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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Going Back to School during Covid

I only want the best for my son.

This has been at the top of every parents to do list for a while now. Going back to school during a pandemic. Is it safe? How will they do it? Will they have to close again? Why would they open when cases are rising? I’m sure I could have listed over 100 questions surging through parents minds all over America. This is something I never made room for when I had my firstborn, I always knew school would be the most important decision. But I never imagined making that choice during a deadly pandemic. My son is a rising kindergartener who is also autistic, and receives some therapy and goals for therapy through the education system. Our or my whole world has started crumbling in on me. It’s a temporary stressor, and feeling of being defeated..but nonetheless valid. And it is taking over right now. It’s hard to let these feelings just be because I never thought I would have feelings like this in my entire life. I have at this point tried to cover every scenario! My son has a spot at a Magnet school, he’s registered for virtual academy, and I have homeschool prepped and ready to go. I have tried to get all the private therapists I can to make sure he has everything he needs if we decide to homeschool. I have consulted with his pediatrician, therapists, past teachers, family and friends about this decision and about what they plan to do…we all have one thing in common. We all aren’t really sure and are having the same struggle. This is all the result of very inadequate leadership at the presidential level. But we can’t change things at this point, just try to stay safe. Learn from mistakes made. Collectively we can get through this if we lean in on every resource we have. All those dormant resources you never thought you would use check them out! You never know what you might learn and it may give you much needed peace about the choice you make for your child. Most of all during this have patience, allow yourself a chance to feel disappointed and then figure out your next move. Trust me when I say this is hard, but take this time to find your friends and tribe of people who can help and who you can help during this time.

Kindergarten 2020

Stay safe everyone and sign up with your email, I have lots of content coming.. mom hacks, homeschool, autism and tips on how to navigate the world of therapy and services offered, outdoor activities and indoor rainy day activities!! Sending you xx,

Brandy

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