Page 32 - Waterfall_Issue 7_2022

Waterfall News

RESPIRATORY

SYNCYTIAL VIRUS

IN PAEDIATRICS

Why the upsurge?

By Dr Alicia Lazarus, Paediatric Pulmonologist

Dr Alicia Lazarus
IMAGE BY SEMEVENT

A s the country takes a breath, common, contagious viruses that cause of bronchiolitis in infants and

young children. There are seasonal
cause infections of both the upper
with COVID restrictions
having finally been lifted,
outbreaks each year throughout the
and lower respiratory tract. This
everyone is eager for life
to return to normal. We are seeing article will highlight RSV (Respiratory world, but this year, our season has
Syncytial Virus), briefly look at the
not followed its normal trajectory
more and more people venture out reasons for the upsurge in severity (we have seen a prolonged season).
and there are days when COVID really and list measures that can be taken
appears to be a thing of the past. to protect your precious children. RSV affects many infants in their first
However, what most people aren’t year of life, but certain groups are at
aware of is that hospitals and clinics are CONTAGION AND risk of being more severely affected
still packed to capacity with patients TRANSMISSION – premature infants, children with
infected by respiratory viruses, and RSV will present with symptoms within congenital cardiac disease, those
COVID is not the culprit this time. four to six days of contracting the virus, younger than three months, sufferers
and you can be contagious for up to of BPD (lung disease associated with
Respiratory viruses are defined as eight days. RSV is the most frequent prematurity) and children that have a

30 Waterfall Issue 7 2022