Signs and symptoms of RSV After exposure to the virus, your child may only develop symptoms around five days later. RSV in children is normally associated with mild to moderate cold-like symptoms, which generally last between eight and 15 days.
How long does RSV last? People with mild RSV may have symptoms for 3-8 days, but the virus can linger for several weeks. “A mild cough can linger for a long time, four to eight weeks at times, and can be normal,” Payden said.
What is RSV? RSV (or respiratory syncytial virus) is one of the many viruses that cause respiratory illness―illnesses of the nose, throat and lungs. This virus usually occurs in the late fall through early spring months, but can vary in different parts of the country.
“Usually, one virus dominates at a time,” notes Jennifer L. Lighter, MD, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and hospital epidemiologist at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital at NYU Langone. RSV cases in the United States typically peak in late December to mid-February.
If my child has this disease, when can he or she return to school or child care? A child with RSV can return after it has been 8 days since symptoms started.
Because RSV is so contagious, doctors recommend keeping your child at home until all symptoms have subsided. This could take up to four weeks but varies based on the severity of their case.
Most people with RSV remain contagious for 3 to 8 days. Young infants and people with weakened immune systems can be contagious for weeks. People can be contagious even if they don't have a fever or any other RSV symptoms. If you have RSV, stay home as much as possible until you're no longer contagious.
RSV symptoms peak around day 5 of the illness and often improve at 7–10 days. However, the cough may linger for about 4 weeks due to the slow recovery of the ciliated cells.
“Usually, kids with RSV will peak at day three, four or five. They will start with a runny nose, cough or fever, and it will gradually worsen, so it is not the worst initially like some viruses are.
Red flags: Signs of serious distress
Notice grunting, flaring nostrils or congestion in infants that interfere with their ability to drink and stay-hydrated. Dusky or blue color changes to the skin are also a signs of serious breathing problems,” says Dr.
Children with RSV typically have two to four days of upper respiratory tract symptoms, such as fever and runny nose/congestion. These are then followed by lower respiratory tract symptoms, like increasing wheezing cough that sounds wet and forceful with increased work breathing.
Initial signs of RSV are similar to mild cold symptoms, including congestion, runny nose, fever, cough and sore throat. Very young infants may be irritable, fatigued and have breathing difficulties. Normally these symptoms will clear up on their own in a few days.
Symptoms of RSV are usually common cold symptoms: cough, runny nose. The difference is the runny nose is going to be significantly mucusy, copious amounts of mucus. You can get some redness of the eyes, coughing, sore, scratchy throat.
People infected with RSV are usually contagious for 3 to 8 days and may become contagious a day or two before they start showing signs of illness. However, some infants, and people with weakened immune systems, can continue to spread the virus even after they stop showing symptoms, for as long as 4 weeks.
The early phase of RSV in babies and young children is often mild, like a cold. In children younger than age 3, the illness may move into the lungs and cause coughing and wheezing. In some children, the infection turns to a severe respiratory disease.
Some may be sick for only a few days, others for one to two weeks. But we typically see cases of RSV get worse before they get better (just like the common cold). If a child is diagnosed on Day 2, mostly likely the virus will get worse before it gets better.
Call your child's health care provider if your child: seems sick, shows signs of RSV and is less than 6 months of age or at high risk. has thick mucus from the nose or mouth that is yellow, green or gray.
A sick baby's symptoms might, unfortunately, get worse at night—especially their cough, warns Ashanti Woods, MD, a pediatrician at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. “Many babies will have disturbed sleep, especially in the first few days of an RSV infection,” he explains.
But for premature babies and infants with chronic diseases and/or lower immune systems, infection with RSV can lead to serious problems. A percentage of these higher risk children can develop bronchiolitis, which is inflammation of the small airways of the lungs, or pneumonia, which can become life-threatening.
Turn a hot shower on in a closed bathroom and let it fill with steam. Steam can help to reduce inflammation in the airways, thin mucus, and make it easier to breathe.
Avoidance of exposure to tobacco smoke, cold air and air pollutants is also beneficial to long-term recovery from RSV bronchiolitis.
The condition usually resolves itself in about a week. Premature infants, babies younger than 6 months old, people above age 65 and people who have a compromised immune system, chronic lung disease or congenital heart condition can get a more severe case of RSV.
Is RSV contagious? RSV is very contagious! Please do not send your child to daycare or school with a cold unless they have been cleared by a health-care provider.
You should exclude until the child has no fever and can tolerate normal activities. Share with parents if RSV has been diagnosed in their child's group. Explain the importance of careful and frequent hand washing. Share the signs and symptoms of RSV and how it is spreads.
If they have RSV or even if a health care provider suspects it is RSV even with no testing done, children can go back to school or daycare once they are starting to feel better and they have no fever for 24 hours. There is no test needed for RSV for patients to return to daycare.