Healthy 6 month old RSV worries

[Anonymous]

DS5 DD2 DS6 months. DD2 is a covid baby x2. Kept DS5 out of school, only outoor socialization because of covid and pregnancy of DS 6months for 2 years. In other words, DD2 probably has not has RSV. If I try to give her a normal childhood now with other grubby covid babies her age she will probably bring RSV home. Would it be overkill to (try to) mask her indoors? Should I ask my family doctor for antibody testing for myself for RSV? (Baby is BF). Covid has already run through our house and the kids recovered so it is a non issue. There are daily news stories about local hospitals operating 150% capacity for kids ICU beds. Baby is healthy; no reason to think he would have a bad course of RSV.

In before "You have anxiety" DCUM bingo spot.

[Anonymous]

I think the idea of RSV is worrying, but like flu, rarely leads to hospitalization. Assuming no preexisting health conditions — For these and other illnesses, I would not preemptively mask, but would just take usual precautions like washing hands, vaccines where possible, and monitor for symptoms and react accordingly.

[Anonymous]

1. I have diagnosed anxiety
2. This is something to actually be anxious about- I know several people with kids hospitalized with RSV
3. The overall risks are VERY small. Was recently talking to a friend who is an ER doc and she said once they're out of the newborn stage the risks are quite small, and the kids are in the hospital to receive oxygen, it's not like they're on life support. Overall risk very very small.

That being said, everyone with a baby should be taking this seriously. I have a 10 week old and two toddlers. I'm psychotic about hand washing and not getting in the baby's face. I don't let strangers near the baby. But we also have to balance this with our older kids needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the idea of RSV is worrying, but like flu, rarely leads to hospitalization. Assuming no preexisting health conditions — For these and other illnesses, I would not preemptively mask, but would just take usual precautions like washing hands, vaccines where possible, and monitor for symptoms and react accordingly.

The risk of hospitalization due to rsv is 1-2% for infants less than 6 mo. But this is mostly composed of premature infants and infants under 3 months. The risk is the same as it has always been, but the hospitals are full because everyone is getting it at the same time.

A few years ago, we wouldn’t have taken extra precautions for a healthy full term 6 month old due to rsv (risk of hospitalization - low, impact of getting sick- moderate). Today you have to weigh in the risk of less than optimal treatment due to full hospitals (risk of hospitalization low, impact of getting sick + oversubscribed resources - moderate to severe). So I would make my decision on how comfortable I am with the low risk of bad outcome from rsv for a healthy full term infant (probably <1%) and how full the local hospitals are.

Depending on your risk tolerance you could decide that it’s a low enough risk and the impact of isolating your kids is not worth it. Or you could decide to take precautions like staying at home and masking until hospitals are not as full. RSV will come to your household eventually, it’s just a matter of when.

[Anonymous]

The good news is that you are past the most dangerous stage since your baby is already 6 months old. As time goes on her airways will continue to get bigger and better able to handle respiratory infections. I’m not sure how realistic it is with your life obligations to take precautions over the next month, but I would expect the volume of viruses circulating to improve in January since flu and RSV started hitting early.

[Anonymous]

I will preface this by saying we are mostly back to normal life now, but if I had a baby I would try to isolate as much as possible for the next couple of months. RSV is scary and the hospitals being a mess is really bad. My friend’s 2 yr old is currently on a vent and two other friends have had their kids (briefly) hospitalized in the last couple of months. I know others will say this is fear mongering or whatever but if you can, I’d try to mitigate risk for the baby.

[Anonymous]

If you breastfed and didn’t have c sections, I wouldn’t worry too much about rsv. It’s a cold. Do your kids’ colds usually go to their lungs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you breastfed and didn’t have c sections, I wouldn’t worry too much about rsv. It’s a cold. Do your kids’ colds usually go to their lungs?

He is a C section baby born at 38 weeks.

