How is it that I've never heard of RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) before?

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

There's an article on RTE News www.rte.ie/news/2022/1122/1337703-record-high-rsv/ about how RSV is higher than usual and earlier than usual this year. There have been hospital admissions. It seems to be a common thing but I have never heard of it before this year.

Three out of four in our family have a stuffed up nose, followed a few days later by a cough. It sounds like our house has echos as there are coughs coming from all directions. To me that's a cold, I often have a cough following a cold. But since I read the RTE report I'm now wondering if it might be RSV. It doesn't matter much either way, we are all just going to rest until we feel better and none of us are ill enough to need medical treatment. A lot of the DC's friends are off school with the same symptoms so whatever it is it's very spreadable.

Have you heard of RSV before?

The reason why bronc is more risky for babies, Is because they can only breath through their nose. Which makes breathing and feeding very tricky. So they get tired. Adults can get it. But it's just a cold.

It's not 'just a cold' for babies and vulnerable elderly people - the same as Covid isn't 'just a cold' for people with comorbidities. There's no way of knowing it's RSV unless you're tested in hospital.

My son had it at 10 weeks and again at 2.5, hospitalised both times with bronchiolitis and is always badly affected by colds. He now has asthma, although it runs in the family so not a surprise.

@SweetSakura same here, I hadn't really heard of RSV until my then 15 month old was in hospital for a week with it. One night they got the consultant up in the middle of the night to see him because things were looking bad.

Agreed. "Just a cold" always annoyed me since long before COVID.

I have a condition ,(myasthenia gravis) that means "just a cold" could make me so unwell I spend weeks on a ventilator in ICU. And many other people are also vulnerable to what People refer to as ",just a cold"

I'm unsure why you quoted me? I'm only saying that I haven't heard of it, not that I don't think it exists.

REALLYITV Hi! Could I ask a quick question please? My just 2 year old has RSV at the moment (sigh). She was prescribed a 3 day course of steroids last Wednesday. They've really helped during the day but she's still choking on mucus and coughing ALL night. Last night this seems to have turned in to a bad cold with a really snotty nose.... Do you think this could be the end of it or should I phone docs again? Thanks!