PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Children's hospitals across the country are seeing an uptick in young children sick with respiratory viruses, especially the highly contagious RSV.
Respiratory syncytial virus can cause severe breathing problems for babies, and hospitals in our area, too, are seeing an increase in patients.
At HCA Florida Palms West Hospital, the PICU, or pediatric intensive care unit, is seeing a record number of patients with RSV for this time of year, and doctors worry what that will mean for the rest of the winter.
"The whole experience was really eye-opening for us," father Sebastian Clarke said.
Clarke is thankful baby Ivy is back to her smiling self after a bout with RSV landed her in the hospital.
"She was starting that sort of coughing where you just know it’s deep in the chest," Clarke said. "And you can see, as our pediatrician pointed out, the rib cage compressing in and out, and was really struggling to catch her breath between coughing fits. And obviously, it was very scary."
The respiratory virus is surging across the country to levels usually reserved for December and January.
RELATED: What is RSV, and what's behind the surge in children?
"Initially cough, runny nose, maybe some irritability. Difficulty taking formula or milk," said Dr. Yong Sing Da Silva, the pediatric medical director at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital.
Da Silva said most children will handle the virus just fine. But some, especially infants, could see worsening symptoms that lead to a hospital visit.
"Really day three to five are the days you need to have increased vigilance and really watch for the signs of increased work of breathing," Da Silva said. "Any kind of color change, of course, would be an emergency situation."
Da Silva said this early peak could be because of kids' limited exposure to viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We shudder to think of what the rest of the winter is going to bring," Da Silva said. "Of course, the flu hasn’t peaked yet. We’re all kind of waiting for what the next COVID wave is going to look like this winter. So, for sure, it’s hard to tell if this is an early peak of RSV or just on the way to the peak in the winter."
"Right now, we are seeing a lot of RSV infections at a rate that we haven't seen before," said Dr. Celina Moore, a pediatrician at West Boca Medical Center.
Moore said she's seeing patients with the highly contagious respiratory virus almost daily.
"This particular wave seems to be lasting longer than normal. We've been seeing more children with RSV since the summer," Moore said. "It's little troubling we see RSV coming this time of year, because we have a whole population that has not been exposed to the virus because of social isolation. But we're also seeing an uptick in the flu and the common viruses we see in children, all at the same time."
With those factors combined, Moore said it's more important than ever to wash hands, clean surfaces, and stay away from others who are sick.
With the worst behind him, Clarke said wants other parents to stay vigilant about their kids' health.
"Just really being on top of it and not ignoring the smaller symptoms, I think, was really the important takeaway here," Clarke said.
Da Silva said it can be hard to tell the difference between RSV, the flu, and other viruses at first. But there is a simple swab test that can confirm a RSV diagnosis.
Da Silva said the best way to stay healthy is washing hands frequently, staying apart from others who are sick, and getting a flu shot.
