Hi Mama'ss & Papa's:
I am wondering for those of you who have had an infant in th NICU or preterm delivery etc. How many of your babies got RSV? and or colds. The reason I ask is that my baby was in the NICU and was born with respiratory issues. She has a cold right now and I want to make sure I don't miss any signs/symptoms of RSV. I am getting her an appt with the doctor tomorrow just to be safe but I want to hear first hand what the likelihood and or symptoms etc. you experienced. I don't know much about it but I do know my baby is at a higher risk of getting it and it is very similar to cold symptoms--so i am trying to be precautious.
Thank you for any help~
I called and got a doctors appt right away tomorrow morning. If she has any changes over this evening, i will bring her to the ER tonight. Thank you....Please keep answering---I love to read all of the answers. Thanks.
They warned us about it so I didn't take him out to the store for the first
few months.
Only had a few family over to see him & they had to wash their hands & use antibacterial wash.
My SD had to wash her hands & face every day after coming home from school.
She hated that & tried to be sneaky about skipping out of it but I was adamant and it really helped.
I hope this helps.
WAY better than asking us:
Call the 24/7 Nurse Advice Line through your Children's hospital, or the hospital where you were in the NICU.
I have lots of medical training/experience (not a doctor; emergency combat schtuff, and then back of beyond clinics, helping out family in their practices stateside, and then working in hospitals in admin/triage while going to school. Out of the past 20 years, I've spent about 15 working in healthcare).
I ALWAYS call when my son is sick and I'm feeling nervous about it. I paraphrase it with "This is probably just a paranoid-parent-call, just wanting to double check."
I call to double check to make sure I'm not actually forgetting anything (happens when I'm stressed because it's my kid, also why docs and nurses get a colleague to check out THEIR kids). I call because I might be missing a symptom set (like knowing how many respirations per minute is normal). I call because I need to either get that sigh of relief, or an action plan.
The unfortunate thing is that usually, when I call, my mom-gut was right (something is off) and we're in the ER and admitted.
OTHER times, though, I just get the laugh (triage nurses are obscenely grateful when a parent admits to being totally paranoid about their kid from the get go, and doesn't think that they need to be seen before the gunshot victim for sniffles)... and get the symptom set for
If THIS, then
- ER now
- Urgent care first thing in the morning (unless it gets worse)
- Doctor's appt. tomorrow
- Doctor's appt. sometime this week
- Treat at home (and here's how)
So call them up... have them break out the book with the spectrum of symptoms to run you through... and get an action plan (come in now, see your doc tomorrow, treat at home, etc.)... and get that sigh of relief.
The doc has to squirt some fluid up her nose then withdraw it and test it so determine if RSV is present.
You should make sure they listen and do the test. It is so very important to make sure they don't have RSV. If you have ANY concerns take that baby to the ER right now.
My son had RSV. I took him in because he was having trouble breathing, you could see he was pulling at the stomach as he struggled.
Talk to your doctor about getting the RSV shots for your baby. If she was was in the NICU with respiratory issues, I would think she'd qualify...
Hi Livinglife & loving It
I know we are all concerned about the health of our children today and building our children's immune system at a young age will prevent 90% of the challenges that are out there today and it is safe and non invasive to do it naturally.
If you would like some tips on being proactive email me and I will share what I am sharing with other parents in doing so.
Happy holidays.
N. Marie
____@____.com
Hope she's OK! My youngest had a cold when he was a newborn (born a week early so not a preemie but my smallest and earliest by far). I can't remember whether or not I brought him in for it (probably not as he was my 4th kid) or if he was there for a regular visit, but they did diagnose RSV and did the oxygen level test. His was higher than the cut off for aggressive treatment so we just had to treat it like a cold (which basically meant do nothing but make sure he was drinking a lot and suctioning his nose) plus keep his head elevated. So some cases of RSV can be very mild - hope you get some good info and reassurance at your appointment and that she feels better soon!
My son was born 2 months early, and was in the NICU for 18 days. He came home to having a nurse visit our home on a regular basis (I don't remember how regular, as it was 8 years ago). The nurse would visit to give him his RSV shots. He had a few colds here and there in his first 6 months, but never got RSV, and is now an extremely healthy 8-year old who is smart, skis, plays soccer, and does Kung Fu.
