CINCINNATI — A surge in respiratory viruses spreading among children is pushing hospitals across to the country to the brink.
"I think the medical community broadly is very concerned," said Bruce Vanderhoff, the director of Ohio Department of Health.
Hospitals in 26 states — including Ohio and Indiana — report seeing a surge of pediatric patients earlier than usual.
"We've been talking about an increase in respiratory syncytial virus or RSV for some time, in fact, there are more cases over the summer than you would typically see," said Dr. Steve Feagins, medical director of Hamilton County Public Health.
Hospitals began seeing an increase in cases months before the typical peak, which is during the winter months.
The surge comes as a concern for parents like Hannah Smith. Her 4-year-old daughter had a respiratory illness this week.
"We had a night where we were all up where she was coughing so hard she was vomiting," Smith said.
Smith said her family’s pediatrician told them about the severity of the surge.
“I think what's hard is those middle of the night moments as a parent when you're kind of battling between is this bad enough to go to the hospital,” Smith said.
Health experts say the surge could be happening for a combination of reasons.
“Part of it is just a cumulative lack of immunity because we haven't seen it in the community,” said Feagins.
Feagins estimates pediatric hospitalizations here in the Tri-State have nearly doubled.
"We've been talking with our colleagues from Children's (Hospital), we've heard for some time that that there has been an increase in inpatients,” Feagins said. “In other words, a child who's sick enough to need fluids or respiratory treatments on in a hospital setting for some time, not just now but for some time."
Feagins said that not only impacts the staff on that unit, but other units as well.
Hospitals in Connecticut are bringing in extra resources, such as the National Guard, as hospital beds are running out.
"I don't see that happening here locally in the foreseeable future, but it's always a possibility,” Feagins said. “Cincinnati Children's, which is a very large system, has the ability to arrange capacity to meet a pretty significant surge."
Doctors are also reminding parents to make sure your kids are up to date on their vaccinations and to continue to wash hands frequently and sanitize any heavily touched surfaces.
