When a Baby or Adult With RSV Needs to Go to the Hospital
Anyone with RSV who has difficulty breathing, a high fever, or develops a bluish tone to their skin (especially the lips and nail beds) will require immediate medical attention.
“Watch how your baby breathes,” says Nachman. “If they are having trouble, they may need to be tested and go on oxygen.” This is true for older children and adults as well: If they are working hard to breathe, they may need supplemental oxygen, says Nachman.
It’s estimated that more than 100,000 and possibly more than 200,000 people (mostly babies and older adults) are hospitalized in the United States each year because of RSV, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), often for severe infections such as pneumonia (infection of the lungs) or bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lungs).
As many as 10,000 adults 65 and over and 300 children younger than 5 die from RSV each year, the CDC estimates.
Adults and babies hospitalized with RSV may receive:
- Intravenous fluids
- Humidified oxygen
- Mechanical ventilation (from a breathing machine)
For immunocompromised patients, doctors might opt to use the antiviral medication ribavirin or intravenous immunoglobulin.
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