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My son had RSV at 3 months of age (he's currently 14 months). He seemed ok except for some mild colds symptoms and then I noticed his breathing was very rapid (65-70 breaths a minute). I called his doctor and they sent me to the ER. By the end of the day he was very very ill. He was given IV fluids and on oxygen for severla days in the hospital. He got breathing treatments and percussion therapy. The percussion therapy helped him more than anything. You can do it at home. Every few hours just gently tap the childs chest and back for several minutes. It helps break up the thick mucous that rsv creates (which is what is dangerous about RSV, it gunks up the lungs basically).
My son wheezed for months afterward until he was put on Pulmicort (an inhaled steriod). He quit taking it last Spring and this winter he got pneumonia and is now back on the Pulmicort. The allergist says he probably has asthma (he's too young to actually diagnose.) RSV and Asthma tend to be linked but they don't know if asthma makes you more likely to get RSV or RSV puts you at risk for asthma. Being a premmie also puts a child at risk for RSV (my son was born at 35 weeks).
WHen he got sick I babysat another 3 month old and a 6 week old baby. My son had not really been sick so I was not extra careful just normal with handwashing and such and neither child got RSV (thank goodness).
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