Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, as it is most frequently known, is a common childhood virus that infects almost all children by their second birthday. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), RSV is an airborne virus, spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes into the air. The infection can also be spread through oral or nasal secretions, directly or indirectly contacted, for example, by touching or kissing the face of an infected child, or by touching a surface that has been infected and then rubbing the eyes or nose.

Dr. Jon Roberts, a pediatric pulmonologist at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y., indicates the symptoms of RSV are the same as those of the common cold, such as runny nose and mild coughing, and usually last about a week, maybe two. However, in some infants and toddlers, the symptoms can progress and become more serious, lasting up to three to four weeks.

"If the symptoms worsen, they can lead to difficulty breathing and/or wheezing and a blue tint around the lips and fingernails," Dr. Roberts says. "Infants may also refuse to eat and be generally irritable."

Jennifer Siglin's son was 7 months old when he contracted RSV. "He had nasal congestion, as well as a terrible cough and wheezing while breathing," says the Marietta, Ga., mom. "He was extremely fussy and would not eat or drink. He had a high fever, 102.5 [degrees Fahrenheit]."

Since her son was in daycare, Siglin was familiar with the common cold. "I knew something was different and definitely wrong," she says. "I immediately took him to the pediatrician, and upon doing so he was tested and diagnosed with RSV."

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