Mother urging parents to act quickly if their children are showing signs of RSV

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH/Gray News) - A mother in Kansas is sharing her son’s story as he deals with a respiratory virus in hopes of helping others.

Ami Johnson, a mother of two, said she jumped into action when her son, Jayden, showed obvious signs that he wasn’t well. He had a stuffy nose and was struggling to breathe.

“That wasn’t normal for him. You could see his whole rib cage when he was breathing. That’s how bad it was,” Johnson said.

She said the symptoms started quickly, and Jayden’s condition deteriorated.

“He was making a wheezing noise like he couldn’t breathe,” Johnson said.

Jayden tested positive for RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus. He was in the hospital for several days and underwent breathing treatments.

Health officials have reported an earlier-than-usual rise in RSV cases this year, including more children being hospitalized.

Wesley Medical Center Pediatrician Stephanie Kuhlmann said that as COVID restrictions dropped, all respiratory viruses and infections have increased again.

“Once the risk mitigation measures went away, we are seeing children getting sick again as they return to day care and school,” Kuhlmann said. “We’re also starting to see that seasonality shift back toward winter.”

Kuhlmann said an RSV vaccine is being tested, but for now, the best step that parents can take is to monitor their children.

Johnson said she hopes other parents will take their children’s symptoms as seriously as she did when she noticed her son wasn’t well.

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