RSV Cardiac arrest

Can Rsv cause cardiac arrest in a child who has past myocarditis? My son had viral myocarditis at 7 months and got rsv at 2 two weeks later passed away. And with his passed medical history should they have done something different like check his heart?

[Jeffrey R Boris, M.D.]

Dear Laura Lee,

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a virus that can cause significant pulmonary as well as cardiac damage.  Without having further information about your son, I can't say exactly what happened with him.  I can say that myocarditis, which in children is typically due to a viral infection, causes damage to the heart most likely from both the virus itself as well as the body's immune response.  Some children tolerate myocarditis and recover; others can have irreparable damage.  To be fair, myocarditis is not preventable, as far as we know.  RSV infection, while preventable with giving a therapy called Synagis, is not indicated for patients with previous myocarditis.  And, once contracted, is very difficult to treat.  

By the tone of your second question, I would recommend that, if you have questions about performance of a medical team, this is not the venue to discuss it.