Do kids with RSV have to quarantine?

Young infants and people with weakened immune systems can be contagious for weeks. People can be contagious even if they don't have a fever or any other RSV symptoms. If you have RSV, stay home as much as possible until you're no longer contagious.

Should I isolate if my child has RSV?

People over the age of 50 or those with heart or lung disease are also at risk for complications, and they can catch RSV from babies, toddlers and older kids. If your child gets RSV, keep him or her away from anyone in your family who is at high risk of becoming very sick.

How long should a child quarantine with RSV?

People with RSV are usually contagious for three to eight days. They can be contagious a day or two before they show symptoms. Babies and people with weakened immune systems (immunocompromised) who get the virus can spread it for up to a month.

Do kids with RSV have to stay home from school?

There is no way to tell if your child is still contagious. A good rule of thumb is that they can return to daycare/school once they have had no fever for at least 24 hours (without fever medicine), they are eating and drinking well, and the cough may be present but is no longer very frequent or distressing.

Should you quarantine with RSV?

Stay home from work or school when sick, until symptoms subside. If you have very young children or elderly adults at home, including a child who was born 29 weeks or earlier or a child or adult with congenial lung disease, try to keep them isolated from family members who develop respiratory viruses or symptoms.

What Do Parents Need To Know About RSV Infections In Children?

Do siblings have to quarantine with RSV?

If someone in your family becomes sick, they should stay home and call a doctor. They should self-quarantine away from other family members as much as possible, especially infants and very young children (who are at the highest risk from RSV).

Is it safe to visit someone with RSV?

Yes, RSV is very contagious. It's easiest to spread the illness in the first few days or week of symptoms. Some babies and people with weakened immune systems may remain contagious for as long as four weeks after their symptoms start.

Are parents contagious when child has RSV?

Parents and other adults can easily infect young children with RSV. Because RSV symptoms resemble those of the common cold (runny nose, sore throat, mild headache, cough, and sometimes a fever), parents and other adults may not realize they are infected with the virus but can still be contagious.

Can I go to work if my child has RSV?

Should I stay home from work or school or keep my child out of childcare with an RSV infection? To prevent the spread of illness, adults and children should stay home from work, school and/or childcare with a fever or upper respiratory symptoms such as a cough.

Can my daughter go to school with RSV?

If my child has this disease, when can he or she return to school or child care? A child with RSV can return after it has been 8 days since symptoms started.

What type of isolation does a child with RSV need to be on?

To prevent nosocomial spread, infants and young children with suspected RSV infection should be placed on contact isolation.

Can adults get RSV from kids?

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract. It's so common that most children have been infected with the virus by age 2. Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-ul) virus can also infect adults.

What are the first signs of RSV?

What Are the Symptoms of RSV? Initial signs of RSV are similar to mild cold symptoms, including congestion, runny nose, fever, cough and sore throat. Very young infants may be irritable, fatigued and have breathing difficulties. Normally these symptoms will clear up on their own in a few days.

Can my son go to school with RSV?

If they have RSV or even if a health care provider suspects it is RSV even with no testing done, children can go back to school or daycare once they are starting to feel better and they have no fever for 24 hours. There is no test needed for RSV for patients to return to daycare.

What should a parent do if their child has RSV?

There's no specific medicine for RSV, but you can treat the symptoms if your child is uncomfortable (fever medicine, fluids (babies often do better with more frequent, lower volume of fluids, to enable the babies to catch their breath while eating). These symptoms usually last 5 to 7 days.

What to do if your child has RSV?

Take steps to relieve symptoms

Manage fever and pain with over-the-counter fever reducers and pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. (Never give aspirin to children.) Drink enough fluids. It is important for people with RSV infection to drink enough fluids to prevent dehydration (loss of body fluids).

Should a child with RSV go to daycare?

How long does RSV last? Usually 3-7 days. Typically, days 3-4 are the worst. Babies can go back to daycare when they aren't requiring additional help (extra suctioning, breathing treatments, small frequent feeds) and are fever-free for 24 hours.

What does a RSV cough sound like?

Children with RSV typically have two to four days of upper respiratory tract symptoms, such as fever and runny nose/congestion. These are then followed by lower respiratory tract symptoms, like increasing wheezing cough that sounds wet and forceful with increased work breathing.

How long will RSV test positive?

RSV A was detectable by RT-PCR as long as 30 days maximum with a mean of 12.8 days, while RSV B tested positive in RT-PCR as long as 10 days with a mean of 5.8 days (Fig. ​ 3).

Is RSV worse than COVID?

Coronavirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are two kinds of respiratory illnesses that have some similar symptoms. So far, the new coronavirus appears to be more dangerous for adults, especially older ones.

Should adults with RSV stay home?

Stay home when you are sick

If possible, stay home from work, school, and public areas when you are sick. This will help protect others from catching your illness.

How contagious is RSV between siblings?

RSV is very contagious. It can spread through the droplets released into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or if you touch a contaminated surface, such as counters or doorknobs (where it can live for hours). It can also spread through direct contact (kissing the face of a child with RSV, for example).

How long do you quarantine for RSV?

The CDC reports those infected with RSV are typically contagious for between three and eight days, though some infants or people with weakened immune systems can spread the virus for as long as four weeks, even if they are no longer showing symptoms.

How long does RSV last in children?

RSV typically lasts a week or two, and most kids get better on their own. But the virus can cause more serious infections. Sometimes RSV can lead to bronchiolitis, an infection of the lower respiratory tract, or pneumonia, a lung infection.

Why are so many kids getting RSV?

Many say the uptick in cases is likely because people weren't exposed much in the past two years with masking and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's some information for parents to help protect children from RSV and to know the first signs of severe infection.