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RSV

Call your healthcare provider if your child is having difficulty breathing, not drinking enough fluids, or experiencing worsening symptoms.

We are seeing an increase in RSV detections and RSV-associated emergency department visits and hospitalizations in our area.  If you believe your child may have RSV, please call us at (402) 562-7500 in Columbus, or (402) 721-0951 in Fremont.  

Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than 1 year of age in the United States.

RSV may not be severe when it first starts. However, it can become more severe a few days into the illness. Early symptoms of RSV may include

  • Runny nose
  • Decrease in appetite
  • Cough, which may progress to wheezing or difficulty breathing

Infants who get an RSV infection almost always show symptoms. This is different from adults who can sometimes get RSV infections and not have symptoms. In very young infants (less than 6 months old), the only symptoms of RSV infection may be

  • Irritability
  • Decreased activity
  • Decreased appetite
  • Apnea (pauses in breathing more than 10 seconds)
  • Fever may not always occur with RSV infections
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