Kimberly’s baby got the RS virus: ‘I was terrified’

Image: Getty Images

When her son gasped and had a fever, Kimberly Zapata knew something was seriously wrong. The doctor confirmed that: her son had the RS virus. “I feared he would end up in the hospital, on oxygen and monitors.”

‘At four in the morning I was awakened by the sound my son was making,’ Kimberly says. He coughed and had a choking, wheezing breath. He even gasped.’ She immediately got the feeling that it was more than a cold, because he also had a fever. “We called the doctor right away in the morning,” she says. “And after a few tests, he turned out to have the RS virus.”

Most people recover from this virus on their own within a week or two, but especially for infants, the RS virus can be serious. “There’s no medication for it,” Kimberly says. ‘So we just had to let the viral infection run its course. But even with ibuprofen, a humidifier, and regular baths, it seemed to get worse. His breathing remained labored. His cough persisted and he had a fever.;

Also read: Number of RS virus cases increased after corona measures were lifted

little rattle

Kimberley was terrified. “I slept on the floor next to him for almost a week. Something wasn’t right, my gut said. And so I took him back to the doctor, where they looked in his ears and down his throat again. And then they listened to his breathing. For a long time his doctor just listened, until she said, “It sounds like there’s a little rattle in the right side of his chest.”

An X-ray later showed that her son had pneumonia. “The good news is that with that diagnosis, we were able to start treatment,” Kimberly says. ‘He was prescribed antibiotics and his cough decreased. After ten days, his fever finally subsided. But the seriousness of his condition did not escape me. For days I was sure he would end up in the hospital – with oxygen and monitors. And that thought scared me.’

‘Be careful’

She tells her story to warn other parents. “One of the first signs that your child may have the RS virus is that he is having trouble breathing. You can try to prevent an infection with good hygiene, but if your child does get it, he will be contagious for three to eight days. And, like my son, more prone to pneumonia. Every parent should know the RS virus and its signs. So that, if necessary, you can take action on time.’

Source: Scary Mommy