RSV: When a virus put my 8-month-old in hospital

Respiratory Syncytial Virus, more commonly known as RSV, is often talked about as a mild childhood illness. Many people describe it as “just a cold” or something children get and recover from quickly. But for our family, RSV was anything but mild — and it became frighteningly serious, especially for our 8-month-old son.

RSV is extremely contagious and spreads easily through coughs, sneezes, surfaces, and close contact. Entire households can become infected very quickly. That’s exactly what happened to us — our whole family caught RSV, and while adults and older children may cope, babies can become dangerously unwell in a very short space of time.

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RSV Is Not Just a Cough and Cold

Many people associate RSV with breathing symptoms alone — coughing, wheezing, or a runny nose. While these are common, RSV can affect the whole body, particularly in babies.

In our case, symptoms went far beyond the chest.

RSV caused:

• Severe coughing
• Breathing difficulties
• Extreme tiredness
• Loss of appetite
• Refusal to drink
• Sickness (vomiting)
• Diarrhea
• Dehydration

These symptoms combined made it incredibly hard for our baby to keep anything down or take in enough fluids. What many people don’t realise is that RSV often puts babies completely off food and drink, not just because they feel unwell, but because breathing becomes hard work. Feeding requires coordination, energy, and breath — something RSV takes away.

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Sickness and Diarrhea With RSV

RSV doesn’t only affect the lungs. It can also irritate the digestive system, especially in infants.

Our son experienced:

• Repeated vomiting
• Loose stools and diarrhea
• Very few wet nappies
• Signs of dehydration
• A chest infection

When babies are vomiting or have diarrhea, fluid loss increases rapidly. Combine that with refusing milk or fluids, and dehydration can happen frighteningly fast.

This is one of the most dangerous parts of RSV that often gets overlooked.

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Hospitalisation and the Drip

Our 8-month-old became so unwell that he needed to be admitted to hospital. He was too weak to drink, coughing constantly, exhausted, and clearly dehydrated.

Doctors made the decision to put him on an intravenous drip to keep him hydrated. The drip was essential — without it, his body simply wasn’t getting what it needed to fight the virus.

Seeing your baby connected to tubes is something no parent is ever prepared for. RSV can escalate so quickly that what starts as a mild illness can turn into a hospital stay within days.

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RSV and Chest Infections

In our son’s case, RSV didn’t stay as just a viral illness. It developed into a chest infection, which made his symptoms even more severe. His coughing worsened, his breathing became more laboured, and his body struggled even more to cope.

Because of this, doctors decided he needed antibiotics alongside supportive care. While RSV itself is a virus, chest infections can occur at the same time or as a complication, especially in babies whose immune systems are still developing.

He was prescribed antibiotics to help treat the chest infection, while the hospital continued monitoring his breathing, hydration levels, and overall condition. Between the chest infection, constant coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, and refusal to feed, his little body was completely exhausted.

This combination — RSV plus a chest infection — is what led to him needing hospital treatment, antibiotics, and a drip to keep him hydrated while his body fought to recover.

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RSV in Babies Can Be Severe

Babies are especially vulnerable because:

• Their airways are smaller
• They tire easily
• They cannot tell you how they feel
• They depend entirely on milk for hydration and nutrition

When RSV causes coughing, fast breathing, vomiting, or diarrhea, babies often refuse feeds altogether. This doesn’t mean they are being difficult — it means their bodies are overwhelmed.

In our case, RSV didn’t just make our son poorly — it completely wiped him out.

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Why RSV Needs More Awareness

There is a dangerous misconception that RSV is “harmless.” While many cases are mild, some are not, and families need to know the warning signs.

RSV should be taken seriously when you see:

• Refusal to drink
• Fewer wet nappies
• Persistent vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Laboured or fast breathing
• Extreme lethargy
• Blue or pale lips
• Chest pulling in when breathing

Trust your instincts. Parents know when something isn’t right.

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Our Experience as a Family

RSV didn’t just affect one of us — it hit our entire household. Watching your baby struggle while you’re also ill yourself is incredibly difficult. Exhaustion, fear, and worry take over quickly.

No one expects a virus to land their baby in hospital on a drip — but RSV can, and it does.

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Final Thoughts

RSV is not always “just a cold.” It can cause sickness, diarrhea, dehydration, and feeding refusal, and in babies, it can become serious very fast.

If sharing our experience helps even one parent seek help sooner, then it’s worth telling. RSV deserves more awareness, more understanding, and more compassion for families going through it.

If your baby is refusing feeds, vomiting, having diarrhea, or seems unusually drowsy — seek medical help. You are not overreacting.

Sometimes, acting early makes all the difference.