PSA - CDC reports outbreak of severe respiratory virus in kids

[Rainbows&Roses]

We are in Illinois and I think my two had this last week. It came out of nowhere (no idea where they were exposed) and got bad quickly but was gone very quickly except for the cough which I still hear from time to time. I thought it was just allergies, but then my youngest caught it. It was really a bizarre illness and my DH and I were puzzled as to what it was. It never really developed into a bad cold though I hit them hard with supplements so maybe that helped. My DH and I never got it.

[daisysmom]

The front page of our paper todsy said there are 10 cases in our small local hospital. And dd's school sent an email to all parents today suggesting that we have a few cases in the lower school. This really worries me. Then again - my dd had a horrible cold for the last 3 weeks and just got rid of it. But no coughing so I don't think it was the worried-about virus.

[Momit]

Our smallish elementary school had 5 kids sent home the other day. One was our neighbor's child - she said it was awful.

[petesgirl]

I just took my kids to to dr today because they both have coughs and congestion, but they are otherwise fine. The dr just looked at them, both pretty happy and smiling and said 'no way.'

[Rainbows&Roses]

I just took my kids to to dr today because they both have coughs and congestion, but they are otherwise fine. The dr just looked at them, both pretty happy and smiling and said 'no way.'

I have read several reports on this virus and it has been said that this virus absolutely does not hit everyone hard. My oldest had a bit of fever, felt like a truck hit her and slept for a day and that was it. The youngest (only exposed to her and no one else) had a bit of a stuffy nose but nothing else besides this long lasting cough.

I think the media is freaking people out about this unnecessarily as unlike the flu, last I read, no one had died and everyone recovered completely.

[azzeps]

Hmm. I'm just putting together that maybe this is what DS had and now DD has it. Both just yucky coughing. DS came down with it the week we were back from IL. DD has had it probably 3 days now and hasn't been super I'll or anything. Just coughing. They did manage to infect my parents who were pretty congested. Wonder if I'm next?

[lmh2402]

I have read several reports on this virus and it has been said that this virus absolutely does not hit everyone hard. My oldest had a bit of fever, felt like a truck hit her and slept for a day and that was it. The youngest (only exposed to her and no one else) had a bit of a stuffy nose but nothing else besides this long lasting cough.

I think the media is freaking people out about this unnecessarily as unlike the flu, last I read, no one had died and everyone recovered completely.

I think the concern is that while not all are hit hard, when it does happen, it seems like kids can go downhill pretty fast. Especially those with a history of resp issues.

I think it's better to be aware that this is out there and to be watchful, rather than be caught unaware and possibly with a kid that really needs help ASAP

[Chitowngirl]

I think my DS had it a few weeks ago. He is a day care kid so a runny nose is not unusual for him. He started with a mild runny nose in the morning. A mild cough started by mid day. No fever and he generally acted well all day. We put him to bed that night and he was really fussy which is not usual for him. I checked him once and he had no fever and so we let him "cry it out" the rest of the night. He woke maybe 3 or 4 times which he never does but he always fell back asleep in 5 min so I wasn't worried. In the morning I went to get him and one look told you something was terribly wrong. It wasn't just a cough. In fact he was barely coughing. He was fussy, lethargic, and obviously struggling to breathe. He wouldn't let me put him down, would barely eat breakfast, and then cried so hard he threw up the little he are. It took my DH and I about 45 min before we realized he needed to go to the ER. In the ER he got steroids and 3 back to back breathing treatments. By the third he looked like a whole new kid, but the doctor said he still wasn't moving much air. He was admitted with a new diagnosis of asthma. He was in the hospital 2 days and sent home with breathing treatments, steroids, antibiotics, ect. They told us it was asthma. The thing is that now he is completely fine. Last week my DH and I even stopped all his inhalers and stuff cause we were concerned about the side effects and he has still been fine. I really wonder if he had this virus before it was widely known that it was going around so they didn't know to test for it. I plan to ask the ped when we go in next month for follow-up.

Also, if it happens to you like it happened to us then it came on quick and there were no doubts about when he needed to do in. The primary problem was breathing - the cold/cough symptoms were minor.

[lmh2402]

Chitowngirl - so sorry your DS got so ill. glad you guys caught it in time and the hospital stay made him better. scary stuff.

[indigo99]

We had a birthday party yesterday, and 2/13 guests cancelled because they got sick. My boys were both sniffly last week. Then DH and I both got a cold. DS2 is still a little sick, but DS1 seems to have suffered the least so far. None of us have had fever though so it's probably not the strain everyone is concerned about. Our state isn't in the ten. However, we border several states that are, and our city is a hub for interstate travel.