MEDIMMUNE RSV and PREEMIE AWARENESS

Preemie Awareness Day was November 17th. Although I do not have any preemie babies of my own I do know other moms who do. I couldn't imagine what a family goes through when a baby is born very early and may encounter several obstacles along the way. I am very thankful that my 4 children were born full term and pray that the baby we are expecting in April will be born a healthy full term baby.

 

I was reading the statistics of the birth of preemies and it broke my heart. Did you know 13 million babies are born early worldwide, more than half in the United States!

 

A recent survey on prematurity awareness found that 3 in 10 mothers of preemies weren’t aware of the possibility of prematurity until they had their first child. And 75% of parents didn't know the definition of prematurity-- being born at or before 37 weeks gestation age. Given this low awareness, it is clear many parents don’t fully understand the increased risks that come with premature birth – and the specialized health care that preemies often require. 

 

 

Prematurity disrupts a baby’s development in the womb, often stunting the growth of some of the body’s most critical organs.These babies are at an increased risk of serious medical complications andregularly face weeks or even months in the NICU. This often contributes to mothers feeling powerless, anxious and isolated.

Because babies immune systems and lungs aren’t fully developed, preemies are more likely to develop infections and aremore susceptible to respiratory problems. In fact, 79 percent of preemie moms have a baby who was hospitalized due to a severe respiratory infection. One virus in particular that parents of preemies should know about is respiratory syncytial virus, commonly known as RSV. RSV is contracted by nearly all children by the age of two, often causing relatively minor symptoms that mimic the common cold. However, preemies are most at risk for developing much more serious symptoms, including a serious respiratory infection (severe RSV disease) from the virus, because their lungs are underdeveloped and they don’t have the antibodies needed to fight off infection.

 

 

RSV Quick Facts

~      RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization, and severe RSV disease causes up to 10 times as many infant deaths each year as the flu.

~       RSV is most prevalent during the winter months. The CDC has defined the “RSV season” as beginning in November and lasting through March for most parts of North America.

~      In addition to prematurity, common risk factors include low birth weight, certain lung or heart diseases, a family history of asthma and frequent contact with other children.

 

RSV can effect children other than preemies, it effected our family last year when out of the blue my 2 year old daughter at the time became really ill. She started wheezing so I took her to the doctors. At the doctors they gave her nebulizer treatments that didn't seem to help her so they sent us for chest x-rays and from that short distance from the doctors to from the x-rays she because completely lathergic. I was scared. This is my baby, what was happened to her? Then I was sent back the doctors office where they admitted her to the hospital.

 

Once admitted and tests were run the results showed she had RSV, pnemonia, ashtma and a partial collapsed lung accompanied with a bacterial infecetion!

For several days she remained in the hospital on oxygen, treatments and antibiotics. And after her lung healed and the RSV cleared up she was released from the hospital and she was back to her feisty self. As a mom seeing my daughter in the condition was heartbreaking! Since then has has been sick several times not with RSV but asthma related illnesses.

 

RSV is very contagious and can be spread easily through touching, sneezing and coughing. When my daughter was in the hosptial they had a big red sticker on her room door that all who entered her room needed to wear masks. Thankfully the rest of our family didn't get sick while my husband was sick. Since there’s no treatment for RSV, parents should take the following preventive steps to help protect their child:

~    Wash hands, toys, bedding, and play areas frequently

~     Ensure you, your family, and any visitors in your home wash their hands or use hand sanitizer

~    Avoid large crowds and people who are or have been sick

~    Never let anyone smoke near your baby

~    Speak with your child’s doctor if he or she may be at high risk for RSV, as a preventive therapy may be available.

 

For more information about RSV and ways to prevent it by visiting RSV.com. Talk to your Dr about RSV, and watch for signs and symptoms including persistent coughing or wheezing, fever, gasping for air, or blue lips. - You can sign up to receive some fact sheets and/or questions to ask your Dr at RSVProtection.com. Follow on Twitter using #Protectpreemies and/or #RSV ."I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of MedImmune and I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation."