Feb was a calendar month of affliction inwards our household. We started the calendar month out amongst a cold, which nosotros passed around betwixt the 5 of us. There were a few days of residue earlier nosotros picked upward a tummy bug, which nosotros passed around betwixt the 5 of us earlier giving it to my pitiful woman nurture who had come upward to town to assist us unpack (turns out it volition prevarication dormant for a few days earlier attacking some other fellow member of the family-- sorry, Momma!). But so C in addition to O came downwardly amongst a nasty cold. First came the cough, so the fussiness, so the fevers, so a long weekend where no one--save for the three-year old-- got whatever sleep. I took them into the pediatrician every bit shortly every bit they opened Mon forenoon to have a diagnosis I was non expecting: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Having done a fair amount of interrogation on RSV afterwards the babies were born (thanks to a real well-informed friend of mine), I knew that RSV is a work organisation for premature infants for the showtime 2 years of their life. Our insurance denied our twins the Synagis shot because the criteria has cash inwards one's chips to a greater extent than strict inwards recent years (the Synagis rep at our pediatrician confirmed they are at the tail halt of the high run a hazard category in addition to a twelvemonth agone they would last approved for the shot). Perhaps because of their overall health, I merely did non stress much virtually RSV. Yes, inquire my family, I am a freak virtually manus washing and I am known to cancel a play appointment if at that topographic point is a mutual coldness going around. I purchase my manus sanitizer inwards mass in addition to my pare is so dry out it tends to spontaneously bleed. But, I reasoned, every bit human beings, nosotros are going to grab RSV at 1 fourth dimension or another. And the babies are out of the danger zone (two-months in addition to younger) beingness 10 in addition to a half-, almost eleven-months old, right?
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All smiles, fifty-fifty amongst a nasal cannula
North Carolina Feb 2012 |
Our pediatrician told us early on Mon forenoon that, afterwards battling RSV for 4 days, if they hadn't gone to the Emergency Room yet, nosotros were likely over the "hump." RSV tends to larn worse earlier it gets better. Hoping that the worst was over, nosotros left the pediatrician in addition to hunkered downwardly at home. Watching C crawl wildly around our identify unit of measurement room amongst a 100 indicate something fever, I glanced over at O to run into him laying unresponsive on his Boppy pillow, spiking at a 104.5 fever. Medicine, time, in addition to a cool bathroom brought the fever upward to 104.6, his slight wheeze had cash inwards one's chips an all-out struggle to breathe, in addition to nosotros were off to the Children's Emergency Room. Because RSV is a virus, at that topographic point is no magic medicine to have got to brand it better. Our pediatrician (and every Dr. nosotros had during the infirmary stay) informed us that all they tin give the sack create is monitor his breathing, give oxygen in addition to breathing treatments, in addition to suction, suction, suction. Our pediatrician did nation us that taking them to an Emergency Room is ameliorate than the pediatrician's purpose because they have got a ameliorate deep suction that tin give the sack preserve the congestion causing the wheeze. One of the hardest parts of the infirmary see was beingness away from his twin brother, who also had RSV. I fully trust my married adult man to have got attention of him in addition to lookout adult man him, but at that topographic point is a comfort inwards watching your kid slumber yourself, seeing yourself that his breathing is nether control, in addition to watching the numbers on the thermometer yourself, particularly every bit I watched his blood brother struggle so hard. My mothering instinct was out inwards total in addition to I wanted to last everywhere at once, entertaining my restless three-year old, nursing my wheezing babe in addition to comforting the other.
In all, O spent 4 days in addition to 3 nights inwards the PICU. His fevers came downwardly the showtime night. They started weaning him off oxygen on 24-hour interval three. Because of the stress to his body, he had 2 seizures on the 2nd 24-hour interval (thank God nosotros were inwards the PICU already). Due to the seizures, he was hooked upward to an EEG for 30 hours in addition to everything came dorsum normal, something to watch, were ruled isolated incidents due to the illness. His twin brother, at dwelling theatre nether the watchful attention of my husband, was speedily recovering. C's petroleum 24-hour interval was Sunday. Mon he had a slight fever, nether 100.5, but C's hardest symptoms were an ear infection that was beingness treated in addition to congestion that interrupted his sleep. My 2 brief trips dwelling theatre for overnight supplies confirmed that he was non exclusively doing great, but also inwards first-class hands (though on 1 of the trips I did discovery the dishwasher open, partially unloaded, in addition to yesterday's dinner sitting inwards a pot on the stove). Th afternoon I felt elated walking out of the PICU, my boy snug tight inwards the sling, caput sweetly resting on my shoulder. I was excited to run into my husband, to hold the 2 boys at home, to run into my 3 boys together, and-- let's last honest-- to run into my picayune dog. At the long traffic lite exterior the infirmary I sat asset O's discharge papers, happy to know that he has the all-clear.
