A new treatment promises to drastically lower the severity of a dangerous virus in young children.
Doctors describe an antibody treatment for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, as a game changer that could be life-changing for the 2 million children in the U.S. who contract it each year. About 80,000 children are hospitalized per year for RSV, and up to 300 die.
News4 spoke with a physician who explained why many doctors say the treatment called Beyfortus is a significant breakthrough, and a local mom whose young son was severely sickened by RSV.
At Potomac Pediatrics in Rockville, Maryland, Dr. Joseph Mechak sees children with RSV more than he’d like. Symptoms include respiratory distress, and treatments are limited.
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Mechak said he’s thrilled to now be able to offer Beyfortus to families.
“This is one of the things I've been more excited about in my career,” he said. “[…] It's been a long time coming. There's been some fits and starts [in research], with different antibodies or vaccines towards RSV back in the ‘80s and ‘90s that really didn't make it very far.”
Beyfortus was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control. The injection is covered by insurance and is recommended for babies 8 months and under.
The treatment has shown an 80% risk reduction for hospitalizations, Mechak said.
Since RSV is a virus, antibiotics don’t work. Beyfortus is not a vaccine, Mechak explained.
“I'm just giving you antibodies against this disease, so, really the side effects are quite minimal,” he said.
How a ‘perfectly healthy boy’ spent 10 days in an ICU
Local mother Lindsay Carter’s son, S.J., got severely sick with RSV two years ago. He was just 10 months old.
“It was a nightmare,” she said. “Perfectly healthy boy. He was 10 months. A good, healthy little chunk.”
S.J. had cold symptoms and a fever. His parents called the pediatrician’s office when he kept getting worse.
Mechak, his doctor, recalled needing to call 911 to get the baby to the hospital.
S.J. ended up spending 10 days in the pediatric ICU. His mom said she if she could go back in time, she would get the antibody treatment if it had been available.
“All we were watching were his oxygen levels, hoping they would build back up, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone,” Carter said.
RSV symptoms to look out for
If you’re worried your own kids could have RSV, doctors say here are four things to look and listen for:
- excessive mucus
- a deep, junky cough
- heavy breathing or belly breathing
- hydration
Peak RSV season is coming; it’s December through March.
S.J. is now thriving. He’s a “perfect little three-nager,” his mom said with a smile.
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Mechak is working to spread the word about a treatment that could save lives.
“I really can’t overstate it that I think this is a really fantastic addition to our arsenal here to prevent really serious illness in our kids,” he said.
