Published on November 04, 2025

Please Don’t Kiss My Baby.

RSV can affect all people, but those most at risk rely on their parents and family to help protect them from the virus and keep them healthy.Mother holding baby

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the leading cause of hospitalization of infants in the United States each year, according to the CDC, and can be extremely dangerous for infants or very young children.

Who is Most at Risk?

While children and adults can get RSV, those who are most at risk include:

  • Infants and young children (the younger the age, the higher the risk)
  • Children born prematurely
  • Children with chronic lung disease or congenital (present from birth) heart disease
  • Children with weakened immune systems
  • Children with severe cystic fibrosis
  • Children who have neuromuscular disorders, especially those who have difficulty swallowing or clearing mucus secretions

RSV is transferred through direct contact with the virus. This can include kissing, coughing, sneezing, sharing beverages or food, or touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

What are the Symptoms of RSV?

RSV causes infections in the lungs and respiratory tract. Symptoms of RSV will most commonly start 4-6 days after exposure to the virus and can look very different in adults and children. Usually, RSV causes mild cold-like symptoms such as:

  • Congested or runny nose
  • Dry cough
  • Low-grade fever
  • Sore throat
  • Sneezing
  • Headache

In severe cases, RSV can cause pneumonia or bronchiolitis and will have symptoms such as:

  • Fever
  • Severe cough
  • Wheezing
  • Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing
  • Bluish color of the skin due to lack of oxygen

In infants, symptoms of severe RSV include:

  • Short, shallow, and rapid breathing
  • Struggling to breathe
  • Cough
  • Poor feeding
  • Unusual tiredness
  • Irritability

Please seek immediate medical attention if you notice your child has difficulty breathing, a high fever, or a blue color to the skin, particularly on the lips and in the nail beds. Severe or life-threatening infection requiring a hospital stay may occur in premature infants, so it is important to get medical help as soon as possible once you notice RSV symptoms.

How Can I Protect My Baby?

According to the American Lung Association, there are two options to help protect your baby from RSV:

  1. An RSV vaccine given during weeks 32-36 of pregnancy in September through January OR
  2. An RSV preventive antibody given to infants under 8 months in October through March.

The RSV preventive antibody is also recommended for some young children 8-19 months of age at increased risk of severe RSV disease and entering their second RSV season, including:

  • Children born prematurely and have chronic lung disease
  • Children with severe immunocompromise
  • Children with severe cystic fibrosis

Washing your hands, covering your coughs and sneezes, and avoiding contact with others who are sick or when you are sick will decrease the risk of spreading the virus.

Sources: CDC, American Lung Association, Mayo Clinic