Is Your Child Protected? Get the Facts about RSV #protectpreemies #rsv

Worldwide, 13 million babies are born early every year, with a half a million in the United States. Despite these numbers, many parents still aren’t aware of prematurity—the leading cause of neonatal death. According to a recent survey, 75% of parents don’t know the definition of prematurity– which is being born at or before 37 weeks gestation age – and the risks that come with it. In addition, they may not be aware of the specialized health care that premature babies often need.

When I had my first child in 2009, I knew nothing about prematurity and it wasn’t really discussed in any of my parenting/child classes. It wasn’t until I became pregnant in 2011 with twins that I even discussed it with my doctor. Since twins are more likely to be born premature, they made sure we knew all about it. It left me wondering why all parents aren’t given the same information more regularly. Fortunately, I was able to carry my girls to 38 weeks, which my doctor’s deemed safe. Still, we treated them more carefully than we did our son, who was born at 42 weeks. We were much more protective with who came in contact with the babies. We kept visits to to a minimum and used hand washing/hand sanitizer frequently, knowing their little immune systems were till developing. We made sure our three year old son also knew how to help his little sister stay healthy – by washing his hands before touching them and being careful not to spread any germs.

Prematurity : The Risks

Prematurity disrupts a baby’s development in the womb, which often stunts the growth of some of the body’s most critical organs. Due to this, these babies are at an increased risk of serious medical complications and regularly face weeks or even months in the NICU. Because their immune systems and lungs aren’t fully developed, preemies are more likely to develop infections and are more susceptible to respiratory problems. 79 percent of preemie moms have a baby who was hospitalized due to a severe respiratory infection. One virus in particular that parents of preemies should know about is respiratory syncytial virus, commonly known as RSV.

What is RSV?

RSV is contracted by nearly all children by the age of two, often only causing minor symptoms that mimic the common cold. However, preemies are risk if they contract this. They can develop much more serious symptoms, including a serious respiratory infection (severe RSV disease) because their lungs are underdeveloped. They also don’t yet have the antibodies needed to fight off infection.

A few quick facts that all parents should know about RSV:

RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization, and severe RSV disease causes up to 10 times as many infant deaths each year as the flu.
RSV is most prevalent during the winter months. The CDC has defined the “RSV season” as beginning in November and lasting through March for most parts of North America.
In addition to prematurity, common risk factors include low birth weight, certain lung or heart diseases, a family history of asthma and frequent contact with other children.

Prevention

RSV is very contagious and can be spread easily through touching, sneezing and coughing. Since there’s no treatment for RSV, parents should take the following preventive steps to help protect their child:

Wash hands, toys, bedding, and play areas frequently
Ensure you, your family, and any visitors in your home wash their hands or use hand sanitizer
Avoid large crowds and people who are or have been sick
Never let anyone smoke near your baby
Speak with your child’s doctor if he or she may be at high risk for RSV, as a preventive therapy may be available

Know the Symptoms

Contact your child’s pediatrician immediately if your child exhibits one or more of the following:

Severe coughing, wheezing or rapid gasping breaths
Blue color on the lips, mouth, or under the fingernails
High fever and extreme fatigue

To learn more about RSV, visit www.rsvprotection.com

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of MedImmune and I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation