ODESSA, Texas — The number of positive RSV tests have gone up since the start of September in the Midland and Odessa area.
RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, can come off as an average cold, but for some some infants or babies it can be dangerous.
"Certainly premature other underlying pulmonary co-morbidities disease would put them in the risk category, and in those cases there are a few treatments that they can do for those extreme cases or those with significant co-morbidities," said Dr. Glenn Hardesty, an emergency medicine physician at Texas Heath Presbyterian Hospital Plano.
Early symptoms of RSV are a runny nose, a decrease in appetite and a cough.
"Sometimes it's hard to tell, cough cold congestion is very common for many disease ailments, including COVID, including flu, and any other general illnesses," said Hardesty.
Not all children will develop serious complications from RSV, but it is important to keep an eye on them.
"Around day three to five of symptoms, you will notice that the child starts looking worse, so there's increased work of breathing, there is decreased eating, their energy decreases because they're using all their energy to breathe, you may notice retractions when they're breathing," said Dr. Stephanie Villareal, a pediatrician and assistant professor for Texas Tech Physicians of the Permian Basin.
If you notice any of these signs, make an appointment with your pediatrician or take your child to the emergency room.
To avoid getting or spreading RSV, wash your hands, stay home when you're sick and cover any coughs or sneezes.
"School-aged kids may have RSV, and for them the symptoms are mild, you may not even catch that they're sick," said Villareal. "And then they'll bring it home to a sibling at home who's younger, who's an infant, and then they'll get really sick, so just teaching children to wash their hands before they touch a baby is really really good advice."