RSV- please talk me through this

Jillsee · April 2014

Sorry this is scattered and ranty

So Jack was just confirmed RSV. What are we in for? My emotions are beyond all over the place. I live in the middle of nowhere with no friends or family (plus my mom is now out of the country...) He just took his first albuterol treatment and is all sorts of rumbly and upset. I'm angry because I think I know who got him sick (anger and finger pointing unfortunately is my go to emotion) and its making me crazy. My son now has to suffer because she didn't have the decency to not bring her sick kid around. Small back story: we just got back a week ago from visiting family and friends. Jack picked this up there. Anyhow, trying to brush through the anger. The fear and anxiety is nauseating. How long does this typically last? Does it get worse before better? How can I help him?! Other than nosefrieda, humidifier, vicks, etc. it breaks my heart to give an infant albuterol. I've had asthma in the past and hated nebulizing.

Thank you in advance for reading. Really could use a friend right now. Husband is working late all week. /sigh

I'm
Mobile or else I'd link a nice gif or photo of food. But I'm gluten free do you guys probably wouldn't want my goodies anyway

Diana909 · April 2014

Vinny had more of a mild case of RSV in January. We did the treatments about every 3-5 hrs and only if he woke up in the middle of the night wheezing or rapid breathing. We sat him in his chair at the table let him watch mickey mouse, babytv or some little show while we did treatments. Some days were better than others and it was pretty hit or miss. I put vicks on the tip of his nose and chest, humidifier, put him in his bouncer while I took a shower and little remedies saline spray (this helped a ton. its almost like a nedipot)

For us, it lasted about a week and had minor days after that I did the breathing treatment. My doc was surprised how quickly he recovered, but it helped I guess, she said, that I caught it pretty early on.

It sucked and there were naps and MOTN where I just held him and rocked him because that's all he wanted was his mommy. It was frustrating on my end not to sleep in a bed but helped him recover when he was on and angle.........yes, forgot to mention above, I put rolled up blankets under his crib sheet so he was on somewhat of an incline so the drainage didn't sit there.

Murphie82 · April 2014

Seconding what CL8 said - No advice, but I'm so sorry your little guy is sick.

Jillsee · April 2014

Thank you all so much. It really means a lot!! I appreciate you ladies reaching out

@diana909 thank you! I'll definitely follow up on your advice. I've been wearing him in a wrap to fall asleep and that's been helping. The nights have been rough because even when he is sleeping, I'm watching him/his breathing/his fever. So stressful. So hard to watch him suffering! Thank you again!

kelly422 · April 2014

@Jillsee

Couple things - RSV is a nasty virus that is SUPER common, especially in the winter season. When I was on my inpatient months at the Children's Hospital, we admitted AT LEAST 15 of these kids a day. Older people can get RSV and it's just a nasty cold, but it effects babies more because their airways are smaller. The illness usually peaks around day 5 - what day are you on? If you're before 5, expect it to get worse before better, but if you're after that, you may have already been through the worst of it. The main thing to keep an eye on is his breathing. If he's sucking in his chest muscles to breathe, breathing really fast, or you see his nostrils flaring, he needs to be seen by a doc. It's a bummer your friend's kid got him sick, but honestly this virus is so common and runs rampant in daycares. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me! Hang in there!

Jillsee · April 2014

Thank you @kelly422

I cannot believe how many kids I've heard had this. Jack is not in daycare but the little guy who I think (again I just think, doesn't matter who got him sick anyway) got him sick is in daycare.

What do you count as day 5? Since fever started? (he's had some big up and downs in temp) Since the cough started? Since the nose started running? Since the wheezing started?

Today is the first time I REALLY heard wheezing. He could not catch his breath this am, it was so scary. Saw his pedi last Thusday and he said he thought it was croup. Things have obviously progressed and the swab said it was indeed rsv today. His pulse ox was 95 (was 98 on thursday)

Thank you again very much. So so so appreciated. I'm definitely bugging out a bit.

Dr said to watch for retractions, respirations over 40/min or labored grunting for air. That and for his fever to return. We've been up and down from 98.3-102.1 since Wednesday night. No fever thus far today but they want to do a chest X-ray if he gets another fever.

Ugh, so scary! Sorry for the book!