Pediatric hospitalizations spiking on Long Island as RSV surge continues
NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y. -- The surge in RSV is not over.
On Long Island, pediatric hospitalizations are spiking, up 60%.
CBS2's Jennifer McLogan met anxious parents and their toddler daughter who survived a traumatic hospitalization.
Three-year-old Ella Ghiam is in the arms of her parents after being released from intensive care at Cohen Children's Hospital after a frightening battle with respiratory syncytial virus.
"I'm feeling better," Ella said.
"What do you remember about the hospital?" McLogan asked.
"I remember the breathing mask ... It was hard to breathe, me, my nose," Ella said.
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"I hope no parent has to go through it. It was terrifying," Ella's mother, Anita Binavi-Ghiam, said.
"We did not expect for this virus to be as serious and the symptoms to be as grave as they were," Ella's father, Armin Ghiam, said.
Ella's airways were plugged, she refused to swallow food or drink and her fever was not responding to medicine.
"Cough, wheezing, fever, some vomiting, some decreased eating," said Dr. Matthew Harris, who works in Cohen's pediatric emergency room.
Ella's parents called their pediatrician at the first sign of symptoms. In rare instances like hers, it becomes critical.
"Primarily, it's severe respiratory failure, and this means they need oxygen support. They almost invariably need mechanical ventilation," said pediatric critical care doctor James Schneider.
The nationwide RSV surge began six weeks ago, leading to bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
"It hasn't really petered out yet. It's still going strong," Northwell Health chair of pediatric services Dr. Charles Schleien said.
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Most children by the age of 2 will have at least a mild case of RSV, but RSV disappeared during the pandemic.
"Now we have this incredible surge, which is probably due to the fact that all these babies have no antibodies," Schleien said.
Doctors say facing the triple threat of RSV, flu and COVID this Thanksgiving is daunting. Lower your family's risk by washing hands, covering the cough and cleaning surfaces.
Doctors say flu vaccines are a must. There is no vaccine as yet for RSV.
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"Surreal, seeing your daughter on a breathing mask, and she's only 3 and a half," Binavi-Ghiam said.
But Ella will be home for the holidays.
"This was a wonderful gift for us to receive just before Thanksgiving," Ghiam said.
Northwell doctors are helping their youngest patients have a Thanksgiving to remember.
The medical world hopes for an RSV vaccine within two years. In the meantime, the virus is usually contagious for up to eight days, but some infants can continue to spread RSV for as long as four weeks.