RSV Quickly Spreading Through Amarillo, Infants At Risk

Understandably, a lot of the health talk in the city has been COVID and the rising cases.

However, did you know something else is rolling through the city that could affect your kids?

Get our free mobile app

RSV cases are on the rise, and more kids are rapidly catching it. If you don't know what RSV is, it stands for Respiratory Syncytial Virus and it can be pretty bad if not caught. Read about this firsthand experience our very own Charlie had with his child and RSV.

First things first, RSV is HIGHLY contagious, so if your kiddo or yourself comes in contact with someone you want to be sure to watch for the warning signs. What exactly are those warning signs?

RSV starts off pretty inconspicuously. Common cold symptoms is what you'll encounter with RSV, but it can be much worse for infants and young kids. That said, it is common for most kids to have RSV at least once in their lives, but catching it quickly is key. Runny nose, cough and congestion are the most telltale signs of RSV. In younger kids, it can quickly progress to pneumonia because their lungs aren't developed like an adult.

If you notice shallow breathing, faster than normal breathing or just trouble breathing in general in your child, it's time to book it to the doctor, urgent care or hospital. They could be reaching a critical level with RSV.

Doctors have said RSV is not something that is common in the summer, so it's catching everyone off guard. They believe that the masks coming off and hygiene going back to pre-pandemic levels is leading to the recent surge of RSV cases.

We learned a lot through the pandemic about how we can stay healthier. I know personally I didn't get sick at all wearing the mask and making sure I was washing my hands frequently and using hand sanitizer. Just because the rules are relaxing a bit, even in spite of the recent COVID surge, we should take some of the things we learned and continue doing them. We can ALL stay healthier by doing it.

Watch out for that RSV, stay healthy and take care of yourself!