A kiss on the forehead during a snuggle with an infant is not unusual.

But when someone has symptoms of the common cold come in close contact with an infant, they could be spreading more than just affection.

Dr. Stefanie Schroeder, a pediatrician at Carle, said “someone who thinks they just have a cold could give RSV to an infant, who could then have more serious complications.”

RSV, respiratory syncytial virus, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms: cough, runny nose and sneezing.

Schroeder said that most people come in contact with RSV prior to the age of two, but for those infants whose immune systems are still weak, the virus could cause respiratory issues or a secondary infection.

“So sometimes for those younger kids it can present a little more severely,” Schroeder said.

The virus, which generally lasts 7-10 days, can cause a runny nose, a decrease in appetite, and a cough, which may progress to wheezing.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), infants may not have signs of a cold, but rather only present with irritability, decreased activity or appetite and sleep apnea or pauses while breathing.

“It’s usually as bad as it’s going to be about day four to five, So we want to watch those kids really closely,” Schroeder said.

Parents who believe their child needs to be seen because their symptoms are more severe than the common cold, should visit their pediatrician. In office, the physician can run a swab test to see if the child has RSV, influenza and do other tests for secondary infections.

“Anytime your immune system is suppressed, you run the risk of getting sick with something else,” Schroeder said.

According to the CDC, RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lungs) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than 1 year of age in the United States.

When needed, a child diagnosed with RSV can be hospitalized to provide the extra breathing support their body needs.

To prevent the spread of RSV, Schroeder suggests many of the same practices that are used to curb the spread of other viruses: wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, disinfect surfaces, such as countertops and door handles, and avoid contact with people, particularly infants, when you have symptoms of the common cold.

The post Recognizing, preventing RSV in babies first appeared on SJO Daily.

Books. A Laptop. A lunch box. Sports equipment. Instruments.

By the time students get to high school or junior high, the list of what they need to carry on their body to and from school multiplies.

While students may complain of muscle pain from the weight of what they carry in their backpacks, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Stefanie Schroeder, who works at Carle, said, “I don’t think there is going to be any significant long-term damage to kids having heavy backpacks.”

But, year-after-year Schroeder does see patients in her office, mostly high school-aged students who have shoulder or back pain from carrying heavy backpacks throughout the day.

“If you start to notice that kids are complaining of back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, if you start to notice that they are asking for Ibuprofen or Tylenol because they are having pain, if you notice that they start to sit a little funny at the dinner table or on the couch, you’ll want to investigate a little further,” Schroeder said.

She also said that parents should watch for their child bending backward or falling forward as a sign that the backpack is too heavy for the child.

To combat backpack weight, Schroeder encourages parents to purchase backpacks that are not wider than the child’s shoulders or longer than the torso.

It is also important to make sure the child wears both backpack straps on the shoulders, and if possible, to purchase a backpack with a chest or waist strap to help distribute the backpack weight.

Students in late elementary school through high school might have additional items to carry, such as athletic equipment and instruments to and from school.

Schroeder suggests looping a lunchbox strap on the backpack to leave the hands free for instruments. With bigger instruments and sports equipment, Schroeder recommends getting backpack straps to distribute the weight on the body.

“The more you can do over the shoulder, the better,” she said.

With a load of books and additional equipment, it is important for parents to encourage their high school-aged students to go to their lockers as often as possible.

“I know that sometimes you can only get one or two stops in during the day, but if they can, then they don’t have to carry around everything all day,” Schroeder said.

There are times, though, when Schroeder needs to see students in her office.

“If you notice kids are having a lot of pain, then taken them into their doctor to make sure there is nothing more serious going on.”

If the pain is muscle pain, the child might be referred to a D.O., such as Schroeder, who will use manipulations and techniques to help the muscles relax and ease the pain.

“A lot of times that is from muscle pain related to how heavy the backpack is,” she said.

Schroeder said patients between the ages of 3 and 18 use her services.

The post What parents need to know about backpack weight first appeared on SJO Daily.