Cold and flu season is again here, and parents are starting to worry about their small kids, who can be especially susceptible to viruses like Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
It is the leading cause of hospitalization in infants under the age of one. Mild symptoms may include sneezing, coughing, and a runny nose, while severe symptoms can include difficulty breathing and wheezing.
One mom from Bismarck hopes her daughter's battle with RSV might save a child's life in the future. Emily Lang was emotional when looking through photos of her daughter, Presley, saying she was a bubbly baby and loved her so much.
Lang's daughter gone too soon after a short battle with RSV
Lang has thousands of pictures of Presley, who lived a short life, just shy of a year, after getting sick last fall. Lang said she knew something was wrong as she was not acting like herself. She rushed her baby to the emergency room with Presley, later flown to a Fargo hospital.
Presley did not get well, though, as she passed away two days later, dying from RSV. That shocked Lang, who admitted she had no idea what RSV even was. The grieving mom has educated herself on RSV in the months since Presley's passing and has taken to social media to share what she has learned.
Lang's post shared last fall about RSV went viral. Lang told Valley News Live that she had people messaging her throughout the country, saying that this hit them hard. Lang has shared that post again, hoping it might reach even more people.
Lang said she hopes that people take it more seriously. She added that she has always been the one to want to kiss babies and love them, but after her experience, she knows it is not the best idea.
Lang hopes parents and people take RSV seriously
Lang hopes that parents and people, in general, are more aware of the things that can happen when they are sick. Lang explained they could pass it on to another baby, which could be more serious than they thought.
Pediatricians said Lang's message is spot on as they see countless cases of RSV every season. Sanford pediatrician Christina DaSilva said that RSV could be a common cold where you have a lot of congestion and a runny nose.
She explained that it could go down to the lower airways and cause bronchitis which is lower airway inflammation, so babies have a hard time breathing. DaSilva added that good hand hygiene is key, and if they are not feeling well, they should save those snuggles for the babies for later.
She said they should kiss their babies' toes instead of their heads. Lang said that is a piece of advice she hopes people take seriously.
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