CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, season is in full swing, according to doctors at Children’s Hospital Colorado, and can cause infections in the lungs and respiratory tract of both adults and children.
The Fredrick family of Castle Rock is one of the many who has felt the impact of RSV. In November 2023, their youngest child had just turned 2 and they had to take her to the ER. A few weeks later, their oldest child also had to be hospitalized. Both had RSV, said mother Katie Fredrick.
Fast forward to recently, when their oldest, again, was not feeling well and had a sore throat, Katie said. The 5-year-old was hospitalized for RSV once again.
“We did know there were quite a few kids on her floor that were dealing with respiratory illnesses,” Katie said.
Doctors at Children’s Hospital Colorado told Denver7 that they are seeing a lot of RSV cases right now. It’s a later start in Colorado than prior years, they said.
Children’s Hospital Colorado Pediatric Infectious Disease Physician Dr. Kevin Messacar explained that January, February and March were always considered peak RSV months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the peak shifted to earlier in the season once the pandemic was in full swing, when we started seeing cases as early as summer and fall.
“The patterns of the virus really got disrupted during the pandemic," he said. "The prevention measures that we put into place for COVID really prevented the spread of other respiratory viruses."
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Now, Dr. Messacar said Children’s is keeping busy with RSV and even flu cases. He stresses that parents take the necessary precautions to keep their kids safe.
“It’s not too late to get your flu vaccine," he said. "We have new tools against RSV. We have vaccines in older people. Pregnant women can protect their young babies by getting vaccinated against RSV in pregnancy. And then we have a new prevention tool, Nirsevimab, which is a monoclonal antibody that babies whose mothers didn’t get vaccinated can get that will protect them during their first season of RSV.”
The Fredrick family said they’re not taking any more chances, especially since their oldest has asthma.
“Don’t be afraid to take action,” said father Kevin Fredrick.
“Anytime we have a hint of something going on, we start her on her inhalers just in case,” Katie added.
Doctors at Children’s Hospital Colorado said it’s common to see multiple viruses hit at once like RSV, flu, enterovirus and norovirus, and stresses the hospital system is staffed to handle all of it.
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