has anyone's baby been exposed to other children with RSV / bronchiolitis and NOT become ill?

[fruitybaubles]

Just wondering - my 7 month old has spent the morning with another baby and toddler yesterday, friends toddler sneezed over DS a couple of times, friends baby was coughing quite a lot and now it turns out she has bronchiolitis. Is it inevitable that my DS will have picked it up? He did chew on a couple of toys beloning to friends DC.

I'm normally quite sensible about these things but I think the relentless barrage of flu headlines are starting to get to me and I'm concerned about him getting sick.

I know they all have to get sick at some point but DS spent such a long time in the NICU after he was born I'd really rather he avoided getting something like this until he's a bit bigger. He was exclusively bf up until weaning at 6 months now is a mixture of bf and solids.

Does anyone have any experience?

He may just catch a cold (RSV is the cold virus which triggers bronchiolitis in some infants and toddlers), or nothing at all. Certainly not inevitable. It is likely he will have been exposed to it already in all sorts of places - gp surgery, supermarket, baby groups etc

As pp said it's not inevitable he will get it but at the same time he may but even if he does the vast majority of cases are mild anyway

RSV is not "the" cold virus, that is another rhinovirus. It does however have similar symptoms and is not worth distinguishing unless a child becomes sick with bronchiolitis. FWIW, most babies just get a cold with RSV (the main virus responsible for bronchiolitis). Breast feeding is also protective. The biggest risk factor is babies born prematurely as their lungs are less developed and it takes a while to catch up.

Your friends baby does not necessarily have RSV (unless she has had a nasal aspirate test in hospital). My son gets bronchiolitis with EVERY cold (always rhinovirus , hospitalised each time). So chances are your friends baby has a straightforward rhinovirus that if your child does catch will cause no more than a cold. Even if it is RSV, doesn't mean your child will get bronchiolitis.
Fingers crossed for you I understand the worry that comes from seeing a child sneeze all over yours!!!!

Well my dds were always getting coughed on as babies and yet neither one has ever had a bad cough,or even a very bad snotty cold.(I'll add the covering note "Yet".)