Virtually all children get an RSV infection by the time they are 2 years old. Most of the time RSV will cause a mild, cold-like illness, but RSV can be dangerous for some infants and young children.
Those at greatest risk for severe illness from RSV include:
- Premature infants
- Very young infants, especially those 6 months and younger
- Children younger than 2 years old with chronic lung disease or congenital (present from birth) heart disease
- Children with weakened immune systems
- Children who have neuromuscular disorders, including those who have difficulty swallowing or clearing mucus secretions
Severe Illness
RSV can cause severe illness in children and infants such as:
- Bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small airways in the lung
- Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs
RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children younger than 1 year of age.
One to two out of every 100 children younger than 6 months of age with RSV infection may need to be hospitalized. Those who are hospitalized may require oxygen, intubation, and/or mechanical ventilation (help with breathing). Most improve with this type of supportive care and are discharged in a few days.
Symptoms
RSV may not be severe when it first starts. However, it can become more severe a few days into the illness. Early symptoms of RSV may include:
- Runny nose
- Decrease in appetite
- Cough, which may progress to wheezing
Infants who get an RSV infection almost always show symptoms. This is different from adults who can sometimes get RSV infections and not have symptoms. In very young infants (less than 6 months old), the only symptoms of RSV infection may be:
- Irritability
- Decreased activity
- Decreased appetite
- Apnea (pauses while breathing)
Fever may not always occur with RSV infections.
What you should do if your child is at high risk for severe RSV infection
If you have contact with an infant or young child, especially those who were born prematurely, are very young, have chronic lung or heart disease or a weakened immune system, you should take extra care to keep the infant healthy.
Parents of children at high risk for developing severe RSV disease should help their child, when possible, do the following:
- Avoid close contact with sick people
- Wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Avoid touching their face with unwashed hands
- Limit the time they spend in child-care centers or other potentially contagious settings, especially during fall, winter, and spring. This may help prevent infection and spread of the virus during the RSV season
See the Prevention section on this page for more information.
Learn more about RSV in Infants and Young Children.
Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus, a virus that affects the lungs and breathing passages. It usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms.
