NEWS Coronavirus News For Kids, Increased Respiratory Viruses Could Be on the Horizon By LaKeisha Fleming LaKeisha Fleming Facebook Twitter LaKeisha Fleming is a prolific writer with over 20 years of experience writing for a variety of formats, from film and television scripts to magazines articles and digital content. She is passionate about parenting and family, as well as destigmatizing mental health issues. Her book, There Is No Heartbeat: From Miscarriage to Depression to Hope, is authentic, transparent, and provides hope to many. Learn about our editorial process Published on August 11, 2021 Fact checked Verywell Family content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Nicholas Blackmer Fact checked by Nicholas Blackmer LinkedIn Nick Blackmer is a librarian, fact checker, and researcher with more than 20 years’ experience in consumer-oriented health and wellness content. Learn about our editorial process Share Tweet Email Print RyanJLane / Getty Images Key Takeaways A study notes that respiratory viruses like RSV are on the rise in children.Virus cases likely diminished due to mask wearing and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.The cycle of exposure and immunity for many of the viruses may have been disturbed during the pandemic. Although mask-wearing as protection from COVID-19 transmission may be back on the forefront, many other restrictions surrounding the virus are loosening. A new study predicts that fewer restrictions may mean an increase in respiratory viruses in children. Published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the study notes that a lack of immunity because of COVID-19 pandemic precautions may account for the jump in RSV cases. The Resurgence Researchers with BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute and the University of British Columbia studied data on RSV cases in Australia. They found a decrease in cases last year, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts say measures like social distancing and mask-wearing likely contributed to the lack of transmission. However, vaccines and even COVID-19 fatigue are leading to a loosening of rules that helped curb viruses from spreading. Those factors may create a dangerous breeding ground for RSV. Juan A. Dumois, MD As those restrictions were released in many communities in late spring and early summer, we have seen an increase in the transmission of these winter respiratory viruses, including RSV, in the middle of the summer. I have never seen this before. — Juan A. Dumois, MD “As those restrictions were released in many communities in late spring and early summer, we have seen an increase in the transmission of these winter respiratory viruses, including RSV, in the middle of the summer. I have never seen this before. We have seen similar effect on other viruses,such as influenza, parainfluenza, and adenovirus,” notes Juan A. Dumois, MD, a pediatric infectious diseases physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. The study centered on numbers in Australia and the likelihood of an RSV spike in Canada, where the number of cases dwindled into the hundreds during the pandemic. The United States is also experiencing a similar trend. “We may expect that the winter RSV season might be more severe than the typical year, with more children requiring hospitalization and high-level care in pediatric intensive care units,” Dr. Dumois adds. In fact, the CDC issued a health advisory in June, citing an increase in RSV activity across the southern portion of the United States. Symptoms of early RSV can include a runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and decreased appetite. Infants younger than 6 months old may also experience decreased activity, lethargy, fever, and pauses while breathing. How to Protect Your Kids from the RSV Virus Respiratory Viruses RSV stands for respiratory syncytial virus infection. It's a common respiratory virus with symptoms similar to a mild cold. It can be serious for infants and older adults, and can lead to bronchiolitis and pneumonia. On average, the United States normally experiences over 2 million cases of RSV annually in children, with as many as 500 deaths in children under 5 years old. There are about 177,000 hospitalizations for RSV among adults ages 65 and older. RSV can be transmitted through contact, not just through the air. However, it is not the only respiratory virus that may be making a problematic resurgence. “There are a number of respiratory illnesses, especially rhinovirus and coronavirus—subtypes distinct from COVID-19—that are spread through the air and could become problematic. However, these viruses do not pose as severe a risk to infants as RSV,” explains Armeen Poor, MD, assistant professor of medicine at New York Medical College, attending physician in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Metropolitan Hospital, and Director of Critical Care Services. Moving Forward In-person schooling, the relaxing of social distancing, and removal of some guidelines for wearing masks can all create situations where viruses can spread more easily. The increase of several respiratory viruses is not only concerning now, but also for future implications. Armeen Poor, MD The usual cyclical nature of exposure and immunity to these viruses, as children grow, may have been disrupted and we’re not sure how this will affect the population. — Armeen Poor, MD “This might become a larger issue as we loosen restrictions, and infants and immunocompromised individuals may be exposed to this reemergence of common viruses that we may have been deprived of developing immunity to. The usual cyclical nature of exposure and immunity to these viruses, as children grow, may have been disrupted and we’re not sure how this will affect the population,” advises Dr. Poor. Many of the CDC recommendations to protect children against the spread of RSV are familiar measures from the fight against the COVID-19 virus: Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and waterIf soap and water are not available, using an alcohol-based sanitizer is beneficialAvoid touching your face with unwashed hands to prevent the spread of germsCover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneezeDisinfect commonly touched surfacesAvoid close contact with those who aren’t feeling wellStay home if you are sick Practicing good safety and hygienic practices can help children stay healthy while dealing with a variety of ailments, both now and in the future. What This Means For You Kids and parents have been through so much with safety measures to guard against the COVID-19 virus. And now the study notes the need to guard against emerging respiratory viruses. However, continued precautions, especially those dealing with hygiene, are a beneficial lifestyle skill to implement for the sake of future good health. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 3 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Lavoie PM, Reicherz F, Solimano A, Langley JM. Potential resurgence of respiratory syncytial virus in Canada. CMAJ. 2021;193(29):E1140-E1141. doi:10.1503/cmaj.210919 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Respiratory syncytial virus infection (RSV): trends and surveillance. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Increased interseasonal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity in parts of the southern United States.