Seasonal update for parents – respiratory illness in children

The ‘season’ for respiratory viruses in children, including respiratory syncytial virus (also known as RSV), is now well underway. RSV typically causes mild respiratory symptoms in adults and children, but can be severe in infants (0-18 months) who are more vulnerable to lower respiratory tract infections.

RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis in children under the age of two.

Dr Sarah Jarvis, consultant paediatrician at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, said: “We are seeing high numbers of RSV cases at this time of year. Unfortunately, some of these infections are leading to children becoming severely unwell. I know from speaking to colleagues in other parts of the country that we are not alone in this.

“Common symptoms are a cough and a runny nose, which typically start to improve after 5 days without treatment. However, parents should be alert to other symptoms such as wheezing and breathing difficulties. If your baby is too breathless to feed, has laboured or rapid breathing, or is drowsy and dehydrated, then you should seek urgent medical help, by contacting your GP or calling NHS 24 on 111.

“Bronchiolitis is a viral infection, whether caused by RSV or another virus, so antibiotics will not work and are not required.”

To halt the spread of respiratory infections to other, potentially more vulnerable, people, older children should be encouraged to cough or sneeze into a tissue, then bin it and wash their hands with water and soap as soon as they can. Using songs such as ‘Happy Birthday’ or ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ are a great way to teach children how long they should spend washing their hands.