Illnesses such as RSV already striking children hard

SALT LAKE CITY — It’s that time of the year when children come down with a variety of different illnesses, including Respiratory Syncytial Virus or RSV.

According to medical experts, respiratory illnesses are already starting to make their presence felt among children. 

And it’s not just one illness at a time. Children are catching illnesses such as COVID, RSV and seasonal colds all at once. And that means Utah hospitals are starting to see more sick children. 

“I have seen multiple kids with RSV,” said Dr. Marion Bishop, an ER doctor in Logan and Ogden. “And I have also taken care of kids who had both RSV and at the same time COVID. And also, RSV and influenza. So, there’s a ton of respiratory illness out there. And it’s striking children the hardest.”

Bishop says RSV is especially hard for young children to fight.

“But for tiny children and for kids who have other problems, like asthma,” she said. “RSV can be really dangerous because their bodies just aren’t big enough to handle what the disease does to them.”

Bishop says due to the rise in COVID cases in the past, hospitals are better prepared to handle an increase of sick people.  

Mark Jones contributed to this article.

Read more:

• By the next RSV season, the US may have its first vaccine
• Father of infant hospitalized with RSV warns parents to be alert as respiratory illness spreads quickly

 

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