Friend Was Told She Has RSV and 7 Mo Prego

I'm pretty sure RSV only occurs in children, adults get bronchitis or just a bad cold. She should seek another opinion.

Adults can carry a virus home that CAUSES RSV in children, but I don't think they actually GET RSV.

She should ask another doctor.

my sis in law had RSV before. She described it as the worst cold she ever had.

When my friends son had RSV his doctor told us that adults could carry the virus and possibly have some symptoms, but nothing like what a young child would experiance. Assuming her doctor knows she is pregnant I'm sure everything will be okay with the baby.

I could be totally wrong so if I am I apologize but I swear I was told Adults don't get it or they don't get serious symptoms from it. I know my daughter was given shots to prevent it because she was a preemie and I know it can be very serious in infants.

Ok I wanted to know what it does in adults so I looked it up online and here's what I found.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of respiratory illness in young children. RSV causes infection of the lungs and breathing passages. In adults, it may only produce symptoms of a common cold, such as a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, mild headache, cough, fever, and a general feeling of being ill. But RSV infections can lead to other more serious illnesses in premature babies and kids with diseases that affect the lungs, heart, or immune system.

RSV is highly contagious, and can be spread through droplets containing the virus when a person coughs or sneezes. The virus can also live on surfaces such as countertops or doorknobs, and on hands and clothing. RSV can be easily spread when a person touches an object or surface contaminated with the virus. The infection can spread rapidly through schools and child-care centers. Infants often get it when older kids carry the virus home from school and pass it to them. Almost all kids are infected with RSV at least once by the time they are 2 years old.

RSV infections often occur in epidemics that last from late fall through early spring. Respiratory illness caused by RSV — such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia — usually lasts about a week, but some cases may last several weeks. Doctors typically diagnose RSV by taking a medical history and doing a physical exam. Generally, in healthy kids, it's not necessary to distinguish RSV from a common cold. But in cases where a child has other health conditions, a doctor might want to make a specific diagnosis. RSV is typically identified in nasal secretions, which can be collected either with a cotton swab or by suction through a bulb syringe.

Treating RSV
Fortunately, most cases of RSV are mild and require no specific treatment from doctors. Antibiotics aren't used because RSV is a virus and antibiotics are only effective against bacteria. Medication may sometimes be given to help open airways.

In an infant, however, an RSV infection can be more serious and may require hospitalization so that the baby can be watched closely, receive fluids, and, if necessary, be treated for breathing problems.

At home, make a child with an RSV infection as comfortable as possible, allow time for recovery, and provide plenty of fluids. The last part can be tricky, however, because babies may not feel like drinking. In that case, offer fluids in small amounts at more frequent intervals than usual.

To help your child breathe easier, use a cool-mist vaporizer during the winter months to keep the air moist — winter air can dry out airways and make the mucus stickier. Avoid hot-water and steam humidifiers, which can be hazardous and can cause scalding. If you use a cool-mist humidifier, clean it daily with household bleach to discourage mold.

If your child is uncomfortable and too young to blow his or her own nose, use a nasal aspirator (or bulb syringe) to remove sticky nasal fluids.

Treat fever using a nonaspirin fever medicine like acetaminophen. Aspirin should NOT be used in children with viral illnesses since its use in such cases has been associated with Reye syndrome, a life-threatening illness.

When to Call the Doctor
Call the doctor if your child has any of these symptoms:

high fever with ill appearance
thick nasal discharge that is yellow, green, or gray
worsening cough or cough that produces yellow, green, or gray mucus
Call also if you think your child might be dehydrated.

In infants, besides the symptoms already mentioned, call the doctor if your baby is unusually irritable or inactive, or refuses to breastfeed or bottle-feed.

Seek immediate medical help if you feel your child is having difficulty breathing or is breathing very rapidly, is lethargic, or if his or her lips or fingernails appear blue.

Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
Date reviewed: September 2006

I really hate to tell you this but a friend of mine had RSV while six months pregnant and the baby died. I didn't even want to send this e-mail but you have to know that this is something that can happen. She will probably want to rest and not go to work and consult with her doctor. Have her doctor listen to the heartbeat and make sure as is well.If her dr. is blowing this off she may want a 2nd opinion. Hopefully she caught it early and that will help.

I didn't think adults could get it either?? but I could be wrong...I don't know for sure. My son had it when he was 4 months old and I was with him constantly, I didn't have any symptoms.

RSV will not hurt the baby. RSV can be harmful to preemies and children under the age of 2. Adults (and children)can get RSV several times a year. It's just that we are never diagnosed with it, it's like a bad cold. I wonder how she was diagnosed? Generally with a nasal swab. There is really no need to worry...it's just a bad cold. V., RN (not currently practing).