Most pediatric centers, CHOP seeing surge of RSV cases
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Health officials are worried and hospitals are overwhelmed with an unprecedented spike in respiratory illnesses, babies are being especially hard hit. We have the triple threat of COVID, flu, and RSV.
Currently, it's the RSV, respiratory syncytial, that's causing a surge of young patients at pediatric hospitals. It can cause lung problems for young babies but adults can also get and spread RSV.
Seven-week-old Adrian is among thousand of babies with RSV.
"He was struggling to breathe and struggling to cough all at the same time," father Stephen Balka said.
Dad says when there were long pauses in the babies breathing they rushed to the hospital.
"It got bad, quick," he said. "There's no way to describe it. I mean, it was a terrifying situation."
RSV is common and very contagious most serious for young babies.
"We're seeing a lot more infants this fall with more severe disease," Dr. Ron Keren, Chief Medical Officer at CHOP, said.
Volumes are extremely high right now in primary care pediatricians' offices in urgent care centers, in our emergency departments as well as in our inpatient units. And it's causing a lot of strain on the system.
Like most pediatric centers, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is struggling with a surge of sick children mostly with RSV.
"RSV can cause a condition called bronchiolitis. Essentially inflammation and swelling of the small airways and in young infants who are very small small airways that causes difficulty with breathing, which can then lead to problems with drinking and eating and dehydration," Dr. Keren said.
Symptoms of RSV include:
- Runny nose
- decreased appetite
- coughing
- sneezing
- fever
- wheezing.
"If there's difficulty breathing and you can't keep them well hydrated, you should see a doctor. They might need to be hospitalized but usually children do well with it so I wouldn't panic," CHOP Dr. Paul Offit said.
Doctors say part of the reason for the sudden spike in RSV cases is because of COVID precautions. Children haven't been exposed in the last couple of years so their immune systems are more susceptible.