By: Stephanie Van’t Zelfden, RDN
More Kids Are Getting Sick This Fall – Why Is It Happening & What Should Parents Do?
Every fall and winter many children (and adults) get sick with respiratory illnesses, like influenza or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). But this year in 2022, things seem to be different.
This fall, children across the US and Canada have been experiencing greater rates of respiratory illnesses than in previous years. As a result, hospitals are seeing more pediatric patients admitted, a worrying trend for parents and healthcare providers.
How many children are sickened by respiratory viruses
Each year in the United States, influenza leads to 6,000 to 27,000 hospitalizations for children younger than 5 years old, and RSV leads to 58,000 to 80,000 hospitalizations for children younger than 5 years old. While most children who become infected with RSV have only mild cold-like symptoms, some children are at greater risk for more severe illness.
Children at greatest risk for hospitalization from respiratory illnesses include those who are younger than 6 months old, premature infants, those with weakened immune systems, chronic lung disease, congenital heart disease, or neuromuscular disorders.
Why RSV infections are on the rise
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), pediatric respiratory illnesses follow a typical pattern, with a rise in infection starting in fall and peaking in winter. However, the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted these patterns because of prevention measures like school closures, social distancing, masking, and other precautions.
According to the CDC RSV-Net Dashboard, rates of RSV infection were very low throughout the 2020-2021 winter season, with rates of infection rising instead during summer 2021. In 2022, rates of RSV infection increased in summer as well. It is difficult to predict when the infection rate trends will return to their pre-pandemic patterns.
More children hospitalized with respiratory illnesses
With more children this year becoming infected with the flu and RSV, hospital beds are filling up with children experiencing more severe symptoms. According to data from the US Department of Health and Human Services, 77% of pediatric hospital beds and 80% of pediatric ICU beds are currently occupied, compared with around two-thirds of beds occupied over the past two years.
In Canada, children’s hospitals are reporting long wait times and high volume, with some hospitals exceeding more than 125 percent capacity and emergency wait times as long as 13 hours.
Keeping kids healthy during the winter months
Parents and caregivers can help reduce the chances of their child catching respiratory illnesses this winter. The CDC recommends practicing washing hands frequently, teaching kids to cough and sneeze into their elbow, avoiding close contact with people who are sick, and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces. Parents and caregivers may also consider masking up if they begin to show cold or flu-like symptoms.
When to seek medical attention
In a recent CNN interview, Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez of Columbia University Irving Medical Center advises parents to seek medical attention when a child has a fever that is not coming down at home or has lasted for several days, is dehydrated or unable to keep fluids down, or is having trouble breathing.