(Madera, California) – It is peak season right now for influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a respiratory virus that can affect infants and young children especially hard. This “respiratory season” typically begins around November and lasts through March, although the month it reaches its peak changes each year.
“We’re right in the middle of our RSV and flu season now, so we are seeing almost 400 patients a day,” Valley Children’s Director of Emergency Medicine Dr. Geetanjali Srivastava said.
This increase in emergency department volume has led to longer wait times and has prompted Valley Children’s to enact additional steps to protect children and limit their exposure to infections.
During times of high patient volumes, Valley Children’s Emergency Department (ED) puts a “one caregiver” policy into effect. During these times, only one parent or guardian is allowed to stay in the main ED waiting room with their child. All other family and friends are invited to wait in a designated area of the hospital’s Grape Jellyfish Café.
Because of the high patient volume coming to the ED, it is important for parents to know when it is necessary to seek emergency treatment for their child. Dr. Srivastava recommends that parents seek medical help if their child is:
- Not looking well
- Having difficulty breathing
- Not taking in enough fluids
- Not making enough urine
- Not engaged
- Not active or playful, even when given ibuprofen or Tylenol
If parents observe any of these symptoms in their child, Dr. Srivastava encourages them to contact their pediatrician or go to the emergency department if the child’s pediatrician is unable to see them right away.
Once a child is seen by a healthcare provider, Dr. Srivastava points out that depending on the child’s age and health status, the provider may not test for flu or RSV.
“If your child is less than two years of age and has no other health problems, it is not recommended to check for RSV or flu,” Dr. Srivastava said. “If they are less than 12 months of age, we may check for flu if your child is ill-appearing.”
Many parents question why RSV tests are not performed on their child.
“RSV testing is unfortunately not very helpful,” Dr. Srivastava explains, “Because there is no medicine for RSV, we just treat the symptoms of RSV. So even if your child’s test comes back positive, it does not change what treatment we provide.”