Respiratory Virus Poses Health Threat to Infants

Respiratory syncytial virus, which causes a serious lung infection, affects thousands of infants annually, and it's in season until March.

"About 70 percent of children will contract RSV by age 1," said Dr. Michael Speer, a pediatrician at Texas Children's Hospital.

While the virus may be especially dangerous to premature and multiple-birth babies, it usually amounts to little more than a cold for most healthy children, Dr. Speer said.

To reduce the risk of exposing infants to the virus, wash hands often, stay away if you have a cold or fever, limit exposure to children with cold symptoms, avoid crowded areas and refrain from smoking around babies or children.

- Courtesy of Texas Children's Hospital

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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