Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an RNA virus that is the main cause of respiratory tract infections in children. In the Northern hemisphere, RSV infections are most prominent from November to April. By the age of two, most children will have had a respiratory syncytial virus infection. RSV can cause bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children. With most children, RSV is diagnosed with a physical exam. Some symptoms include coughing, stuffy nose, sore throat, earache, fever, poor feeding, and apnea. These can be very similar to the common cold. In most cases, RSV infections go away on their own in 10-14 days, but some more vulnerable children may have more severe symptoms. Children younger than 60 days, premature children, children with unrepaired
