preview

Anatomy And Physiology Of The Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Good Essays
Open Document
Bailey Kundinger
Anatomy and Physiology II
Friday February 17, 2017
Respiratory Syncytial Virus

A mother brings their toddler in to the clinic, with what they think is a cold but a nurse wonders if the child could possibly have respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). A cold and RSV are a lot alike, in the way that they both may come across as “cold-like symptoms,” but this is not the case. Throughout this report one will find out what the differences between a common cold and RSV are, the signs and symptoms a toddler may have with this virus, the treatments one may face and ways to prevent this awful and dangerous virus. The purpose of this report is to deepen one’s understanding of the respiratory syncytial virus and explain the dangerous…show more content…
RSV will usually affect one’s upper respiratory tract first before affecting the lower. It is also more common that this virus will affect someone’s upper respiratory rather than the lower respiratory. Someone with an upper respiratory infection may come across as having the common cold, tonsillitis, the flu, and etc. The flu is also able to occur in someone who has a lower respiratory tract infection, as well as, bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and tuberculosis (“Respiratory Tract Infections,” 2014).
RSV is a virus that is hard to diagnosis because the signs and symptoms are a lot like the common cold. One may start to develop a runny nose or decrease in appetite the first couple of days when having this virus; but coughing, sneezing, and wheezing may also occur. In young infants, they may experience irritability or difficulties with breathing (“CDC,” 2014). One may have this virus before realizing the symptoms like a dry cough, low grade fever, sore throat or headache (Mayo Clinic, 1998). Someone with an upper respiratory tract infection may have a fever, headache, sore throat or wheezing; whereas someone with a lower respiratory tract infection may have a cough, increased breathing rate, tightness in the chest. While both tract infections should be taken seriously, they both can lead to RSV.
Bronchitis and Bronchiolitis are also two very serious infections that may lead to RSV.
Get Access
Related
Get Access