COLUMBUS, Ohio — RSV is back for the season.
Dr. Pablo Sanchez, a pediatric and infectious disease specialist at Nationwide Children's Hospital, said he expects numbers to continue to rise through December and January before going down again.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital currently has the medication that works to prevent the virus from babies under 8 months. But, there is a nationwide shortage of that drug.
“We are giving it to the high-risk babies in our specialty clinics and general pediatrics clinics to the otherwise healthy babies,” said Dr. Sanchez.
Some symptoms of RSV include heavy breathing, coughing, runny nose and poor appetite. But, doctors said there are some signs to look for to tell you that you may need to take your child to the emergency department.
“If you notice very rapid breathing, blueish color to the skin in the lips or nail beds you should go to the emergency department,” said Dr. Felicia Scaggs Huang, medical director of infection, prevention and control at Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital.
But there is a way for mothers to protect their children. Now, there is a vaccine for pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks.
“When you are given it you create a protein called antibodies. The mom will create antibodies and she will pass those antibodies to the baby,” said Dr. Jennica Johns, pulmonary and critical care physician at The Ohio State University.
Dr. Johns said there are no real side effects and it is safe for expecting moms.
“It’s an antibody you are passing to the baby so it has longer-lasting effects. If you give it to the mom, she can pass it to the baby and the baby won’t need a vaccine themselves,” said Dr. Johns.
She said the vaccine gives up to a 57% reduction in the chance of hospitalization for babies who get RSV. Dr. Johns said although the vaccine is given to the mother, it's all about protection for the baby.
“It’s the best way we know to protect infants from RSV and infants are the highest risk for RSV,” said Dr. Johns.