RSV prevention

cgummie

I spoke to a social worker from our hospital today about discharge for our little guy. She mentioned giving him shots (not a vaccine) for RSV before he leaves the hospital. According to the CDC, the shots can prevent RSV and the NICU staff recommend going ahead with the shots, considering that preemies are more susceptible to getting sick. Has anyone else opted in for the RSV shots (palivizumab)? Did your kiddo end up getting RSV?

devinsmommy31115

My daughter was born at 25 weeks 5 years ago. She got the shots every month her first year and did not get rsv.

LuluRM

My daughter is a 25 weeker (19 weeks old and home now), she will get Synagis for 2 years. Aside from being a micro-preemie, she has a cardiac history, chronic lung disease and BPD, so she qualifies for 2 years.

sailorgal

We will be getting them for this season for our 31 weeker.

mal1114

I would definitely recommend them. They don't prevent you from getting rsv, but they decrease the severity and duration of illness if you do get it. And preemies are at much higher risk of more severe disease. However, there are very strict criteria for who needs them, and they recently changed. For instance, it used to be if you were less than 32 weeks at birth, but now I believe it's less than 28 weeks (unless you have other issues such as chronic lung disease, cardiac disease, etc, then u qualify based on that). And if your fall outside if the criteria, insurance won't cover it, and the cost, I've been told, is over $1,000 per shot if insurance doesn't cover it. I'd talk to your doctors to make sure your baby qualifies!

apea86

Definatly get it! ! I'm a picu nurse and our w ward is filled with babues with rsv all winter long! The term healthy babies get it bad but it's the ex prems and babies with other conditions who get it the worse! No one ever dies from rsv but it can be one hell of a battle!

killysmum23

My 31weeker got them once a month during the rsv season last year he never got it I was also very carful and didn't take him out to highly public areas until the season was over I know that's not always possibke for everyone though.