Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild cold-like symptoms. While most people recover in a week or two, RSV can be serious, especially for infants, young children, and older adults. With upcoming cooler weather and more indoor gatherings, fall is a time when RSV cases often rise.
RSV infects the lungs and breathing passages. Almost all children will have had an RSV infection by their second birthday, but reinfections can occur at any age. For most healthy adults and older children, it feels like a mild cold. However, RSV can lead to bronchiolitis, which is inflammation of the small airways in the lung, and pneumonia in high-risk groups.
Those at greatest risk include infants under 12 months, especially premature babies or those with heart or lung conditions, children with weakened immune systems, adults 65 and older, and people with chronic health problems such as asthma, COPD, or heart disease.
Symptoms usually appear four to six days after infection and may include a runny nose, decreased appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever, and wheezing. In very young infants, symptoms can be more subtle, such as irritability, decreased activity, and trouble breathing.
To protect infants and seniors, it is important to wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, avoid close contact with anyone who has cold-like symptoms, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, toys, and mobile devices, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow, limit exposure of infants to crowded public spaces during peak RSV season, and encourage rest and hydration to support immune health.
For mild RSV cases at home, supportive care can help. Use a cool mist humidifier to ease breathing, provide saline drops and a bulb syringe to clear infants’ nasal passages, offer small and frequent fluids to prevent dehydration, and ensure plenty of rest in a calm environment.
It is important to seek medical care right away if you notice fast or troubled breathing, flaring nostrils, or chest muscles pulling in with each breath, blue or gray lips, mouth, or fingernails, high fever, signs of dehydration such as few wet diapers, dry mouth, or crying without tears, or severe wheezing and persistent coughing. For older adults, worsening shortness of breath, confusion, or chest pain should prompt immediate evaluation.
RSV is common but can be serious for the most vulnerable. Practicing prevention, recognizing early symptoms, and knowing when to seek medical help are key steps to keeping infants and seniors safe this fall. At Marque Urgent Care, our providers are here to help evaluate symptoms and provide guidance so your family feels cared for and supported during RSV season.