Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that can affect children and adults.

If your child contracts RSV, it may cause an infection in their nose, throat, lungs, and airways.

RSV infections can range from mild to severe. Infants, young children, and certain adults have an increased risk of developing severe RSV infections, which sometimes require hospitalization to treat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that each year in the United States, more than 2 million children under 5 years of age visit a doctor for RSV. Roughly 2%–3% of infants with RSV require hospitalization.

Read on to learn when it’s safe to treat RSV infections at home — and when it’s time to get emergency care.

Mild RSV infections cause cold-like symptoms, such as:

  • coughing
  • sneezing
  • runny nose
  • sore throat
  • irritability
  • fussiness
  • fatigue
  • fever
  • decreased appetite

Fever can but doesn’t always occur with RSV infections.

More severe RSV infections may lead to difficulty breathing, which can cause the following signs and symptoms in infants and young children:

  • flaring nostrils
  • rapid breathing
  • short, shallow breathing
  • rhythmic grunting while breathing
  • bobbing head while breathing
  • caving in of the chest, under and between the ribs
  • gray, blue, or purple tinge to their lips, tongues, gums, around their eyes, or under their fingernails

Severe RSV infections may also cause dehydration due to difficulty drinking or feeding.

Contact a doctor right away or take your child to the emergency department if you suspect they’re having difficulty breathing or they’re not getting enough fluids to stay hydrated.

If your child has mild cold-like symptoms, you may treat the infection at home.

Consider taking these steps to relieve their symptoms and promote their recovery:

  • Install a cool-mist humidifier to help clear your child’s airways.
  • If your child’s nose is clogged, administer nasal saline drops and gently suction mucus out of their nose. Clearing their nose before feeding may help them eat and drink.
  • If they have a fever, follow your doctor or pharmacist’s instructions for administering over-the-counter fever medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Don’t give your child aspirin.

Consult your doctor or pharmacist before giving your child cold medication. Some cold medications aren’t safe for young children.

Contact a doctor right away or take your child to the emergency department if they’re having difficulty breathing or they aren’t drinking enough fluids to stay hydrated.

People of any age can develop a severe RSV infection, but it’s more common in infants, young children, and older adults. Certain health conditions may also raise your child’s risk of developing severe RSV infection.

Your child is more likely to develop a severe RSV infection if they:

  • were born prematurely
  • are 12 months old or younger
  • have a weakened immune system
  • have chronic lung disease or heart disease
  • have a neuromuscular disorder that makes it difficult to swallow or clear mucus

If your child has risk factors for severe RSV infection, their doctor might prescribe a long-acting preventive medication, such as nirsevimab (Beyfortus) or palivizumab (Synagis).

Taking one of these medications may lower your child’s chances of developing a severe RSV infection, but it won’t treat an infection that has already developed.

Your doctor can help you learn more about the potential benefits and risks of preventive medications for RSV.

Contact a doctor right away or take your child to the emergency department if they:

  • are having difficulty breathing
  • have pauses of 10 seconds or more between breaths (apnea)
  • develop a gray, blue, or purple tinge to their skin, mouth, or fingernails
  • have fewer than one wet diaper every 8 hours, which is a sign of dehydration
  • develop a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher on a rectal thermometer if they’re under 12 weeks old
  • become significantly less alert or active than usual

Your child’s doctor may prescribe supportive care to help them breathe and get the fluids they need to stay hydrated. Your child may be admitted to the hospital in some cases. Most children who are hospitalized with RSV go home within a few days.

You should also contact a doctor if your child has mild symptoms that don’t begin to improve within a week. Different types of infection can cause similar symptoms as RSV, including some that may require treatment.

How hard is your baby breathing?

Contact your child’s doctor right away or take your child to the emergency department if they develop any of these symptoms:

  • flaring nostrils
  • rapid breathing
  • short, shallow breathing
  • rhythmic grunting while breathing
  • bobbing head while breathing
  • caving in of the chest, under and between the ribs
  • gray, blue, or purple tinge to their lips, tongues, gums, around their eyes, or under their fingernails

Do you need to go to the doctor for RSV?

If your child’s symptoms are mild, they can most likely be treated at home with over-the-counter medications or by using humidifiers or nasal saline drops to relieve symptoms.

If the symptoms get worse, a visit to your child’s doctor may be needed for further evaluation and treatment.

Does RSV just run its course?

Most RSV infections resolve on their own without treatment, within 1 to 2 weeks.

But some RSV infections lead to inflammation of the airways (known as bronchiolitis) or lung infections (known as pneumonia). These severe infections can cause potentially life threatening breathing difficulties that may require treatment to manage.

Can RSV be treated at home?

Mild, cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose or cough, can be treated at home.

But severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing and dehydration, or if your child’s symptoms aren’t improving with at-home treatments, emergency care may be needed.

Can RSV go untreated?

Yes, RSV can go away on its own without treatment in some cases. But severe infections may need to be managed in the hospital.

RSV infections can range from mild to severe. Infants and young children have an increased risk of severe infections.

Children with weakened immune systems, chronic lung or heart conditions, or neuromuscular disorders also have an increased risk of severe infections.

If your child has risk factors for severe RSV infections, their doctor may recommend preventive medications. Your child’s doctor can help you learn about the potential benefits and risks of these medications.

If your child develops a mild RSV infection, you can manage it at home with over-the-counter treatments. Your child’s doctor or pharmacist can help you learn which medications are safe for your child.

You should contact a doctor right away or take your child to the emergency department if they’re having difficulty breathing or they’re not drinking enough fluids to stay hydrated. The doctor may prescribe supportive care to help them breathe and get enough fluids.

Most children who receive treatment for RSV in the hospital return home within a few days.