This is part of a sponsored collaboration with AstraZeneca and DiMe Media. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
As parents and moms, we're constantly trying to protect our children. From the moment they come out of the womb, we protect their gentle heads with caps. When they leave the hospital, we make sure they are safe and protected with the proper car seat. But there's a silent and very severe virus that rears its head during the colder months. Know what you can do now to also protect your baby (and children) from RSV - Respiratory Syncical Virus.
I've written before about my son Jacob who had a bout with RSV when he was just a few months old. It was honestly one of the scariest times of my life. Since then, he has been diagnosed with asthma and always seems to get pneumonia during the winter every year. I attribute this to the early battle his little lungs had with RSV. It's truly a passion of mine to share more about my personal connection with the virus so that other moms will be more aware of how to prevent it, and what you can do to recognize the symptoms of RSV. Jacob was my 3rd child and even by then, I had not ever heard of RSV and how dangerous it could truly be for a newborn or small child.
Because the newborns' little lungs are the last organs to mature just before birth, they are highly susceptible to repiratory viruses. It's important that because of this, that parents take extra precautions with their babies.
Did you know that RSV is a common seasonal virus that usually spreads between November and March? It's also the leading cause of hospitalization for babies in their first year of life. Thankfully, we were able to manage Jacob's symptoms at home with a nebulizer, and he didn't have to stay in the hospital.
This month (October) is RSV Awareness month and is the best time to become educated and share what we know about RSV and severe RSV disease with others. What's also frightening is that premature babies are particularly at risk for developing severe RSV because their lungs are so under developed.
One of the best resources for RSV education and information is RSVProtection.com. The site provides a great deal of information to parents about how to eliminate or minimize risk factors of RSV while protecting babies' little lungs. Check out the helpful infographic below that details common symptoms and prevention tips for RSV. Additionally, you can click here to learn more about RSV disease and how to help keep your child healthy this RSV season!
Have your children ever experienced RSV?
Candy TaiCANDY TAI is a wife to David and mom of 5 with a degree in Communications. She's a native Texan (Hook 'Em Horns!) who's been making her home in the Kansas City metro area for nearly 15 years. She loves being able to shuffle her kids from their various sports activities, piano lessons, and school activities. She enjoys fashion, beauty, reality TV, and moviegoing.
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