the air moist by using a cool-mist vaporizer. This will help your baby to breathe easier.
• Provide plenty of fluids – A newborn that is sick may not feel like eating. To combat this, offer small amounts of formula or breast milk more often than usual throughout the day.
Whether your newborn can be treated at home or if she needs to be hospitalized, time needs to be given for your baby to make a full recovery. The normal run of RSV is one to two weeks so patience is needed.
Trust your instincts and call your baby’s pediatrician for any symptoms that concern you. It is especially important to call if your newborn is experiencing any of these symptoms:
• Fever of 100.4 degrees or higher
• Thick nasal discharge that is yellow or green
• Worsening cough
• Difficulty breathing – one way to check this is by watching your baby’s ribs as she’s breathing. If the skin is pulling into the ribs, your baby is breathing too hard.
• Unusually irritable or inconsolable
• Refusing to breastfeed or bottle-feed
If hospitalization is necessary, don’t let this scare you. A hospital is the best place possible for your baby to receive treatment for her symptoms. The doctors will monitor her closely and make sure she is getting the fluids she needs. It may be necessary for the doctors to treat any breathing problems with medication. You can help by cooperating and communicating with the doctors. Above all, continue to give your newborn the love and care she needs from you.
