my 6 month old has RSV

My six month old has RSV!  He was tested positive for it two days ago.  He is not eating much at all and on amoxicillin.  His fever is gone now but he is still breathing fast and still very raspy! The hospital told me that RSV would not affect his appetite it was because his nose was stuffed up????  How long does it usually take for his breathing to get better??  I always thought that most babies with RSV were hospitalized.  Isnt there something else they could give him to improve his breathing.  So confused and worried.  It seems the hospital thinks this is no big deal.

[peekawho]

If you are concerned, you should call your pediatrician.  Is he taking fluids appropriately?

I'd definately call the pediatrician and ask that he be seen, if you are concerned at all about his breathing.

[shishka]

My son just got over his RSV. He is almost 7 month. He was sick for about 10 days. Did not really have fever, but really bad cough, stuffed nose and horrible sounding chest. I just put some breast milk in his nose and the suctioned  it. I am suprised the gave your baby antibiotics. Our doctor said antibiotics will not do anything for RSV. The also gave him nebuliser treatment to help with chest congestion. Make sure to keep up with fluids.
Good luck

[shishka]

Also try using a humidifier in baby's room. I put "baby chest rub" on his chest and back before going to bed.

[JennaBean76]

Thank you everyone for your advice!  It is nice to have someone to ask that has been through the same thing!  Hopefully he will feel better soon!!!

[mj_mommy_manda]

My son also just got over RSV.  
Did they do a chest xray when you took him in? The reason I ask is because when I took Jadyn in they did a chest Xray and swabbed for RSV.  The xray came back clear and his breathing "sounded fine" so they gave me the choice of taking him home and caring for him myself.  I chose to do that instead of spending a dreadful night in the hospital (been there done that kinda thing)

I put saline in his nose and suctioned it out with his bulb syringe whenever he started sounding stuffy, that might be part of the reason your son isn't eating well.  The doctor explained to me that babies breath through their noses when they eat (duh right?) and so if they cant breath through their nose obviously they aren't going to eat well.

I put a cool mist vaporizer in his room too for when he sleeps.  His cough is still hanging around a bit but he has been much happier lately.  You can give him tylenol or baby motrin for his fever too.  I would just keep an eye on him.  Jadyn's pediatrician and the ER doctor explained a few ways to look for "distressed breathing" to me.

If you're worried that he is having trouble breathing look for a few signs:
-flaring nostrils
-chest sucking in when baby inhales
-chest and stomach moving quicker or baby taking more breaths than usual.
also his pediatrician said anytime the baby breaths in and you can see the outline of the bones in his ribcage that means the baby is probably having trouble breathing, also i dont know if you know anyone with asthma but if the baby is breathing like someone having an asthma attack that is another sign to call the doctor.

Hope your son feels better and hope i was some help! good luck!