GREENWOOD — It started with what the Haughn family thought was a cold. Fast forward two days later, and doctors at an urgent care center diagnosed Leilani with RSV and pneumonia.
“It’s been worse than anything that we’ve dealt with,” Sasha Haughn, Leilani’s mom, said.
Central Indiana doctors are warning respiratory season for kids is here and taking hold. Haughn echoes that statement.
“I never thought that we would be dealing with RSV in mid-September on an 80-degree day,” Haughn said. She continued, “It’s been a ride but I think we’re past the scary part.”
The mom of three said her daughter is doing better following several rounds of steroids and antibiotic. Still, she took to Facebook to share her story as a warning to other parents — the respiratory season is here, and it is wreaking havoc.
“I think that’s why we waited to take her because it’s not wintertime. It’s not your typical flu season,” Haughn said.
From RSV to rhinovirus to enterovirus and everything in between — Riley Hospital for Children’s Dr. John Christenson shares current bed availability is tight.
“There’s a lot of resilient people and they persevere and provide good care, but the reality is, definitely there’s a lot on the system,” Dr. Christenson said.
The infectious diseases doctor urges parents to answer these questions to determine if a child needs more medical attention.
- Is there breathing difficulty?
- Can a fever be controlled by medicine?
- Are they refusing to eat?
“Right now, we’re double last week of our isolation of rhinovirus and enterovirus,” Dr. Christenson said.
Dr. Christenson predicts RSV will peak in about a month, which is earlier than normal. As for influenza, he believes that will take hold early in the new year.
His best advice to parents -- keep kids home if they are sick.
“Imagine now covid along with RSV, influenza and all these other viruses circulating at the same time, it’s going to put quite a strain on healthcare systems,” Dr. Christenson said.
-
Martin Luther King Jr.’s granddaughter inspires Indy youth at Central Library
On Saturday, the spirit of Civil Rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. came to Indy, in the form of his granddaughter, 16-year-old Yolanda Renee King.
Rice leads No. 16 Indiana past South Carolina
Myles Rice scored 17 of his 23 points in the first half and No. 16 Indiana defeated South Carolina 87-71 on Saturday.
California health officials report first case of new form of mpox in the US
The first known case of clade I mpox in the U.S. was recently discovered in a person in California, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Saturday.
Ball St. fires coach Mike Neu after 4 straight losing seasons
Ball State fired coach Mike Neu on Saturday following four straight losing seasons since winning his only Mid-American Conference title.
