Bismarck Tribune - Bismarck News - Bismarck hospitals flooded with children ill from RSV bug

Bismarck hospitals flooded with children ill from RSV bug

Feb 28, 2008 - 04:06:50 CST

By TONY SPILDE
Bismarck Tribune

Jason Wald held his daughter tight Tuesday night as he watched someone else's baby being loaded into an ambulance for a trip to Fargo.

Nothing could be done for the infant in Bismarck.

For the first time in decades, the pediatrics units at both hospitals were full.

"It just floored me when Isaw that," Wald said. "I couldn't believe it. It was a shock."

A virus called RSVis going around town, and is especially bad this year. The bug - its full name is respiratory syncytial virus - is particularly hard on young children. All 14 pediatrics beds at Medcenter One were full Tuesday - 90 percent of them because of RSV. The 13 pediatrics beds at St. Alexius Medical Center were also full, and doctors there were taking RSV patients in the emergency room late into the night.

"I've been here for 32 years in pediatrics, and every season this gets very busy - but this is the busiest I've ever seen it," Randi Schaeffer, manager of the children's hospital at Medcenter One, said. "It's very unusual to send someone out of town."

Wald was at the emergency room with his 18-month-old daughter, Jenna, who was having trouble breathing. It turned out she had croup and not RSV, and didn't need to be admitted.

"She sounded like a 90-year-old smoker. It was scary,"Wald said. "The first thing the doctor told us was if she needs to be admitted, all the beds are full in Bismarck and she will have to be transferred to Fargo."

Beds have since been vacated at both Bismarck hospitals, freeing up space. But on Tuesday night, both hospitals were in "diversion mode." Each hospital has a policy of sending pediatrics patients to the other if their own beds are full.

"We were so full we declared a diversion, which means we had to contact St. A's and tell them we didn't have any more beds," Schaeffer said. "One child came in after that and went to St. A's. Then St. A's called and said they were full and couldn't take any more. We got another child and St. A's said they were full, (so we sent her to MeritCare in Fargo)."

Schaeffer, a registered nurse, said the majority of children hospitalized because of RSV are younger than 6 months. Most children can recover at home in a week or two, but some need oxygen and breathing treatment at the hospital.

Linda Knodel, the senior vice president and chief nursing officer at St. Alexius, said RSV is cyclical.

"This is the year for (it)," she said Wednesday. "The cycle is in process and will probably go for another month or so."

The virus is spread through sneezing and coughing, and even by close contact with infected persons. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said RSV is the leading cause of pneumonia among children under 1 year old. The CDC said the illness usually begins with a fever, runny nose, cough and sometimes wheezing. Only a small number of kids require hospitalization because of it, however - between .5 percent and 2 percent.

The virus has been around town for about six weeks. Schaeffer said there is a vaccine available for really vulnerable premature babies.

"Our community has been hit hard by RSV," Schaeffer said. "We can count on it every year, but this year is more than normal."

(Reach reporter Tony Spilde at 250-8260 or tony.spilde@bismarcktribune.com.)

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Comments

New Mom Too wrote on Feb 28, 2008 7:57 PM:

" To "MOM" - My daughter has only had breastmilk since the day she came home, adn ended up with RSV from daycare. For you to try to lecture on something that you obviously know nothing about is sad. "

Slim wrote on Feb 28, 2008 6:49 PM:

" Before I read any of these posts I said to myself that people are not washing their hands. "Whatever" said it for me. I see this every single day in public restrooms, employees in eating places, and people in their very own home will not wash their hands. Fruits and vegetables that are eaten raw should be washed before you eat them. Think, people, of all the places that germs are lurking and ready to attack you and your children. I realize that washing hands etc. will not prevent all illnesses but it sure will cut down on them. I also realize that there are many people who do take preventive measures. Once again, however, WASH YOUR HANDS!! You all have a nice day. "

Another Mom wrote on Feb 28, 2008 4:40 PM:

" I did breastfeed all of my children, for an entire year, and one of them did get RSV. I agree Breastfeeding is wonderful, but not everyone can or will do it. To insinuate that all the children with RSV this year were not breastfed is ignorant! "

metalmama wrote on Feb 28, 2008 4:32 PM:

" To say that RSV could be prevented through breast-feeding is ridiculous. While breast-feeding may be best, it is not the only way. I did not breast-feed my son and he has literally been on antibiotics once in his life (he's almost 4). I agree that breast-feeding is an amazing way for an infant to get antibodies from the mother, but it certainly is not going to wipe out any diseases any time soon. Good grief. Babies get sick, it is a fact of life, breast-feeding is not going to change that. "

Whatever wrote on Feb 28, 2008 3:48 PM:

" My children were not breastfed and neither of them had RSV when they were infants. How about all mommies and daddies stay at home with the little ones when they are sick and not drag them out and about. I have experienced a whole lot of coughing and stuffy noses at restaurants, kids activities, shopping. Sometimes we just need to stay home! I have also noticed quite a few folks who dont think they need to wash their hands...yes, you do!!! "

Mommy wrote on Feb 28, 2008 2:22 PM:

" Breastfeeding not doubt is a good thing. I did both and my children have been healthier than babies that were totally breastfed. They actually probably received more formula than breastmilk. Some kids are just more prone to picking up viruses also more kids are in daycare and are exposed to more things. To say that if a person would breastfeed there kids they wouldn't get sick is proposterous. Also, why are do people look down at other who do not breastfeed. There are many different reasons. I tried, I even contacted lalecheleague and they couldn't help me. "

Mom wrote on Feb 28, 2008 1:01 PM:

" This is so scary, but could be prevented through breastfeeding. When we get away from what is natural, we invite problems. Artificial feeding gives babies no protection against these diseases. We need to breastfeed these babies if we are to raise a strong, healthy society. Our choices for our babies today greatly affect what happens tomorrow. Go to lalecheleague.org to learn about the benefits of breastfeeding to mother and baby. Please do your part to prevent this from happening to more babies. "

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