Cold and Flu Season

First we want to thank everyone for their love and support this past year and for the months to come.  We know that it will definitely take this village to raise our family.  For those of you planning to visit us over the coming winter months, please read the following information to keep our family healthy.

RSV is MORE THAN A COLD! RSV stands for respiratory syncytial virus. This is a very common virus, one that virtually all children contract by the time they are two years old. The virus causes a lung infection that can make some babies and young children very sick. RSV is the leading cause of pneumonia and bronchiolitis in babies and is the most frequent cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children. According to a study published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal in July 2002, RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization of infants under the age of one. In addition, RSV is thought to play a major role in the development of childhood asthma. 

RSV infection can place the following categories of children at particular risk:

• infants born premature (before 36 weeks)
• children in an environment where someone smokes
• infants who have  an extended exposure to many other children
• children with a family history of asthma
• multiple birth children since they are more likely than singletons to have been born prematurely and RSV is extremely contagious

In high-risk pediatric patients, RSV lower respiratory tract infections can lead to hospitalization, ICU admission, mechanical ventilation and possibly death.* Premature babies and infants with chronic lung conditions are at increased risk for complications from serious RSV disease.

In most adults and children RSV results in a simple cold. However, premature babies and toddlers or those with lung problems can become gravely ill. During RSV season up to 125,000 infants and young children will be admitted to the hospital as a result of RSV infection. Sadly, about 2% of these children may die from complications associated with it.

It is very, very easy to contract RSV. It is spread by physical contact (such as shaking hands with an infected person) or by air droplets (caused by an infected person sneezing or coughing). RSV can also live for up to 6 hours on surfaces, such as doorknobs, telephones, faucet handles, counters or used tissues, burp cloths. RSV infections are very common in areas where people are crowded together (either in living together or even taking mass transportation) and in day-care centers. In homes where there are multiple children, RSV can spread very rapidly from child to child. Older brothers and sisters may bring the virus home from school or friends' homes.

When you come into our home,

• Was your hands with warm water and soap before touching the babies
• Do not visit if you have cold or flu symptoms and refrain from visiting until you're symptom free for 5 days
• If you're a smoker, refrain from smoking the day of visiting the babies and wear freshly washed clothing
• No children under the age of 16 are allowed to visit yet. 

Please know we are not trying to offend anyone, we just must take care of our family and make sure the babies make it through this cold and flu season without getting sick.  We don't want to go back to the NICU!  Since our babies are pre-term, they did not acquire the necessary immunities to fight off infection.  Thank you!