'It could be fatal': Mother warns of RSV danger to compromised children

Despite a tough and draining battle with RSV in 2019, Chloe Crump maintained her positive outlook on life. Photo / Supplied

A Bay of Plenty mother haunted by her own child's experience with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is urging parents to be vigilant as cases soar this winter.

While the surge in cases of the respiratory virus affecting babies across the country has been well publicised, Tauranga mother Rachel Crump warns it can affect older children too.

Her daughter, 8-year-old Chloe Crump, contracted RSV in 2019.

"There is a lot in the media currently about RSV, how it's impacting hospitals, families, babies, childcare centres, and GPs with the inundation of sick children," Rachel said.

"Behind the scenes, though, are us parents of compromised children who likely have had this in the past going through incredible amounts of stress, and anxiety, afraid to relive the trauma they may have already been through with their child.

"It's absolutely horrible."

Chloe lives with Bronchiectasis and severe asthma.

Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung disease caused by repeated chest infections and chronic inflammation where the airways in the lungs have become scarred and damaged.

This makes Chloe more susceptible to severe chest infections that can be caused by something as simple as the common cold.

"It is really scary [to see RSV in the news again]," Crump said.

"The day my daughter caught the virus, and many others, have haunted me since. We have to do our best to stop her from catching it so we isolate her a lot."

Tauranga's Chloe Crump on the day she was diagnosed with RSV, moments before she was rushed to hospital. Photo / Supplied

To prevent Chloe from picking up RSV or other bugs, her parents have to isolate her as much as they can.

She goes to school part-time, attends swimming lessons, "and that's about it".

However, Crump said her daughter was "tough and resilient".

"She doesn't really know much different now because she's struggled with respiratory issues for so much of her life. But when she's well, she's usually pretty happy.

Crump pleaded for people to think of families like hers when they or their child are sick and stay home to avoid the risk of spreading any viruses.

"It's really important to keep kids home when they're sick, adults too, and keep up hygiene. There is a bit of a stigma around it but I think now that we've been through Covid people are a little bit more careful."

Compromising conditions mean Chloe Crump and her family have to be extra vigilant when it comes to contagious diseases. Photo / Supplied

A Lakes DHB spokeswoman said on Friday there were two children in ICU receiving treatment for RSV.

There had also been a "marked increase" in RSV and other respiratory illnesses in patients at Rotorua Hospital's emergency department.

Since June 7 there had been 168 positive tests for RSV. This was compared to zero cases of RSV in Rotorua last year.

"Not every patient is tested for RSV, but a large number of child patients have attended the emergency department over the last four weeks."

Of the 400 patients seen, 92 were classed as "unwell" on arrival, with another 50 noted as having respiratory symptoms, she said.

There were several measures in place to cater for a spike in RSV cases, including restrictions on visitors to the children's unit, the special care baby unit and the intensive care unit.

There was also a requirement to wear a mask and gown if visiting an RSV positive patient.

"Parents and caregivers are the only visitors allowed and only one may stay overnight. No children are allowed as visitors, including siblings," a Lakes DHB spokeswoman said.

"We ask that anyone who has cold or cough symptoms in their household to stay away from hospital, however, if they must visit then they must sanitise on entry and exit and wear a mask."

The emergency department was using areas within the department differently to accommodate the increase in the number of paediatric presentations and to try to keep other areas free from infectious disease, said the spokeswoman.

Workflow patterns between the emergency department and children's unit had been changed to more rapidly assess children coming in.

Children were being tested earlier and being started on fluids as soon as they arrived, where possible, so they had an opportunity to be discharged where suitable.

Rotorua Hospital. Photo / Andrew Warner

A Lakes DHB spokeswoman said the number of infectious illnesses that cause a lot of respiratory illnesses disappeared last year due to the pandemic.

"As a result, we had few babies presenting with the types of illness described last year and until a few weeks ago.

"RSV disappeared during last year's lockdown and we believe that it was eliminated in our country at the time."

However, it didn't disappear in Australia and it appeared that it had re-entered Aotearoa in the last few weeks and was now well-established, she said.

"Last year's cohort of babies wasn't exposed and so they are now getting ill with it, along with the current group of infants."

BestStart Early Childhood Education Rotorua area manager Margaret Day said attendance at some of the centres in Rotorua had been affected by the virus.

Parents were always encouraged to keep their children at home when they are unwell, she said.

"It helps reduce the spread.

"Each centre follows a cleaning schedule. When we have an outbreak, the centres do a deep clean and have been vigilant with washing resources and sterilising surfaces."

An Early Childhood Council spokesperson said they only had "anecdotal data" for RSV cases after running a poll among their members.

"Overwhelmingly, people are seeing spikes in parents keeping kids home because they're ill with this," he said.

"It's certainly having a big impact on centres at the moment."

"There's certainly been a spike [in kids staying home] in the last ten days.. as RSV has come on the scene," he said.

"We want everyone to stay safe and do the right thing and stay home if they're sick," he said.

In a media statement, the Early Childhood Council called for more support for early learning centres coping with the RSV outbreak.

"We're told this outbreak is business as usual – it doesn't feel that way to us," chief executive officer Peter Reynolds said.

"Anecdotally, centres suddenly have up to half their rolls missing. Ideally, providers would be receiving clear communication to pass on to their centre communities, and reassurance that they'll continue to get support from the ministry in circumstances of financial hardship," Reynolds said.