ANP extension
ANNOUNCEMENTS•
The pediatric intensive care units of Dutch hospitals are full of young children who have severe respiratory problems due to the RS virus or other viruses. The seven university hospitals with such a pediatric IC will hold consultations tomorrow on the need for measures, confirms Károly Illy of the Dutch Pediatric Association.
RS virus – respiratory syncytial virus in full – is the most common cold virus in young children. Every winter there is a peak in the number of infections with the RS virus. According to the RIVM, almost all children under the age of 2 are affected.
Usually mild
In most cases, an infection is mild. About 1 in 100 sick children end up in hospital and 1 in 1000 end up in intensive care with an RS infection. Symptoms of the RS virus are runny nose and cough, and in severe cases, wheezing and high fever. Even the elderly can become seriously ill from the virus.
“A dramatic scenario is emerging, because Belgium and Germany also lack the capacity to take in children from the Netherlands,” says critical care nurse Renze Jongstra of the Association for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals (V&VN).
According to him, there has been a shortage of pediatric CI nurses for years. Also, it seems that there are more children with respiratory infections this year than in other years. “That means as soon as a spot becomes available somewhere, it’s immediately filled again. Sometimes we call each other during the day for a bed.”
Extra vigilant
Earlier this month, the number of RS virus infections appeared to be rising rapidly. Pediatrician Illy then he said that everything has changed because of corona. “The children have been at home for a long time and such a virus therefore has less chance of spreading. Now everything is open again, but the children have accumulated fewer antibodies.” For the same reason, the RS virus also caused an unusual epidemic last summer large amount infections.
Parents are advised to be extra careful when their children have a cold, especially babies under the age of two months.
