For Parents & Families

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus)

What RSV is, what to watch for at home, and when it’s time to call your provider or go to the ER.

What is RSV?

RSV is a very common respiratory virus. Most children get RSV at least once before age 2. In older children and adults, RSV usually feels like a cold. In babies and young children — especially those under 6 months old, premature babies, and children with underlying heart or lung conditions — RSV can cause more serious breathing problems. RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (swelling in the small airways of the lungs) in young children.

What to Watch for at Home

Runny nose: often the first sign — starts clear, may turn yellow or green
Cough: often a wet, wheezy cough
Wheezing: a whistling sound when your child breathes out
Fast breathing
Chest retractions: skin pulling in under or between the ribs
Feeding difficulty: babies may have trouble feeding because of congestion and fast breathing
Fever: may be mild or absent

RSV season and infants under 6 months

RSV activity typically peaks in the fall and winter months. Babies under 6 months old with RSV need close watching — their symptoms can decline quickly, sometimes within a matter of hours, so it’s worth checking in more often than you might for an older child.

What You Can Do at Home

Saline drops and bulb syringe: clear your baby’s nose before feeding — this can make a big difference
Upright position: keep your baby upright as much as possible — it helps breathing
Fluids: offer breast milk or formula more frequently in smaller amounts
Humidifier: a cool mist humidifier in the room can help — keep it clean
No smoking: secondhand smoke makes RSV much worse. If anyone in the home smokes, ask them to smoke outside and away from the baby

Note: There is no specific medicine for RSV. Antibiotics do not help — RSV is a virus. Treatment is supportive care.

📞 Call your provider if:

Breathing faster than normal
Not feeding well — taking less than half the usual amount
Fewer wet diapers
Wheezing that is not improving
Under 3 months old with any RSV symptoms

🚨 Go to the ER immediately if:

Struggling to breathe — retractions, grunting, nostrils flaring
Blue or gray color anywhere on the body
Very difficult to wake
Breathing pauses (apnea) — especially in babies
Limp or floppy

If you’re ever unsure how your baby is doing, it’s always reasonable to call your provider or send a video through MamaBear — trust your instincts, especially with a young infant.