It started with a sore throat on a Thursday night. By Friday afternoon, my son had a deep, persistent cough and a fever that touched nearly 102 degrees. After a weekend of rest and medicine, my five-year-old was still struggling with his symptoms so we brought him to the pediatric urgent care in Sartell.

Despite getting there shortly after they opened, the urgent care was overflowing with sick kids and their parents, all of whom seemed to have the same cough. The lobby was full and even the atrium area was packed with families waiting to see a doctor.

Later that afternoon the clinic made the decision to switch from walk-in to appointment only. I assume this was due to the sheer number of people packing into the waiting area while showing the symptoms of respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

When we got in to see the pediatrician she told us that they have been very busy seeing kids with RSV. She explained that as long as my son's lungs sounded okay and his fever was controllable there was not a lot they could do for him as far as prescriptions or treatments. Rest, fluids and Tylenol to treat the fever were what she recommended.

I had never heard of RSV until my kid's bout with the nasty illness so I wasn't sure what his symptoms added up to. Here are some of the things to look for and when to be sure to see a doctor, per the CDC:

- Runny Nose 
- Loss of Appetite 
- Coughing 
- Sneezing 
- Fever 
- Wheezing 

Most RSV cases resolve on their own in a week or two. To relieve symptoms the CDC recommends over-the-counter fever reducers, plenty of fluids and lots of rest.

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The CDC recommends a call to the doctor if a child is having difficulty breathing, is not drinking fluids or if symptoms are worsening.

According to WCCO, hospitalizations for RSV have doubled since the last week of September.

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