What is RSV and what are its symptoms?
“RSV” stands for “respiratory syncitial virus.” In its mild form, RSV looks appears much like a common cold, with a runny nose, sore throat and cough. In more extreme cases, the cough is more persistent, leading to wheezing and asthma-like symptoms.What makes RSV dangerous? In adults, RSV rarely progresses beyond this mild, cold-like form. But because infants and young children have smaller airways and less-developed lungs, the virus affects them more: the severe coughing, combined with congestion in the chest, makes breathing difficult and prevents the lungs from working properly.What to do if your child has RSV If your child appears to have nothing more than a cold, treat them as such. If, however, the congestion moves into the chest, the child should be seen by a physician.How to prevent RSV from spreading Because it’s an airborne virus, RSV is spread mostly because of crowded living conditions. However, the virus can also be spread by touch, so doctors encourage people to wash thei
