This is an opinion column by Niagara Health Chief of Pediatrics Dr. Madan Mohan Roy and Pediatrician Dr. Katelyn MacKenzie, originally published in the St. Catharines Standard, Niagara Falls Review and Welland Tribune.
Niagara Health neonatal intensive care registered nurses Jean Pe Benito, left, and Danielle Teeuwsen are pictured with Louie Russell, who was born Aug. 3. He is in the NICU after being born by emergency C-section at 32 weeks.
After nine months of joyfully anticipating the birth of their first child, Greg and Alana welcomed their healthy, full-term newborn Alicia into the world.
Those early weeks were filled with firsts — first smiles, first coos, first sleepless nights.
One day, when Alicia was six weeks old, Alana noticed she felt warm to the touch. Her breathing, once soft and rhythmic, grew noisy and laboured. Concerned but unsure, the new parents kept a close eye on their baby girl.
Over the next 24 hours, their once-vibrant baby became increasingly listless, refusing to feed and struggling with every breath. Panic set in on their way to the hospital, when Alicia stopped breathing for several terrifying seconds, went limp, her lips turning blue in the back seat of their car.
The emergency room was a blur — doctors and nurses rushed her in, placing her on non-invasive ventilation to help her breathe. The diagnosis came soon after: respiratory syncytial virus with bronchiolitis (RSV), a respiratory virus that attacks the lungs and can be particularly dangerous for newborns and babies in the first year of life.
The couple’s hearts ached as they watched their tiny daughter in the pediatric intensive care unit, connected to machines that kept her fragile body breathing. Three long nights passed before the worst was over.
When she finally improved and was strong enough to come home, relief washed over them. The joy they had known before was replaced by a profound gratitude for her life.
Across Canada, RSV hospitalizes thousands of babies each year and has a significant morbidity and mortality rate. For many years now, preterm vulnerable babies have been receiving an immunoglobulin, one injection a month, during the RSV season (October to April), to prevent this infection. Until now, no protection was available for full-term newborns and babies.
That’s changing.
Now, harrowing experiences like Alicia’s will be preventable. A new RSV vaccine is expected to become available this fall. RSV immunization will offer protection from this dangerous virus to pre-terms, term newborns and babies.
Here are some dos and don’ts during respiratory illness season, as kids start going back to school.
Dos:
- Keep vaccinations up to date: Ensure kids receive flu shots, COVID-19 boosters and RSV vaccines as recommended.
- Protect close contacts: Parents, grandparents and all caregivers should stay vaccinated to reduce virus spread to children.
- Encourage hand hygiene: Teach kids proper handwashing with soap for 20 seconds, especially before eating or after sneezing.
- Promote cough etiquette: Instruct children to cover their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
- Maintain a healthy diet: Provide a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and proteins to boost immunity.
- Prioritize sleep: Ensure 10 to 12 hours of sleep for younger kids, and eight to 10 hours for teens, to support immune health.
- Stay active: Encourage daily exercise to improve immunity and reduce stress.
- Dress warmly: Dress in layers with hats, gloves and scarves on cold days.
- Sanitize common surfaces: Disinfect high-touch areas like doorknobs and electronics to prevent germ spread.
Don’ts:
- Don’t send sick kids to school: Keep them home if they’re ill until symptom-free for 24 hours.
- Avoid overcrowded places: Steer clear of crowded indoor areas during peak illness seasons.
- Don’t share personal items: Teach kids not to share water bottles or utensils to stop virus transmission.
- Don’t ignore symptoms: Seek medical help for persistent symptoms like fever or breathing issues.
- Don’t neglect mental health: Provide a safe space for kids to talk about stress or anxiety.
