If you have a preemie, your pediatrician should’ve already spoken to you about RSV season which is coming upon us. I am generally of the persuasion that kids get germs, they get sick and they get over it. Except when it comes to preemies. If you have a preemie you have the right, and really the responsibility to be a germophobe. RSV is no joke and protecting your little preemie from it should be your passion.
So go ahead, buy the grocery cart covers and carry Purell with you everywhere. These are two ways that you can help protect your child against RSV. Ask people to wash their hands before handling your baby and don’t feel guilty. RSV is a very common virus and most people get a bad cold from it. But preemies can get serious and life threatening complications from RSV. Many are hospitalized every year from RSV so unabashedly check out the cleanliness of everything and everywhere you go.
However, there is also another means of protection against RSV called Synagis. Synagis is a shot that your preemie can get that will boost his/her protection against RSV disease during the peak season. (Think of it as a super flu shot.) Synagis is very expensive and the shots are not offered to just anyone but rather those people who fall into a high risk category. In fact, you probably will not be able to get it from your pediatrician but will have to go to a clinic that offers the shot.
Children who are at high risk and whose parents should strongly consider the synagis shot are:
Children under two years of age who have been treated for a chronic lung infection.
Infants who were born before 28 weeks gestation and who are less than one year at the start of RSV season which is in November.
Infants born between 29 weeks and 32 weeks gestation who are less than 6 months at the start of RSV season.
Infants born between 32 weeks and 35 weeks and who are less than 6 months old at the start of RSV season AND who have 2 or more of the following risk factors:
child care attendance (daycare)
school-aged siblings
exposure to environmental air pollutants, such as tobacco smoke
congenital abnormalities of the airways
severe neuromuscular disease
5) Certain children who are younger than 2 years with congenital heart disease, including congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and cyanotic heart disease.
If your baby falls into one of these high risk categories, make sure that you ask your pediatrician about the synagis shot.