Appointments at Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations.Lifestyle and home remediesBy Mayo Clinic Staff You may not be able to shorten the duration of a respiratory syncytial virus infection, but you can try to relieve some signs and symptoms.If your child has the infection, do your best to comfort or distract him or her — cuddle, read a book or play a quiet game.Other tips for relieving symptoms include: Create moist air.Keep your room or your child's room warm but not overheated.If the air is dry, a cool-mist humidifier or vaporizer can moisten the air and help ease congestion and coughing.Be sure to keep the humidifier clean, to prevent the growth of bacteria and molds.An ideal indoor humidity is around 50 percent.Keep your child in an upright position.Sitting upright makes breathing easier.Placing your infant in a car seat may help.When sleeping, place your infant on his or her back on a firm mattress as usual, but elevate the head of the mattress about 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) with an object underneath the mattress.

Encourage your child to drink fluids.Keep a steady supply of cool water at the bedside, and offer warm fluids, such as soup, which may help loosen thickened secretions.Ice pops may be soothing as well.Continue breast-feeding or bottle-feeding your infant as you would normally.Try saline nasal drops.Over-the-counter (OTC) drops are a safe, effective way to ease congestion, even for young children.Drip several drops into one nostril to loosen hardened or thick mucus, then immediately suction that nostril, using a bulb syringe.volcano vaporizer kleinanzeigenRepeat the process in the other nostril.vaporizer mflb reviewDo this before feedings and before putting your baby down to sleep.mvp vaporizer review

Use over-the-counter pain relievers.OTC pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) may help reduce fever, relieve a sore throat and improve ability to drink fluids.Check with your doctor about age-appropriate use and doses of such medications.Eliminate exposure to cigarette smoke.Stay away from cigarette smoke because it can aggravate symptoms.Treatments and drugsPrevention ShareTweet References Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2014: 5 Books in 1.vc vaporizer penAccessed May 14, 2014.vp300 vaporizerGoldman L, et al.taav steam vaporizer t2008Respiratory syncytial virus infection (RSV).Kliegman RM, et al.Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics.Accessed May 15, 2014.Respiratory syncytial virus infection (RSV) — Treatment.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.Barr FE, et al.Respiratory syncytial virus infection: Treatment.Policy statement — Modified recommendations for use of Palivizumab for prevention of respiratory syncytial virus infections.American Academy of Pediatrics Policy.Advertisement Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.Advertising & Sponsorship Policy Opportunities Ad Choices Mayo Clinic Store Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic.The Mayo Clinic Diabetes DietThe Mayo Clinic Handbook for HappinessMayo Clinic A to Z Health GuideMayo Clinic on Digestive HealthThe Mayo Clinic Diet Online Other Topics in Patient Care & Health Info Healthy Lifestyle Symptoms A-Z Diseases and Conditions A-Z Tests and Procedures A-Z Drugs and Supplements A-Z Appointments Patient and Visitor Guide Billing and Insurance Patient Online Services

en españolAbout RSV Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-ul) virus (RSV), which causes infection of the lungs and breathing passages, is a major cause of respiratory illness in young children.Adults with RSV might have the symptoms of a common cold, such as a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, mild headache, cough, fever, and a general feeling of being ill.But in premature babies and kids with diseases that affect the lungs, heart, or immune system, RSV infections can lead to other more serious illnesses.RSV is highly contagious, and spreads through droplets containing the virus when someone coughs or sneezes.It also can live on surfaces (such as countertops or doorknobs) and on hands and clothing, so it can easily spread when a person touches something contaminated.RSV can spread rapidly through schools and childcare centers.Babies often get it when older kids carry the virus home from school and pass it to them.Almost all kids are infected with RSV at least once by the time they're 2 years old.

RSV infections often happen in epidemics that last from late fall through early spring.Respiratory illness caused by RSV — such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia — usually lasts about a week, but some cases may last several weeks.Doctors usually diagnose RSV by taking a medical history and doing a physical exam.In most healthy kids, it's not necessary to distinguish RSV from a common cold.But if a child has other health conditions, a doctor might want to make a specific diagnosis.In that case, RSV is identified by testing nasal secretions collected either with a cotton swab or by suction through a bulb syringe.Preventing RSV Because RSV can be easily spread by touching infected people or surfaces, washing hands well and often is key in stopping it.Try to wash your hands after having any contact with someone who has cold symptoms.And school-age kids who have a cold should be kept away from any younger siblings — especially babies — until their symptoms pass.To prevent serious RSV-related respiratory disease, at-risk infants can get a monthly injection of a medicine with RSV antibodies during peak RSV season (roughly November to April).

The protection it gives is short-lived, though, so the injections must continue in each RSV season until the child is no longer at high risk for severe RSV infection.Ask the doctor if your child is considered high risk.Treating RSV Fortunately, most cases of RSV are mild and require no specific treatment from doctors.Antibiotics aren't used because RSV is a virus and antibiotics are only effective against bacteria.Medication may sometimes be given to help open airways.RSV infection can be more serious in babies, though.Some infants might need treatment in a hospital, where they can be watched closely and receive fluids, if needed, and treatment for any breathing problems.At home, make a child with an RSV infection as comfortable as possible, allow time for recovery, and provide plenty of fluids.The last part can be tricky, however, because babies may not feel like drinking.In that case, offer fluids in small amounts often.To help your child breathe easier, use a cool-mist vaporizer during the winter months to keep the air moist — winter air can dry out airways and make mucus stickier.

Avoid hot-water and steam humidifiers, which can be hazardous and can cause scalding.If you use a cool-mist humidifier, clean it daily with household bleach to discourage mold.If your child is uncomfortable and too young to blow his or her own nose, use a nasal aspirator (or bulb syringe) to remove sticky nasal fluids.Treat fever using a nonaspirin fever medicine like acetaminophen.Aspirin should not be used in children with viral illnesses — such use has been associated with Reye syndrome, a life-threatening illness.When to Call the Doctor Call the doctor if your child has any of these symptoms: a high fever and doesn't look well thick nasal discharge a cough that gets worse or produces yellow, green, or gray mucus signs of dehydration trouble breathing In infants, besides the symptoms already mentioned, call the doctor if your baby is unusually irritable or inactive, or refuses to breastfeed or bottle-feed.Seek immediate medical help if you feel your child is having trouble breathing or is breathing very rapidly, is lethargic, or if his or her lips or fingernails appear blue.Reviewed by: Catherine L. Lamprecht, MD