CINCINNATI — Pediatric hospitals across the country have been inundated with children who have the respiratory virus RSV. A doctor with Dayton Children’s Hospital reports almost every one of the hospital’s 181 beds are now full.
Locally, Cincinnati Children’s officials say they are not concerned they will run out of beds.
“We have had a lot of practice over the last few years dealing with surges of respiratory virus for COVID,” said Dr. Elizabeth Schlaudecker, medical director of infectious diseases at Cincinnati Children’s.
Dr. Schlaudecker said the hospital can care for more patients as a result of its new emergency room.
"We have lots of plans in place if we need extra help," she said. "We can get it and sometimes we've utilized other spaces if we need to."
Strain on the system can occur when parents opt to take their kids to the emergency room when their child’s symptoms might be able to be managed by a specialist or their primary care doctor.
“I usually tell people it’s okay to stay at home if you have respiratory symptoms: cough, sneeze,” Dr. Schlaudecker said. “Even fevers can be managed fine at home and they’re not dangerous, but if they go on for longer than that usual 7 days or so where you’re starting to see any worsening symptoms, that is the time to call your primary care doctor.”
Dr. Schlaudecker said the main warning signs with RSV when it comes to infants are trouble breathing and loss of appetite.
There is no vaccine for RSV. Dr. Schlaudecker said there is still plenty of time to get eligible kids their flu vaccine to ensure they’re protected before flu season ramps up.
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