RSV:Is It Taking Over?

“It’s RSV a common childhood infection that affects the throat windpipe and/or lungs.”

So Im not sure if you have read or seen in the news that different hospitals across the nation are becoming overwhelmed and so full that they are diverting patients to neighboring cities. New COVID strain? Nope. Not even a new virus. It’s RSV a common childhood infection that affects the throat windpipe and/or lungs. It can lead to bronchiolitis and pneumonia. And it is highly contagious. It is spread by droplets so wether directly or from touching a contaminated surface it can spread. It’s usually more severe for kids younger than 2, kids born prematurely, and kids born with heart or lung disease, Down syndrome or any other chronic conditions. It’s most common from November to April. RSV has been affecting kids and adults of all ages across the US. Typically RSV season doesn’t start this early, nor has the virus been so severe for such a large portion of those infected. This makes for many issues from children missing school, to hospitals and doctors offices completely backed up and overwhelmed. This means kids with broken limbs and appendicitis have to be triaged in the waiting room because there is no longer space or beds due to so many needing treatment in the hospital. Doctors aren’t quite sure yet what has led this virus to being so severe this year as it typically in healthy individuals, other than babies and newborns, causes only cold like symptoms.

A little back story, over a week ago my kids were acting more tired than usual then started having a cough. My oldest has asthma and the weather is changing so with no fever no big deal right? This is just the beginning. A trip to the pediatrician, then again two days later to the hospital, and we find out what has been ravishing our entire household. My four year old tested positive for RSV. Because the entire family is sick we were told to assume we were all RSV positive. We took COVID tests at home to be sure we were not fighting off double viruses or something different and as predicted they were negative. My next thoughts were how do we protect our 11 week old son. As a mother all I know of RSV at this point is that we don’t want the baby to catch it because it can be very severe. So on Monday we went in to see the pediatrician so all of my kids could be rechecked because no one was getting better. This is on day 6. As worried parents we begin to start asking every question you can think of about RSV. And I wanted to share with others the things we have learned. We learned ways to manage symptoms and ways to prevent RSV.

First of all here are some symptoms that you can experience when you have RSV then I will talk about managing them.

  • Breathing issues such as pauses in breathing while asleep, wheezing, shortness of breath and general difficulty breathing.
  • Coughing. Often.
  • Runny nose
  • Fever
  • Eating less or loss of appetite
  • Lethargic, less active than normal
  • Dehydration
  • Irritated eyes

It is diagnosed by a swab test, chest X-ray and or blood tests depending on severity.

Let’s talk about treatment or management rather of the symptoms. Also always check with your doctor they can give you the best information for you particular case. So because RSV is a virus there isn’t an antibiotic for it specifically. You may be given an antibiotic for an infection caused from the rsv, an example would be for an ear infection. Or to prevent bronchitis. Ways to manage symptoms can include:

  • Tylenol for fever or ibuprofen depending upon age and doctor recommendation.
  • Saline to keep your child or your nose clear. For babies this means following up with suctioning out all the mucus.
  • Humidifier in the room to loosen mucus
  • Drink lots of fluids. This can even be in the form of popsicles especially when they are really sick.
  • This is easier said than done (especially with two children who are sensory eaters) try to encourage a balanced diet
  • Always monitor the symptoms as they can change rapidly and always seek medical care if something seems worse.
  • Follow up with doctor visits if requested by the pediatrician.
  • Keep rooms well ventilated and cool not hot or stuffy.

Now that i have shared some management tips I wanted to share some ways to prevent this yucky virus!!

  1. WASH HANDS OFTEN!!!
  2. Wipe surfaces often
  3. Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing
  4. Avoid people who are sick
  5. Do not go out when you have symptoms because rsv is highly contagious!!
  6. Wear a mask if you are your child have to leave the house while your infected.
  7. Use hand sanitizer
  8. Try to teach your child not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth during the time they are sick.

My family was bedridden from this, and although it was terrible and we are still getting over it, it could have been much worse. And I didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into at first because in the beginning there hadn’t been much in the news about it and no one talks about it much because it’s not usually this bad. But this year it is. I want people aware of it because COVID has stolen the spotlight for so long we don’t even consider the other viruses out there. And I hope that in writing this it will either help another family or mom, or adult in preventing it or identifying it quickly so they can begin managing the virus without spreading it more. Tell me in the comments if you or your family has dealt with rsv in the past or if you have been introduced to it this year.

