The Children’s Hospital Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have asked President Biden to declare an emergency as the number of children hospitalized with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and flu surge across the country.
According to the CDC, the number of infants six months and younger that are being hospitalized with RSV are more than seven times the pre-pandemic rates.
Jennifer Coddington, a clinical professor at Purdue University’s School of Nursing, said part of the problem is the lack of interaction between children during the pandemic.
“The thought is that the virus is encountering a hugely vulnerable population right now, of infants and children who are not protected against those common pathogens, because they have not been exposed to them during the pandemic and the lockdown,” Coddington said. “And our immune systems are just not working against these common pathogens right now.”
Coddington said pre-mature infants and babies with congenital heart disease or chronic lung disease are at the most risk, along with some older adults.
She said if a child is sick, parents should be on the lookout for coughing and wheezing getting worse and retraction, which is when the muscles in the ribcage pull inward.
“If all of those things are occurring, or they're getting blue around the mouth, or blue around the lips, then they really should seek emergency care if any of those symptoms occur,” Coddington said.
And with the holidays upon us, she said the same prevention techniques preached during the pandemic – washing your hands, keeping surfaces clean - remain in effect.
“If you're sick, staying home, making sure that you're masking up and, of course, avoiding those close contacts if you are feeling sick,” she said.