My kids are healthy but my DS5 was dramatically sick for a day with covid (looked like appendicitis) and visited the ER for that. I don't think he would get dramatically sick but to be honest I am kind of selfish and I don't want to go through the 24-48 hours of ER hell with wailing babies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you breastfed and didn’t have c sections, I wouldn’t worry too much about rsv. It’s a cold. Do your kids’ colds usually go to their lungs?

He is a C section baby born at 38 weeks.

My kids are healthy but my DS5 was dramatically sick for a day with covid (looked like appendicitis) and visited the ER for that. I don't think he would get dramatically sick but to be honest I am kind of selfish and I don't want to go through the 24-48 hours of ER hell with wailing babies.

I’m PP from 12:13. Given your experience with your 5 year old and your concern about rsv, I think you would feel more at ease if you did take precautions for the next couple of months. It’s not selfish to want to avoid the 24-48 h of ER, that’s terrible for everyone! It’s a shame for your middle child, who has missed out on a lot, but we are between holidays, so there is probably not much school anyway.

No one addressed your original question about rsv antibodies - the last I heard was that testing is not very helpful because the results can be inconsistent. Also, immunity to rsv is fleeting, and reinfection throughout life is common, which explain the concern for kids with lung problems and older adults.

[Anonymous]

My six year old has rsv currently and woke up crying yesterday he couldn’t breathe. It’s a nightmare. If I had a baby I’ll be cautious till this season is over.

[Anonymous]

Why not he cautious? It’s a few months. Flu and rsv are no joke. I would not be taking my baby to places that I didn’t have to where people could get her sick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you breastfed and didn’t have c sections, I wouldn’t worry too much about rsv. It’s a cold. Do your kids’ colds usually go to their lungs?

He is a C section baby born at 38 weeks.

My kids are healthy but my DS5 was dramatically sick for a day with covid (looked like appendicitis) and visited the ER for that. I don't think he would get dramatically sick but to be honest I am kind of selfish and I don't want to go through the 24-48 hours of ER hell with wailing babies.

I’m PP from 12:13. Given your experience with your 5 year old and your concern about rsv, I think you would feel more at ease if you did take precautions for the next couple of months. It’s not selfish to want to avoid the 24-48 h of ER, that’s terrible for everyone! It’s a shame for your middle child, who has missed out on a lot, but we are between holidays, so there is probably not much school anyway.

No one addressed your original question about rsv antibodies - the last I heard was that testing is not very helpful because the results can be inconsistent. Also, immunity to rsv is fleeting, and reinfection throughout life is common, which explain the concern for kids with lung problems and older adults.

If that is the case, then I am probably not immune because I have been in the covid bubble too.

I guess I will be investing in outdoor gear instead of indoor activities!

[Anonymous]

Op, masking is to recommended for RSV

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the idea of RSV is worrying, but like flu, rarely leads to hospitalization. Assuming no preexisting health conditions — For these and other illnesses, I would not preemptively mask, but would just take usual precautions like washing hands, vaccines where possible, and monitor for symptoms and react accordingly.

The risk of hospitalization due to rsv is 1-2% for infants less than 6 mo. But this is mostly composed of premature infants and infants under 3 months. The risk is the same as it has always been, but the hospitals are full because everyone is getting it at the same time.

A few years ago, we wouldn’t have taken extra precautions for a healthy full term 6 month old due to rsv (risk of hospitalization - low, impact of getting sick- moderate). Today you have to weigh in the risk of less than optimal treatment due to full hospitals (risk of hospitalization low, impact of getting sick + oversubscribed resources - moderate to severe). So I would make my decision on how comfortable I am with the low risk of bad outcome from rsv for a healthy full term infant (probably <1%) and how full the local hospitals are.

Depending on your risk tolerance you could decide that it’s a low enough risk and the impact of isolating your kids is not worth it. Or you could decide to take precautions like staying at home and masking until hospitals are not as full. RSV will come to your household eventually, it’s just a matter of when.

It sounds like nothing until you fall in that 1-2%.
Honestly at 2 your child does not need to go to daycare.
They can go at 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, masking is to recommended for RSV

** not recommended, as per the CDC