When our son Liam was born, my wife Shannon and I were all in. Organic bed sheets. Organic BPA-free bottles. Organic cotton onesies. The diaper bag was basically a mobile clean-room. We were first-time parents operating at max “bubble wrap” mode.
Shannon had just started a new school nearby right after our home purchase, and she didn’t get maternity leave. Not one to let that stop her, she returned to new teacher orientation three weeks after Liam arrived. Our daycare wouldn’t take him until he was six weeks old, so those early days? A beautiful chaos. Massive gratitude to our neighbours, the Jessie Smith & Wade Smith family (who later moved to Germany) and our church-friend’s daughter Emily for stepping in. Without them, we’d have been lost.
What a wild time.
The Hospital Night
Fast forward to November 2018. Liam was about 4½ months old. One evening, Shannon calls me into the nursery:
“Krish – Liam is breathing weird. I think we need to take him to the hospital.”
She had a video of his breathing and slight retractions, shared it with her Facebook moms group (yes, I’m fascinated by that network of first-time moms whose babies were born the same month as ours). They agreed: get him checked.
We headed to the hospital expecting maybe a cold. Instead, we found ourselves admitted. Our little guy had contracted Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
He spent seven nights and eight days in the children’s hospital. On a floor where nearly every infant had RSV. The tiny baby who had weighed just about 6½ lbs at four months was in that crib. Shannon overnighted in that room with him. Nurses suctioned his nose every few hours. He was on oxygen for much of the stay. Our family visited, prayed, loved him – and we’ll never forget.
I bring this story up for one reason: germs are real. Not always visible. Not always dramatic. But very real.
What is RSV? And Why It’s No Joke
RSV is short for Respiratory Syncytial Virus. It’s a common respiratory virus that infects the nose, throat, and lungs. mayoclinic.org+2Cleveland Clinic+2 It often looks like a cold — congestion, runny nose, cough — but in infants (especially young ones) it can progress to something much more serious. HealthyChildren.org+2NCBI+2
Here are some key facts and stats that underscore how important it is to pay attention:
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2 to 3 out of every 100 infants under six months are hospitalized with RSV each year. CDC
- A US study found that 53.4% of babies were infected with RSV during infancy, and about 2.8% were hospitalized. CIDRAP
- Globally, around 90% of all children will be infected with RSV in their first two years of life. PMC
- RSV is responsible for a large portion of infant bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways) and pneumonia cases: up to 60%-80% of infant bronchiolitis and around 40% of pediatric pneumonia in some studies. PMC+1
- A recent U.S. data review found that for children under 5 years old, RSV was associated with 15% of all pediatric office visits for respiratory infections in the November-April season. PMC
- The hospitalization rate for children during the 2022-23 RSV season in the U.S. reached 605.6 per 100,000 children — more than 10× the rate for the general population. USAFacts
So yes – those “organic sheets” were nice. But they don’t protect against viruses flying through the air, hitching rides on hands, or settling on surfaces.
The Parenting (and Germ-Avoidance) Lesson
From our hospital experience with Liam — and later when our daughter Brynlee had RSV at 1½ years old — here are some takeaways I want you to consider whether you’re a first-time parent or seasoned veteran:
- Keep your hands clean. Always wash them before touching a baby – especially one under six months or with a vulnerable immune system.
- Minimize unnecessary contact. If you’re sick (or think you might be), it’s simply not the time to visit babies. The phrase “don’t touch babies they don’t belong to you” isn’t dramatic—it’s practical.
- Recognize the season. RSV (and other respiratory viruses) ramp up during fall and winter. Be extra cautious during that time.
- Know the signs. If your baby has unusual breathing, retractions, wheezing, or rapid breathing – don’t hesitate. We thought “maybe it’s a cold” and it turned into a hospital stay. Mayo Clinic lists symptoms of severe RSV including trouble breathing, wheezing, and cyanosis (bluish skin) in infants. mayoclinic.org
- Community and support matter. Even with all the planning and preparation, we still leaned on friends, neighbors, family, and faith. If you’re walking through something scary – you don’t have to do it alone.
- Say yes to humility. You can buy all the organic bottles and arrange all the playdates… and still find yourself in a hospital hallway praying. That’s the beautiful, humbling part of parenthood.
Why This Matters for You
If you’re a parent, expecting a baby, or know someone with a baby, this episode and blog post are worth your time. Because germs don’t care. You could be the most vigilant parent on the block, but the world is still full of invisible critters that don’t RSVP.
It’s not about fear. It’s about respect. Respect for the fact that babies are small, mighty, and vulnerable all at once. Respect for the people who support you when things get scary. Respect for the fact that sometimes the best thing you can do is wash your hands and keep a safe distance.
If you’ve been through this — or if you know someone going through it — share this story. Show them they’re not alone. Learn the signs. Take the precautions. And breathe a lot of thank-you prayers for hospital nurses, toddler-daycare staff, and all those moms’ groups on Facebook you secretly admire.
Links & Resources for Further Reading
- For a detailed overview of RSV symptoms, causes and management: see the Mayo Clinic page on RSV. mayoclinic.org
- For current burden and hospitalization estimates (U.S.): see the CDC’s RSV burden estimates. CDC+1
- For a deeper dive into research about RSV’s impact and hospitalizations: StatPearls / NCBI. NCBI+1
- If you’re a listener of our podcast, check out the full episode of This with Krish about germs and RSV (link back to homepage or episode archive).
Thank you for reading. If this resonates, if your heart started to race reading our story, or if you found a friendly reminder for a baby in your life — I hope it helps. And if you liked this post, visit ThisWithKrish.com for more episodes, stories, and parenting reflections.
Stay safe. Stay grateful. And keep washing those hands.
— Krish
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