Washing hands must not only be done before mealtime, it is also a "must do" before handling babies. A recent warning of a father who almost lost his baby daughter to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) went viral on social media. He elaborated on the dangerous consequences for the baby when parents fail to wash their hands before handling babies.
The unnamed father gave details on the battle that his little angel waged on for the past days. His baby was initially brought to the hospital and was treated for viral meningitis. After her bout with the ailment, she is now battling RSV. Doctors had already told him that if her condition would worsen, they can't do anything for the baby.
The baby wasn't only suffering from RSV, as she was also diagnosed with pneumonia and bronchiolitis. She also had a collapsed right lung which further aggravated her already weak condition. According to the father, she had beaten all odds and it makes him proud to be her father.
Yahoo News reported that the father posted, "RSV is no joke." As a warning, he said, "Please make sure to wash your hands before handling little ones. And make sure to wrap them up when heading outside into the cold."
According to Ari Brown, a pediatrician from Austin, Texas, "Being out in the cold doesn't cause RSV or pneumonia." Brown also said that if a child is out in a onesie in 20 degrees, then he could get pneumonia. Being outside and wrapped properly will not get him pneumonia.
On the other hand, Brown gave emphasis to washing of hands. It is also important to cover and protect babies from other people's coughs. Brown said that RSV is a "really tough virus." He described it as, "like the worst cold you've ever had." He highlighted this in relation to RSV, "for a small subset of kids, they can get really sick and need oxygen support."
According to WebMD, the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common yet highly contagious virus. Most children will be infected in their respiratory tracts befor they reach two years old. It may like be a common cold, but at worst, it can cause serious problems like bronchiolitis or pneumonia.
