ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – While influenza cases continue to fall throughout the area, another virus is on the rise. It is a respiratory illness called RSV.
“We’ve got a lot of kids who have been admitted to the hospital as well as kids we’ve just seen in our clinic and the emergency department, who have been diagnosed with RSV,” SLU Care pediatrician Dr. Ken Haller at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center explains.
“Most of the RSV can be treated at home with a humidifier, making sure they’re drinking lots of fluids. Parents do need to be aware they are going to be coughing for a few weeks but in some cases, particularly small kids or kids who were born prematurely, this can be a pretty severe illness and they may end up in the hospital because they need oxygen or they need help with their breathing.”