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Treasure Your Child’s name forever with Namestories

“Your name, even when shared by scores of others, is your own private one-word poem. It contains multitudes, and it cannot be defined by its meaning alone, but by the spirit it gains through its historic evolution.” -Namestories

When I first learned I was pregnant I immediately started to wonder about what I would name my baby boy or girl. I even had a long discussion with my husband about what should baby’s name mean or symbolize. For example in his family he and his brother carry their fathers name as their middle name. So a name can extend a legacy of another family member. We also wanted their first name to have good strong meaning.

“When I first learned I was pregnant I immediately started to wonder about what I would name my baby boy or girl.”

I mean your child’s name is a forever thing. It was something we loved to see and hear. To have a piece of beautiful artwork customized with your baby’s name is so sentimental. They come in two different sizes, a complete rainbow of colors and you can customize some of the text at the top, we chose birthdates for our sons. These are very special to give to grandparents as gifts and to new parents. And if you can’t find your child’s name on the website you can just send them a message and they will make sure you can get your child’s name on a poster.

A little bit about the company, it’s a small business. When you go to their website not only can you read the story of how their business came to be but they have a nice section that explains the history of naming. It’s interesting and informative. So if you are looking for a birthday gift or welcome gift to new parents I will go ahead and link their website below so you can click and shop 😉

I hope everyone is doing well!! Please check out Namestories they have a really unique product for parents I know you’ll love it!! Also subscribe with your email!! And follow along!! xo

Brandy

http://www.namestories.com

Using the Lollipop Baby Camera

In a world, during a time where we have little control over anything, I find comfort in knowing what is going on with my kids when we are at home. I like keeping an eye on them even at night, actually more at night. I can’t be with them every single moment so I rely on cameras, and out of all the different ones I have I love my @lollipop baby camera the most. The lollipop has the best view, and the app is very useful having tons of different features like detecting baby’s cries, I can talk through the camera, I can play music from the app if my baby is fussy. This is sponsored but everything I am saying is my own truth and experience! I love the camera so much that when ours stopped working, I bought another one. It really is my favorite. We have had one other camera to hold us over while I figured out what was wrong with my lollipop and I found it was ok for outdoors or my living room. But, in my nursery the lollipop baby camera is superior. I can see the whole room, and most importantly I can see the entire crib. You have to have a good connection with wifi to get it set up but once the camera and app are set up you won’t want any other camera!! Once I got the camera set up, being able to see everything in the crib clearly was game changing for me. Most parents have fears about their baby while in their crib by themselves. So at night when I need to check on my baby I just open my app and I can hear every noise and see if my baby has rolled over or needs a blanket. It gives me peace of mind and comfort. This is a must have parenting product for any parents to be!

In a world, during a time where we have little control over anything, I find comfort in knowing what is going on with my kids when we are at home.

This camera was a game changer for me as a mom!!

I hope you find this blog helpful I will be sharing other top parenting products in the future so be sure and subscribe with your email and follow to see my latest content!! Xo, Brandy

Nanobebe Duet Diaper Bag

“As a mom, one of my favorite necessary accessories is my diaper bag.”

As a mom, one of my favorite necessary accessories is my diaper bag. For this stage in my life it goes with me everywhere so I want something stylish, and I need something that can handle holding all of the things my kids may need outside of the house, and sometimes inside the house!(I’m sure we’ve all ran out of diapers at some point and went straight for the diaper bag until we can make it to the store)
**The nanobebe duet diaper bag is designed to provide storage in duel level compartments. The top compartment is full of dividers and pockets to store different things you may need for baby. There’s a secure almost hidden pocket on the outside to put your phone, money, important cards and keys.

There is plenty of open space for clothing and any extras you may need to carry. It comes with a nice changing pad that has hidden pockets to hold wipes and diapers.(It’s washable!!) On the bottom there is an insulated space for any other items you might carry and a removable divider. So you could take out the divider and pack your breast pump to carry or you could put bottles, extra wipes, etc. I use it with the divider. It comes with a bottle cooler bag which I keep in the bottom and I use it to pack my snacks for outings! It has different options for carrying, it comes with handles, detachable shoulder strap, and stroller straps so it can attach to your stroller handle. I’m going to leave a link so you can check it out for yourself. (I’ll upload a video soon so you can see all the storage space in the duet diaper bag.) **Everything discussed is my honest opinion.

https://www.nanobebe.com/product/duet-diaper-bag/