The American Lung Association notes that respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that produces coldlike symptoms in adults and children. Though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that most cases of RSV go away within two weeks without intervention, the virus can be unpredictable. In fact, the ALA reports that RSV is the leading cause of hospitalization in all infants. In addition, most children have been infected with the virus by the time they are two years old. Such high infection rates understandably leads to questions about transmission of the virus, which the CDC reports can spread in the following ways.
•An infected person coughs or sneezes
•Individuals get virus droplets from a cough or sneeze in their eyes, nose, or mouth
•Individuals come into direct contact with the virus, like kissing the face of a child with RSV
•Individuals touch a surface that has the virus on it, like a doorknob, and then touch their face prior to washing their hands Such methods of transmission explain why so many children are infected with RSV prior to their second birthday, as curious youngsters often hug and grab other children at daycare facilities and frequently touch their faces without washing their hands. Though RSV infection in infants is often overcome, parents can speak with their child’s pediatrician to determine if there is any way to lower their child’s risk of infection.
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