Parents in North East Lincolnshire urged to look for signs of respiratory infections in young children
Parents in North East Lincolnshire are being urged to look for signs of severe respiratory infections among young children after a rise in out-of-season cases.
The annual outbreak usually begins in late autumn and peaks during winter, but health services in the area have reported an increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases among children this summer.
The rise in out-of-season cases – along with similar increases across the country – comes after there were fewer infections during the winter months due to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
This means many children will not have developed immunity and so health services are expecting to see more cases this year than in a typical season.
Most children are infected with RSV by the time they reach two, with symptoms including a high temperature, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, laboured breathing, and reduced feeding.
For most young children, these illnesses will not be too serious and they will recover within two to three weeks with plenty of rest and fluids. In older children and adults, RSV may cause a cough or cold.
However, some children under two – particularly those born prematurely or with a heart condition – can become seriously ill with conditions such as bronchiolitis, an inflammatory infection of the lower airways which can make it hard to breathe.
Dr Murray Wheeler, Consultant Paediatrician at the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “In Humber, Coast and Vale we are seeing cases of RSV infection (specifically bronchiolitis) much earlier this year than normal, which mirrors what is happening across the country.
“While for most young children this is not serious and they will recover fully after two to three weeks without needing medical attention, it can cause more serious illness in some children, particularly those born prematurely or with a heart condition.
“If your child is suffering from a cold, keep a close eye on their symptoms and make sure to contact your GP or NHS 111 in the first instance to get the help you need if they have a persistent high temperature, become breathless or have difficulty feeding.”
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