Caring for Little Lungs
October 5, 2017This post was sponsored as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.
Charlotte is my baby. Well, she’s not a baby anymore but she will always be my youngest child. We have so many amazing memories with her but one day in particular will always stand out in my mind.
Caring for Little Lungs
I will never forget that day. It started out just like any other… but the events gradually led to the scariest moment of my (and my husband’s) life.
At the time, I was a mom of a 2 year old (Sophia) and a 5 month old (Charlotte). We headed to the mall in the morning to walk around and have some lunch together. The mall also has an indoor play place so Sophia used to love to play there & make some friends with other toddlers. However, throughout the time we spent at the mall, I noticed that Charlotte was unusually cranky and fussy. She normally would spend a good portion of time sleeping in the stroller while we walked around the mall, but on this day, I wound up holding her the entire time. She cried a lot and I couldn’t settle her at all.
When we got home later that day, I noticed that Charlotte developed a runny nose and a pretty persistent cough. Her mood was still pretty cranky, but I didn’t panic. Heck, I thought nothing of it. I had been through infant colds before with my first daughter, so I didn’t feel the need to rush to the doctor or anything. I put on the humidifier, breastfed her to sleep and went to bed myself.
In the middle of the night, we woke up to pained cries from Charlotte’s room. When we walked in, she was crying in an unusual way. She almost looked like she was having difficulty breathing. We immediately brought her to the emergency room, where she was given an oxygen mask. The gravity of the situation hit like a ton of bricks when the ER doctor looked at me and asked sternly, “How long has she been like this?” I had totally been expecting to be told to take little Charlotte home, maybe start her on an antibiotic, and in a few days she’ll be fully back to normal. Not this time. I’ll never forget that look on the doctor’s face and the tone of his voice. My little baby was admitted to the ICU.
We wound up staying in the hospital for about 3 days, during which time she made a complete recovery. When we asked the doctors how this all happened, they told us that she had developed bronchiolitis, most likely due to an RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) infection. It’s actually not an uncommon occurrence for infants, but it can be very dangerous if not treated promptly.
Did you know that October is National RSV Awareness Month? It’s an important time to spread awareness about respiratory syncytial virus and educate parents on the signs & symptoms of the virus. In doing some research about RSV, I was surprised to learn that RSV is a highly contagious virus that affects almost 100% of infants by the age of two. The most common time of year for infection is between November through March. For many babies, the symptoms of RSV look a lot like the respiratory infection of the common cold or the flu. In premature babies (born at less than 35 weeks gestation), RSV can develop into a more serious infection (Charlotte was born at full term by the way).
Caring for Little Lungs
If your baby is displaying any of the following symptoms of RSV disease, receiving immediate medical attention is necessary:
- constant coughing or wheezing
- difficulty breathing
- gasping
- bluish color around the mouth or fingernails
- unusual lethargy
- fever over 100.4 degrees F
Taking some basic steps to keep germs at bay & reduce the risk of RSV infection is an easy way to help protect your family.
- Request that everyone wash their hands and/or use antibacterial gel before getting near your baby.
- Wash toys & play room surfaces with a diluted bleach solution to kill germs before they have a chance to spread.
- Keep your baby away from large crowds and anyone who is currently sick.
- Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.
Caring for Little Lungs
When it comes to young babies, taking care of their lungs is of the utmost importance. With the right tips, you can help reduce the likelihood of germ transmission. Be sure to also ask your child’s pediatrician if your child may be at high risk for severe RSV disease.
Caring for Little Lungs
Now, I’d love to hear from you. Have your kids ever experienced RSV or another scary health moment? How do you keep germ transmission under control?
My niece had a RSV when she was a baby and it’s a really scary thing. Thanks for helping to raise awareness for this and stop spreading germs as much as we can.
I remember when my cousin’s daughter had RSV when she was just an infant and it was really scary. I had never heard of it before then. All parents need to read this so they will be know how to prevent RSV and be more aware of the symptoms.
RSV is actually way more common than many people realize. Finding ways to reduce the likelihood of transmission is so important!
This is such a scary condition. I was terrified when my kids were born because the commercial terrifies me.
Oh my goodness, this would be scary. I have heard of RSV before. I’m so glad you shared this post to help others.
Yes, raising awareness is important! Thanks for your comment.
I can’t imagine having a little one go through this. Glad your little one was able to fully recover. Thanks for educating others about RSV and what to look out for.
RSV extremely scary. I bet your heart was just pounding. I can only imagine what you’re going through. I’m glad that you got to the ER in time and that they were able to give them the oxygen he needed. So happy that she is better!
so glad you sought treatment and that your baby is doing well…that must have been a scary experience
I am so sorry that RSV exists. I don’t like that babies have to go through anything that makes their little lives uncomfortable. So happy your little one got better! Thanks for sharing this
I know tow families that their babies developed this RSV and it was so scary for them. Glad everything turned out happy and she is perfect.
How scary! I’ve had one with RSV and it included a hospital stay also. It was so scary.
Oh no. Sorry you had to go through this too. Thanks for visiting!
It’s definitely scary when our little one get sick. Glad that Charlottte is okay. I remember when my son got allergic reaction to something that my sister in law gave him, it was really scary. We almost lost him that day.
Look at that sweet girl and her curls. RSV can be so scary. I’m glad she came out of it with no problems.
Good for being such an attentive and aware parent! I am so glad you caught these symptoms early enough to have her taken care of! There is NOTHING as bad as seeing our little ones suffering and sick!
I am glad she made a good recovery!
Thank you for spreading awareness too!
Thanks, Joely! It was certainly a scary experience!
RSV is such a scary illness. It can turn dangerous so fast! I know several people whose children have had it.
Aww, first let me say your daughter is so cute! RSV can be very serious and scary. You made some good points that would be extremely helpful for new parents. Thanks so much for sharing this knowledge.
Oh yikes! It’s definitely a good idea to keep an eye out for those symptoms. Raising awareness will help with this!
Yes, making parents aware of this is so important!
Oh wow, I am so happy she is fine! I know that RSV is very serious. This is all great information. I had a premature baby and he had to get the RSV shot because he was born during that season. I have also had another baby of mine in the hospital for Kidney issues. Being there and seeing your little one suffering is a horrible place to be. I am so happy everyone is ok!
Ugh, that sounds like a total nightmare. RSV is such a scary and horrible thing to experience. Glad your sweet girl is better.
Thank you, Amanda! We are so grateful she made a full recovery.
My kiddos have Asthma, so we have always worked very hard to protect them. My nephew had RSV and was in the hospital for 6 weeks. Scary stuff.
That is very scary!
The advice given above is highly relevant.