You may think your baby's cold isn't a big deal, but respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause complications like bronchiolitis and pneumonia. It's especially common from October to March and lasts about 8 to 15 days. Follow some precautions to prevent infants from being infected.
Instructions
1. Keep your infant away from relatives and friends who are sneezing and coughing. They may have RSV or just a common cold, but you don't need to take chances.
2. Take your baby to well-ventilated places like city parks rather than amusement parks and crowded malls. RSV is extremely contagious.
3. Check with your children's teachers periodically throughout the fall and winter months for updates on epidemics of cold symptoms. Your kids could be carrying the virus without knowing it.
4. Ask anyone who smokes around your infant to go outside. Smoke makes young lungs more vulnerable to catching the virus.
5. Be careful to wash your hands often before you handle your baby. Warn your spouse, family members and other children to do the same.
6. Wash bedding, toys and other objects your infant uses regularly in warm water and soap. Make sure your other kids aren't sharing these things.
7. Ask your pediatrician about palivizumab, or Synagis, if your infant was born at or before 32 weeks. The medication may help prevent an RSV infection.
Tags: your infant, your baby