(BPT) - Like many parents, Heidi Staats had never heard of respiratory syncytial virus, commonly known as RSV, until she almost lost her son to the common, yet potentially severe disease it can cause.
Heidi’s son, Brett, was born only a month preterm. Despite his early arrival, Brett weighed a hearty seven pounds and was deemed ready for discharge after a few short days. Because of his healthy appearance, doctors didn’t think of Brett as a typical “preemie” and didn’t inform Heidi of the increased risks that impact all preterm infants—even those born just a few weeks early. In fact, even though he was a preemie, Brett wasn’t considered to be at high risk for developing severe RSV disease and Heidi wasn’t aware of the dangers of RSV, particularly for premature infants born during the RSV season (November – March).
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