10 Week Old Baby Boy with RSV

Updated on December 22, 2010
E.L. asks from Beaumont, TX
18 answers

My son has been coughing really bad lately. So on Wednesday of last week I took him to see his doctor. His doctor to me to use saline drops so I am cleaning his nose constantly. Well over the weekend the cold and cough got worse and he started vomitting up all of his food after each feeding. So on Sunday I called his doctors office and they said take him to the ER. So he was diagnosed with RSV. They gave him a prescription for Xopenex so I got it filled and realized that I needed a breathing to use the Xopenex. Well I didn't have one and I called his doctor and his doctor said he don't need a machine. So I'm confused what do I do about the RSV so he was diagnosed and nothing is being done about it. I guess the doctor wants to diagnose him hisself. I am looking for any suggestions my son is coughing really bad.

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S.H.

answers from Spokane on

My son had RSV at 9 months of age. It is very serious and can be very scary. I had to give him nebulizer treatments every 2-3 around the clock for days! Get back to the ER of find a new pediatrician who is more helpful!

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J.P.

answers from Chicago on

As others have said, RSV is very serious, and your son needs to be treated for it with a nebulizer. I'm surprised that a doctor would be blowing this off in an infant. My daughter had RSV at 3 months of age and was hospitalized for it. Afterwards, she was sick all winter every winter until this year (finally outgrowing it after 5 years). She has viral-induced asthma so every time she catches a cold it turns into that nasty cough and she needs the nebulizer. I don't want to scare you, but this needs to be taken seriously. Call your doctor and insist that they either order a nebulizer for you (can usually be picked up at certain pharmacies) or they need to see the baby immediately! He's too young to mess around with an illness like that.

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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

When my son was diagnosed with RSV, they admitted him to the hospital for 2 days, administering breathing treatments every 2 hours, and sent us home with an infant inhaler. When my nephew had it they kept telling my sister he was fine, until he ended up in the ICU for 2 weeks and almost died. He is now 8 and still has asthma due to all the scar tissue in his lungs. If your doctor is not taking this seriously, find a new doctor now who will.

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M.L.

answers from Houston on

It is supposed to be given through a nebulizer (inhaler), or can be attached to a mask for a child. See below for details.

http://www.xopenex.com/about/patient-instructions.html

Continue harassing your Dr. call him right now and say, "how exactly am I supposed to administer this medication without a nebulizer or mask?" When he doesn't have an answer, ask him where you can get these items.

I'm not sure if you buy them or your insurance does. I would bring your prescription to your pharmacy and get what you need so you can give the medicine. You need to do this immediately as RSV can be very serious.

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M.O.

answers from Chicago on

Do not wait! Get your son back to the hospital NOW.

I'd get a new ped too! What doctor tells you over the phone not to give a medication after you've already been to the ER.

My son had RSV last year. I was stuck in the PICU with him for a week. Don't mess around with RSV, it could cost you your son's life.

I am not an over-reacting sort of person. This is important. Get your son back to the ER, they may admit him until it's over. You can't toy with your son's breathing!

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J.B.

answers from Phoenix on

I hope that you have already gone but please dont wait. Go to the ER. If it is really RSV (tested with drops through the nose) then if he gets to stay home and not be in PICU (my son was lucky) you will need a breathing machine and most likely some inhaled steroids in addition tyo xopenex or albuterol every few hours.

I would get a new ped. You just dont mess with RSV or any thing with the lungs of a baby!

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M.C.

answers from Minneapolis on

Get him back in as soon as you can...you do not want to mess with RSV. Especially at such a young age, he needs care and more then likely more then you can give him yourself.

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S.S.

answers from Phoenix on

My daughter was on Xopenex when she was 18 months old and got RSV. They gave her a first dose in the doctors office, sent us home with a loaner machine since it is critical that treatments get completed. They also called in an order for a breathing machine which was delivered to our home later that evening by Apria Healthcare. Your insurance coverage will affect how much it will cost you to get a breathing machine. We had to pick up the Xopenex from the pharmacy. I agree that either the ER or Pediatrician's office should be able to help you get a breathing machine ASAP. Is there a Pediatric Urgent Care or ER in your area? They may be more helpful.

You seem to say you called the doctor and think they want to diagnose him hisself - so when is your sons appointment with his doctor? I know my office would ensure that I got in that day if a 10 week old possibly had RSV!

I agree - find a new doctor - yours is not providing proper care for your infant.

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S.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Go back to the ER or call them and/or the pharmacist and tell them you need the nebulizer for the Xopenex. RSV is serious and can result in death and with a baby so young, you really want to treat ASAP. My son had RSV when he was around 6 months old and he almost stopped breathing. He was turning blue and ended up in the ER w/ an oxygen mask and they were talking about keeping him in for 3 days to monitor him. Scariest day of my life. Be proactive. Hope he feels better soon...poor baby :(

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T.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

My daughter had RSV when she was 6 weeks old. She was admitted in the hospital for 2 days. When she was home she was on the nebulizer around the clock for a while. It is very serious. I would take him back to the ER for a treatment and ask them to help you figure out how to get a nebulizer. That is a terrible pediatrician for not helping you :(

I hope your son feels better soon.

