Mothers share stories of children’s battles with RSV

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (WVVA) - The CDC says RSV can cause mild, cold-like symptoms. But it can pose much more than a mild risk for infants and young children. RSV can become quite serious. Emma Bailey’s three month old daughter recently caught it. She says it’s tough to see your child fighting the illness.

“She’s my first baby so it was hard because she was so sad and so pitiful. I’m constantly reminding myself and my husband and anyone who’s around to wash your hands. I really don’t care if people say you’re that mom. Because I don’t want to ever see my baby go through what she went through,” said Bailey.

Bailey says her daughter was diagnosed quickly. Katlyn Richardson’s son wasn’t as lucky. She says she made multiple hospital visits before receiving an RSV diagnosis. By then, he ended up developing pneumonia in both lungs and is still recovering.

“They did antibiotics, oxygen and he had to take breathing treatments every now then too. Oh it was horrible. Definitely the scariest thing a mother could ever face aside from like heart issues and stuff. It was just very scary seeing him hooked up to iv’s and everything,” said Richardson

Richardson and Bailey both urge parents to keep their kids at an arms length and don’t allow people to needlessly touch their children. Doctors say touch contact is one of many ways RSV is spread. Some pandemic protocols can prevent the spread.

“So good hand hygiene, frequently washing your hands. Disinfecting surfaces, covering your sneezes and coughs. Not being around people who might be sick would be the best way to try to prevent it,” said Dr. Yoginder Yadav, the VP of Medical Affairs at Princeton Community Hospital.

The CDC says RSV isn’t new, in fact it’s quite common, adding virtually all children will contract it by the time they are two years old. Parents are urged to consult with their pediatrician to treat RSV. The CDC says early symptoms of RSV can include runny nose, decrease in appetite and coughing or wheezing.

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