Lafayette hospitals are seeing more babies with a common respiratory virus R-S-V. . 

R-S-V can be deadly for infants.

News Ten’s Megan Kelly tells us the signs to look out for in a story you’ll see only on ten.

Wheezing, sneezing, runny nose, decrease in appetite.

These are just some of the symptoms to look out for when it comes to Respiratory Syncytial Virus. 

“In infants and toddlers, lots and lots of congestion in their nose. They don’t eat and drink so well. but in some babies they can have wheezing and trouble breathing. It looks like asthma attacks.”

Lafayette General Director of Pediatric Emergency Services Dr. Scott Hamilton says R-S-V is similar to the flu and highly contagious.

Over the past few weeks, Dr. Hamilton says they’ve seen an influx of with kids with R-S-V.

“We’ve had to send kids out of the area because there just aren’t enough beds left with so many kids with RSV in the past couple of weeks.”

According to the CDC, most RSV infections go away in a week or 2.  

However infants younger than 6 months old may need to be hospitalized if they have trouble breathing or are dehydrated.  

“If you’re having trouble breathing go to the ER. If you’re not having trouble breathing you can wait a day or 2 to see your doctor if your baby is feeding okay and breathing reasonably comfortably.”

The CDC also says almost all children will have RSV by the time they’re 2 years old. 

Those with RSV start showing symptoms within 4 to 6 days.

In Lafayette, Megan Kelly, KLFY News Ten.

We reached out to Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Lafayette as well.

They say they’re treating more RSV patients this year than they were last year.