As we move into the winter months, respiratory viruses in children become more common. It is important for parents and carers to understand these viruses, recognise symptoms, and know when to seek help. Below is a guide to the common respiratory illnesses in children and how to manage them.

What Are Respiratory Viruses?

Respiratory viruses primarily affect the respiratory tract, causing symptoms like coughing, congestion and fever. Children are particularly susceptible due to their immature immune systems and frequent close contact with other children.

Some of the most common respiratory viruses in children include:

• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
• Rhinovirus (common cold)
• Influenza (flu)
• Parainfluenza viruses (which can cause croup)
• Adenovirus

Most of these viruses spread easily, especially in indoor environments like schools, nurseries, and playgroups, and cases tend to increase during the colder months.

How do I know when I need to seek help?

Most respiratory viruses cause symptoms such as:

• Runny or blocked nose
• Cough
• Fever
• Fatigue or decreased appetite

For most children, these symptoms can be managed at home. However, it’s important to know when a more serious condition might be developing. If your child develops any of the following symptoms, they should be seen and examined by a medical professional.

• High fever that doesn’t reduce with fever medication
• Difficulty breathing, fast or laboured breathing, or if their ribs start to pull in when breathing
• Signs of dehydration, such as dry mouth, crying without tears, or significantly reduced urination
• Unusual lethargy or difficulty waking

Are there any tests that can be done to know what infection my child has? 

It can be useful to know which virus your child has, both to understand what symptoms to expect and how long the illness is likely to last and also to know whether it is a virus or a bacteria causing the illness. Viruses do not respond to antibiotics, whereas bacterial infections do. At the Sloane Street surgery, we can perform a swab test that will accurately tell us within a few hours which virus or bacteria is causing the symptoms.

Is there anything I can do to help prevent my child from getting a respiratory virus?

Here are some simple but effective ways to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses:

1. Practice good hand hygiene: Encourage children to wash their hands, especially before eating and after coughing or sneezing.
2. Teach proper coughing and sneezing techniques: Children should be encouraged to cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or their elbow when they cough or sneeze.
3. Stay at home if unwell: Keeping a sick child home from school or daycare can help prevent spreading the virus to others. It is usually advised to keep children at home for the first 3 days of the illness or whilst they have a fever.
4. Vaccinations: Staying up-to-date with seasonal vaccinations, such as flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines (if applicable), helps reduce the risk of spread and reduces severe illness and complications. If you are pregnant, having the RSV vaccine in pregnancy will give your baby some immunity to RSV.

How can I help my child if I look after them at home?

If your child has mild symptoms, there are steps you can take at home to keep them comfortable:

• Hydration: Encourage fluids, such as constant sips of water, warm broths and frozen ice lollies to help keep your child hydrated and soothe their throat.
• Rest: Rest is essential to help the body fight off the virus. Encourage them to sleep
• Relieve congestion: Saline nasal drops or sprays can help clear a stuffy nose, a chest rub can ease congestion and a humidifier in the room can make breathing easier.
• Medications: Over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol and ibuprofen can help relieve symptoms like fever or mild pain. Antibiotics are rarely prescribed as they are ineffective against viruses.

How can my doctor help?

If you’re concerned about your child’s symptoms, especially if they show any signs mentioned above, please don’t hesitate to contact us here at Sloane Street Surgery. We are here to assess your child and will provide the appropriate testing, care and advice.

We can also advise you when further medical intervention may be necessary.

Looking Ahead: New Treatments and Vaccines

There’s promising news on the horizon for preventing severe respiratory illnesses in children. New RSV antibody treatments are becoming available for infants, which may help protect young children from complications in the future. As more research develops, we’ll keep our patients updated on new options to keep children healthy during the winter season.

If you would like to speak to one of our doctors, you can book an appointment online here or call us on 0207 245 3999.

Article produced by Sloane Street Surgery, a private GP practice in London that provides world-class private healthcare for patients in Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Belgravia, West London, Hampshire, and beyond.