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D.K.

answers from Phoenix on

both my girls had RSV when they were infants & yes he does need to be on a breathing machine. both mine were hospitalized so it's weird that your son was sent home.. The ER doctor should of asked you if he had a machine for the madicine he was giving you.. I would just call the insurance company & tell them what is going on so you can get a machine asap.. I would offer the use of one of our's but we are in AZ.. sorry & I hope he gets better soon

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J.P.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter had RSV at 10 weeks also and was hospitalized (along with an entire wing of babies with it!). If your dr doesn't seem to be motivated to get you a nebulizer and anything else you need to get your son better and you feel he's not breathing well, get him to the ER fast. This is not something to "wait and see" if it'll get better in a baby this young. There are plenty of stories of babies suffocating with RSV because it constricts the windpipe, and in infants, the windpipe is so small, it happens quickly. I had my daughter at the dr's in the morning, and the diagnosis was RSV and we'd wait to see if it got worse; we were in the ER that evening. I hope your little guy feels better soon. Good luck!

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K.P.

answers from Dallas on

Go back to the ER asap. My daughter had RSV at 6 months and we spent a week in the hospital getting deep suctioning and breathing treatments every 2 hours. RSV is serious keep on his dr or the ER staff till they do something to help him

K.V.

answers from Lansing on

Wow! Scary!

My daughter was diagnosed with RSV when she was 3 months old. Urgent Care sent us home and said there was nothing they could do for her, just to watch her and if she got worse (greyish skin color, etc) to get her back in to either the doctor or ER. Our doctor also said there was nothing that could be done when I took her for her checkup after Urgent Care. Luckily and thankfully, she was/is fine. Thats when she started sleeping with me so I could check her breathing frequently.

RSV can be very dangerous and life threatening. I ended up taking 2 weeks off of work because I didn't want anyone else to be responsible for her.

I agree, I would take him back to the ER and definately find a different doctor.

A.F.

answers from Chicago on

He needs the nebulizer, call the pediatrician back and tell him about the prescription and they should LOAN YOU ONE. My kid had to be on breathing treatments for a similar virus that ended up causing him breathing issues when he was 6 months. He was on the treatments for 4 months then weaned from them so we ended up buying one through our insurance (paid 100% if we called and ordered through their vendor and had a prescription for it from the pediatrician) but the pediatrician loaned us one for a few weeks till we could get it.

Good luck.

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B.B.

answers from New York on

Our son had RSV at around 10 weeks too. He was on Xopenex for a little over a week. Yes, you do need a nebulizer to administer the medication, most of the time the pharmacy has one you can rent. But you can also buy one at a discounted price through your insurance...but you will need an Rx from your dr for it.

I'm surprised your pediatrician isn't being very proactive about this. RSV can be a potentially dangerous infection in young infants.

Good luck!

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M.A.

answers from Phoenix on

My son had RSV at 2yr old and was in the icu. RSV is very serious please take him back and ask them for help. I know a few babies who have died from RSV. Please don't wait then change your sons Dr.

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

To diagnose RSV they put drops in the nose and draw it out and test it. RSV is a dangerous illness.

I say take him back to the ER. RSV can be deadly, my oldest grandson was a month older than my friends new baby grandson. Her grand-baby died when he was just a few weeks old and it was diagnosed as RSV during the autopsy and he had been to the Pediatrican the day before with this illness and not tested. If your doc is not taking this seriously then it may not be in your child's best interest to take him there but to the ER where they did test him and tell you how to treat it.

Xophenx is a liquid medication that requires a nebulizer to administer it. It is a good medication for little ones because it is purer and has little side effects. If the ER wrote the prescription then they may have to means to order the nebulizer too. call the hospital back and talk to the nurse or just take the baby back to be seen again and tell them what the Pediatrician said.

Every baby diagnosed with RSV that I know of has been put in the hospital until the RSV is gone. They usually put an oxygen tent over the baby bed and have a humidifier going at all times. The nurse staff check the baby every little bit to make sure he is getting better.
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The doc has not diagnosed your child. Your child is under the care of the ER doc in this matter. Your doc is telling you he is not going to help in this situation so go to the doc who diagnosed him. The hospital may even have nebulizers in their pharmacy.

We got our Pediatric Nurse Practitioner to write a prescription for a portable nebulizer and my grandson has state insurance since we have guardianship and are on SSDI. They paid for it 100%. The oxygen company in your area that treats people with diseases like Emphysema or Asthma will be who fills the prescription. They are familiar with the paperwork and should do the insurance stuff for you.

We got a Pari and it is wonderful It can be run directly from the electric plug, charged and taken on hikes and camping, or it can be run directly off the car cigarette lighter.

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