KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Health officials are warning the community as cases of respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV, are on the rise. It is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms.
The virus has been most commonly seen in younger children, causing local daycares and parents concern.
Matrika Hornsby is a bit on edge after hearing RSV is floating around at her two-year-old daughter’s daycare, EarlystART. It is one more thing to worry about since giving birth to her during a pandemic.
“I mean, it's nerve-racking like any other parent would feel," said Hornsby. "I just try to remain calm about it. I think as a mom, it’s just like, I know it’s out there, and I know she’s probably gonna come in contact with it.”
Hornsby knows the daycare is doing everything it can to mitigate the spread, but it is only a matter of time before her daughter is exposed. She already went through RSV last year and struggled quite a bit.
Her daughter had wheezing, coughing, loss of appetite and lethargy.
“Once they told me it was RSV, I was just like, well, what do I do?” said Hornsby. “(The) Google rabbit hole is horrible, so I try not to do that to myself.”
On Wednesday, three students at EarlystART tested positive for RSV. Director of Development & Communications, Mariah Roady, says they have seen a huge uptick.
“It is concerning because when your little baby has this virus, they are just more susceptible, and their immune systems aren’t fully built yet to handle some of those more challenging respiratory viruses,” said Roady.
It takes effort from everyone for peace of mind.
“It was a lot for me, and I’m sure it was a lot for parents, to deal with the unknown of all these different viruses,” said Hornsby.
The staff has ramped up everyday learning with temperature checks at the door and continues to focus on educating parents on what to look for.
Roady says it is important to monitor children’s symptoms and report them to the school immediately.