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Hooked upward to the EEG
North Carolina Feb 2012 |
I wrote this weblog because a lot of people told me they were surprised that 10 in addition to a half-month olds had caught RSV. Most of us have got come upward inwards contact amongst RSV at some indicate inwards our lives. However, inwards premature infants, upward to the 2nd twelvemonth of their life, it tin give the sack last actually difficult to fight, thus the manus sanitizer decorating every room of our theatre in addition to our
Touchy Tags attached to our strollers politely telling well-meaning strangers non to deport upon our babies. Sadly, all our manus washing withal gave us this mystery illustration of RSV. Because of the tummy bug, nosotros hadn't left the theatre much. They definitely had non come upward inwards contact amongst other children. The PICU staff said, to a greater extent than than likely, 1 of us (my husband, myself, or our three-year old) had caught it during 1 of our brief excursions. Because nosotros have got built immunities against it, it may have got given us a sore throat, a drippy nose, or silently passed to our infants without a sign nosotros e'er had it. RSV tin give the sack alive on surfaces for 6-8 hours, spreading every bit someone innocently touches a doorknob or signs their holler at the depository fiscal establishment gibe out.
If y'all involve to a greater extent than data on RSV, inquire your pediatrician. Find out if your premature babies are eligible for the Synagis vaccine. The network is a wealth of data on RSV. Most importantly, inform the people who volition last most involved inwards your infant's life. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 friend of mine posted an open letter to her Facebook page--an view I forthwith copied on our identify unit of measurement website--at the start of flu season, peak fourth dimension for RSV. Take your pediatrician's advice on manus washing seriously in addition to brand it a priority, fifty-fifty if your identify unit of measurement finds your illustration a fleck odd in addition to repetitive (my sisters tease me over my dry out "man hands"). Here is a re-create of the missive of the alphabet I posted. Feel gratis to re-create it in addition to brand it your own:
Hello, everyone!
I wanted to brand a postal service because it is mutual coldness in addition to flu season, peak fourth dimension for RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus). If y'all are unfamiliar amongst RSV, it is the leading crusade of bronchitis in addition to pneumonia inwards babies. To read to a greater extent than virtually RSV inwards premature babies, depository fiscal establishment gibe out: http://preemiecare.org/rsv_resourceshtm.htm. C in addition to O were born at thirty-five weeks, five weeks early. Luckily for us, they had neat nativity weights, but they were early on in addition to they are multiples. As nosotros piece of work inwards in to peak RSV season, they are at the tail halt of the high run a hazard category: premature multiples 6-months or younger. (https://www.rsvprotection.com/ and http://rsvtesting.com/Facts/rsv_risks.php) To assist lower their risk, nosotros are going to cash inwards one's chips along making manus washing a priority inwards our dwelling theatre earlier handling the babies. These are the guidlines that nosotros have got been next in addition to nosotros wanted to portion them amongst y'all so know what to aspect when visiting: http://www.ehow.com/how_4442791_prevent-respiratory-syncytial-virus-premature.html.
1. Limiting exposure to germs (school historic menstruum children, interaction amongst the public, sick friends/family, etc)
2. Washing in addition to sanitizing hands
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O spent most of the fourth dimension at the PICU tangled inwards his wires.
North Carolina Feb 2012 |
3. No cigarette smoke: inwards person, on clothing, or 2nd hand 4. Avoid crowded childcare
5. Toy sanitation
We would appreciate your back upward when y'all see amongst our attempts to restrain their exposure to RSV. We sympathise they are sturdy, salubrious looking boys in addition to involve to grab childhood diseases, but nosotros experience it is of import to address their specific wellness needs in addition to brand it a priority.
If y'all come upward downwardly amongst a mutual coldness earlier visiting, delight nation us earlier y'all arrive.
Most importantly, delight larn your flu shot!
Links on importance of getting flu shots:
http://www.facesofinfluenza.com/en/flu-clinics/ http://coldflu.about.com/od/othercommonillnesses/a/rsv.htm http://pediatrics.about.com/od/kidsandtheflu/a/05_flu_prep.htm Thank you!
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