Indiana pediatrician: ‘We will see RSV related deaths’
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – It’s difficult to provide hard data about respiratory syncytial virus deaths because doctors and hospitals are not required to report them to the state unlike flu or some other viruses. But doctors are talking about the fear of infant deaths among themselves.
News 8 spoke with Dr. John Christenson, associate medical director of infection prevention at Riley Children’s Health, who says it’s only a matter of time.
“I have not heard of any RSV related deaths, especially at Riley,” said Christenson. “I don’t know what may be happening in other areas of the state. Some of those numbers may lag a little bit. But I haven’t heard of any. But it could happen no question about it. And just like we see with influenza we will see RSV related deaths. That’s the sad part.”
Symptoms of RSV include: runny nose, decreased appetite, coughing, sneezing and fever. They typically appear 4 to 6 days after infection.
If the illness progresses to where a baby is struggling to breath parents should take them to the emergency room immediately.
Struggling to breathe appears in many ways such tight breathing which makes it difficult for them to cry or speak. They may be breathing faster than normal or wheezing. Parents also want to watch their child’s rib cage and if it’s being pulled in with each inhale and if their lips and/or face are blue.