An emergency doctor has highlighted the "red flags" that parents should look for if they think their baby could be infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
RSV is a very common and very contagious virus that causes cold-like symptoms initially but can lead to worrying complications in a small minority of cases.
Nearly all children will have had at least one infection of RSV by the age of two and for most it will cause a mild cold. However, it can develop into bronchiolitis or pneumonia.
Dr. Carol Blackburn, a paediatric emergency medicine consultant, noted that infants less than three months are the most vulnerable.
Red flags for parents to watch out for include not eating, vomiting right after feeding, and having less than three wet diapers in a 24-hour period, which indicates dehydration.
Dr. Blackburn advised parents to speak with their primary care physician if they had any concerns on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne.
Hospitals were still seeing a lot of cases, she said, despite a minor drop in instances over the previous week.
When compared to the same period in 2019, which was their busiest year on record, Children's Health Ireland recorded a 50% rise in the number of children visiting their emergency departments in Temple Street, Crumlin, and Tallaght, as well as the urgent care unit in Blanchardstown.
RSV had a difficult winter this year, according to Dr. Blackburn, as typically the virus peaks in December, though this fluctuates from year to year.
She did caution that there was still "a lot" of the virus present and that it might last "all the way" until February.
According to Dr. Blackburn, infants breathe through their noses, thus breathing and feeding difficulties could result from a plugged nose, which could also cause respiratory distress.
She claimed that RSV was a virus that "we live with in pediatrics" and that it was present every winter.
Because of Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020, she and her coworkers missed RSV. Even though there were fewer occurrences the year before thanks to continued cleanliness efforts, toddlers were now contracting the illness for the first time and passing it on to younger siblings.
Dr. Blackburn emphasized the warning signs for parents to look out for and said that a fever wasn't necessarily a problem. He also advised parents to watch out for dehydration, vomiting, and not eating. She remarked, "Parents should look out for these indicators."
