Friday, February 18, 2011

'Tis the Season

Our poor little boy has RSV, or Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

It started last Friday with a slight cough and a low grade fever. The cough got worse and the fever didn't go away, so we went to the doctor. Michael was just one of over a dozen sick babies they had seen with RSV recently. Since Michael is a bigger boy, his symptoms aren't as bad as they could have been. I've always loved having a chubby baby, and now that flub is keeping our boy out of the hospital.

He'll probably be contagious for at least 2 weeks, but his symptoms are already getting better. His breathing isn't labored, his fever is gone, and he's surprisingly active. He does occasionally wake up for night feedings (just in the last week) but, as he's suppose to drink as much as possible, I have no problem with it. Even that has lessened, so I don't think we'll have any issues going back to his normal sleep schedule once he's well.

He is still very clingy, has mood swings that put pregnant women to shame, and his coughs sound terrible, but he's going to bed easier and he's finally accepting his daddy again.

I can't wait for Michael to feel completely better and to go back to his adorable, dorky self again.

8 comments:

Karen said...

Sorry Cyndi! I had RSV, but it's true that in older babies, it's more tolerable. There are so many nasty sicknesses out there right now. We just got done with some at our house.

Kaylee Steiner said...

He is SOOO cute! Sorry he is sick...but his mood swings would put pregnant women to shame...haha! that's hilarious!

Karen said...

I don't mean that "I" had RSV. I ment to say that one of our kids had RSV. Abby was only 6-8 weeks, so it was nasty.

Cyndi Day said...

That must have been so scary! Did Abby have to be hospitalized?

My neighbor is scaring me with stories about her kid who was nine months when he got RSV. It damaged his lungs so he's got really bad asthma now. He's always been a pretty delicate kid, but still.

Anne said...

Max had RSV when he was 8 months old. He was a chunky chunk(not as chunky as your Michael or Karen's Nate though)but he didn't seem as sick as the doctor said he was. Still, it can be a scary thing; especially if the baby is really young.

Edie Veronin said...

My pediatrician has told me that RSV is rarely dangerous to kids over 6 months of age who weren't born prematurely (something about fully developed lungs, I think). Also, it can be more dangerous for kids who are exposed to cigarette smoke or who already have asthma. Something like 90% of all children have been exposed to it by the time they are 2 years old.
Don't be frightened for Michael.
But I am sorry to hear that he is ill, and I hope he is feeling better soon.

donna said...

Sam's doctor said that it was very likely that he had asthma first and that's what made him more susceptible for the RSV. But since asthma can't be diagnosed "Officially" until kids are two, sometimes people confuse which came first. Michael sounds like he's going to be fine, especially since he's older and fatter! I'm sorry he's sick though. It is hard on everyone!

spemberly.blogspot.com said...

I hope he's better now. I love the picture!