The winter season can be really hard on parents! Not only is it a busy time of year, but it is also the time of year when our kids all seem to come down with illness after illness.

While most illnesses are mild and fade away after a few days of a sore throat or stuffy nose, certain illnesses like RSV can quickly become much more of a problem.

Our AFC Urgent Care Boulder team explains more about RSV below and what symptoms to watch for that indicate a medical emergency.

What Kind of Infection Is RSV?

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is a viral infection that infiltrates your upper respiratory system. For most healthy adults, it manifests into a mild infection and you can develop a small cough or congestion, but most likely you will feel better in just a few days.

That is not always the case for young children and older adults. RSV can still start out slowly with mild symptoms, but for these populations, the symptoms can progress quickly as the infection worsens and it can even lead to serious breathing difficulties and respiratory distress.

Beginning Stages of RSV

• Fever
• Runny nose/congestion
• Shallow breathing
• Cough
• Muscle or body aches

Will All RSV Cases Be Serious?

Thankfully, no! While RSV does have the possibility to become a serious issue, most cases do remain mild to moderate and don’t require medical attention. The reason that RSV disproportionately affects young children is because their airways and breathing passages are so small. The smaller the area that gets inflamed, the higher the risk that this inflammation affects your child’s ability to breath.

While we can’t completely prevent our children from coming into contact with RSV this season, encouraging their health and wellness can be really beneficial. Encourage more sleep, serve healthy meals and be cognizant about spending time in large crowds. If your child does get sick, watch for the signs below that indicate respiratory distress and seek immediate medical attention right away.

Signs Your Child’s RSV Infection Is Serious

• Shallow breathing
• Blue skin or fingernails
• Feeling lethargic or extremely tired
• Chest pain

RSV symptoms can get worse really fast. Come see us at AFC Urgent Care Boulder for an initial evaluation.