RSV Found Us

I had suspected Creighton's "cold" was more serious an hour into it's first symptoms Friday night. So yesterday we hauled all 3 (and of course Ella), in to see the pediatrician where he confirmed our suspicions and diagnosed the ever evil and dreaded, RSV (aka: Respiratory Syncytial Virus).

What is RSV?
It is a viral infection, often called bronchiolitis. In adults and older children it appears as only a severe cold, but in infants under a year they become more ill as the disease moves into the lungs and causes severe cough and wheezing. This can often lead to hospitalization and/or oxygen to help them through it. Infants who get RSV are more likely to develop asthma later in life. Almost all of them will go on to have subsequent wheezing episodes with other respiratory viral illnesses, especially in the recovery time.

So what now?
Our pediatrician has started all the boys on Singulair (an asthma medication), to try and limit damage to the lungs. He thinks this will help prevent hospitalization, and decrease subsequent wheezing episodes as well as decrease the odds of having asthma later (there are limited studies to show this, but we are happy to try it).  We are also suctioning... a lot. We use nasal sprays up to 10 times a day and suction, suction, suction to help their breathing. In fact, we have a prescription to go to a "suction clinic" when it gets worse. This is where you drive to a clinic (we would go to Primary Children's Medical Center) and the clinic does nothing but suction secretions out of clogged up kids, mostly infants with RSV (apparently). You go at least daily to get them cleared out and breathing better. Another intervention to help avoid hospitalization. We are also sleeping them all in elevated positions and using a humidifier. We are watching for signs for hypoxia (low oxygen in the blood), as this is what would drive us towards more doctor visits, oxygen, or hospitalization. There is also a higher likely hood that someone will develop an ear infection due to all the secretions they are having.

So as for us...
Well, Creighton is on day 4 of his course and Weston & Paxton are on day 1. It is usually a 14-21 day ordeal, with the worst of it happening about days 7-10. Creighton is wheezing and I find it difficult to not check his breathing hourly (even at night). I was initially upset that after all this staying in and avoiding people it was all for not. But our doctor was quick to point out that RSV in these older, chubbier boys is better then 10 lbs ago. They will be more able to fight it and hopefully avoid hospitalization. I have never had RSV despite having all fall babies, and my girls did not stay inside away from people like these triplets have. How frustrating. No one has been sick in our house for weeks, so I have no idea where they got it from. It is a very contagious disease so it would not have taken much. I have had to let go of trying to figure out the "how" because it was driving me insane. Forward and onward we go. I feel like we are walking into a dark cave, and I hate dark caves. But the only way through this is through it, and I wish I could run, but we can't. This will be a daily battle, and hopefully we come out with minimal scarring.

We thank you for your thoughts and prayers, and I will do my best to keep everyone updated.