Is It More Than a Cold? Recognizing the Signs of RSV in Your Child

Anyone with kids knows they get sick. A lot. Most will catch six to eight colds each year, and that’s before other viruses like influenza, COVID, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, enter the picture.

Given the similarity of symptoms across respiratory infections, it’s no wonder many parents have trouble discerning which illness has struck their child. Fortunately, there are a few key differences that can help you distinguish between a cold and RSV, which can appear similar.

Our expert team at Angel Kids Pediatrics diagnoses and treats a range of illnesses, including RSV, in addition to conducting routine well-child exams and addressing a full scope of other physical and behavioral childhood health issues.

We provide personalized, convenient care at our 10 offices located throughout Jacksonville, Amelia Island, and Saint Johns, Florida, and through our telehealth visit option, as well.

About RSV

While over 200 viruses can cause the common cold, RSV is from one specific virus that results in respiratory illness. Infections occur most frequently from the late fall through early spring.

Most children have been infected with RSV by the time they’re two years old. In healthy kids, it may just seem like another cold — but in infants and children with health issues, RSV can cause significant illness.

RSV transmission

Like colds, RSV spreads from person to person when the virus enters the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. This can happen by breathing infected droplets from the air, or by touching an infected person or contaminated object and then touching the nose, mouth, or eyes. The RSV virus can survive for several hours on hard surfaces.

RSV symptoms

Some RSV symptoms are similar to the common cold, including sore throat, sneezing, congested or runny nose, dry cough, headache, and low-grade fever. In healthy children, these may comprise the extent of the illness.

RSV can, however, also have more serious symptoms if it spreads to the lower respiratory tract and results in pneumonia, or if small airway passages become inflamed. When this happens, your baby or child may experience a higher fever, severe cough, and wheezing. Breathing may be rapid or difficult, and their skin could turn bluish in color due to lack of oxygen.

Babies, especially those born prematurely or who are younger than six months, are more likely to suffer from a severe case of RSV with symptoms such as short, shallow, or fast breathing, coughing, poor feeding, and seeming unusually tired, lethargic, or irritable. 

Others at higher risk for severe RSV illness include children with heart disease or chronic lung disease (i.e., asthma), a weakened immune system, or a neuromuscular disorder.

Expert care for RSV

Whether your child is newly sick with concerning symptoms like a high fever, dehydration, severe coughing, or difficulty breathing — or if they’ve been ill for a few days and aren’t getting better, we can make a proper diagnosis and create a treatment plan that will help.

If you’re pregnant or have a newborn, we can also discuss vaccination options to protect your infant from severe illness through RSV immunization. To learn more, schedule a visit at Angel Kids Pediatrics in Jacksonville, Amelia Island, or Saint Johns, Florida, today.