The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report an increase in cases of children infected with a respiratory virus in Michigan.
Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, can seem like a cold in many people. But Dr. James Robertson, a pediatrician at Kids Creek Children’s Clinic in Traverse City, said infected cells turn sticky and thick, potentially blocking airways in infants and toddlers.
“For preschool, kindergarten kids it’s not going to seem a whole lot different than a regular cold,” he said. “But when there’s infants in the house and that gets brought home, it can be a much more significant and serious illness.”
Robertson said area hospitalists reported they are getting one to two RSV children a day who need in-patient care. He said that’s more than usual and the illness appears to be spreading earlier in the year. Normally the seasonal illness starts in late fall and wraps up by early spring.
According to Robertson, doctors aren’t entirely sure why RSV is spreading more now.
“We had a whole year without it, and now as we start to get back together, it’s kind of been waiting in the wings,” he said.
The disease may be spreading through group gatherings and schools without universal masking, Robertson said. He’s seen more patients dealing with respiratory illnesses, including RSV, from districts where masks aren’t required in class.
He said some physicians think RSV and COVID may be spreading at the same time, which may be causing more significant illness in children who are infected with both.
If sick infants are working hard to breathe, struggling to feed or lack energy, Robertson said their parents should seek medical care for them.
