RSV: 3 Routes To Stay Out of the Hospital

This post contains:

• At home treatments for RSV in a 2 month old
• How to use saline in a desktop nebulizer to help clear airway infections
• Going the homeopathic route for chest infections

“Our youngest age group has largely been sheltered from viruses due to the pandemic,” says family medicine physician Neha Vyas, MD. “Now, as they’re returning to daycare and other pre-pandemic activities, they are being exposed to these viruses and haven’t developed the immunity to them that normally occurs.” The more likely cause can be found here.

As respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases climb, it becomes increasingly important to know how to treat your childrens’ symptoms as they happen.

But how do you treat RSV at home? The best practices online include:

• At the first sign of a cold, start elderberry syrup (without honey added if under 1 year old). Elderberry is one of my favorite anti-viral herbs to use for kids.

• Prioritizing sleep will allow for a quicker recovery, so maintain a proper nap and bedtime schedule.

• Children will often lose their appetite. So it’s important to keep them well hydrated, especially infants. Give nutrient dense broth and pure water with a pinch of Himalayan salt for electrolytes. Skip the Pedialyte due to all the sugar added. (The sugar hinders white blood cells, also known as “killer cells.“)

• ‘Manage’ a fever. By that, we mean, it is best to watchfully ‘let a fever run its course’. For insight, read Knocking Down A Fever Is Like Shooting Your Attack Dog In a Burglary.

When should you take your child to the hospital for urgent medical care? “Pay attention to your child’s breathing,” stresses Dr. Vyas. “If they’re having to use their neck muscles or their chest muscles to take breaths, or they’re breathing fast, or if their lips seem to look blue, seek medical attention immediately.” (source)

Natural Help for RSV

Jill, a long time friend, from Jill’s Home Remedies, shares how she treated her 2 month old daughter with RSV:

Reagan’s symptoms started off like a cold and developed into more and more congestion, which turned into wheezing.  There’s never good timing for sickness, but Reagan’s wheezing developed during a snow & ice storm, and I was unable to take her to the doctor due to them closing their offices for a few days.  

Reagan’s symptoms weren’t bad enough to make an ER trip, so I watched her closely at home and used a few home remedies to help things not get serious.  I did take her to the doctor as soon as I could, they tested for the RSV, and prescribed a nebulizer at home with saline.

I began giving her colloidal silver from the beginning when she first showed signs of coughing and congestion. For her age, I gave 10 drops 3-4 times a day. When her cough tightened and she started wheezing, I gave her 10 drops of silver every two hours for about three days.  Her cough quickly loosened and became more productive and her wheezing didn’t get serious.  I administered silver for another 5 days 1-3 times a day until I’d given it to her for a total of 10 days. (This silver product cannot turn you blue. Read more here in the second half of this post.)

I also put a humidifier (or a diffuser) on a chair by her bed.  I used the humidifier every day with 3-4 drops of eucalyptus essential oil until her wheezing stopped and congestion was almost cleared.

Although Reagan did have some serious symptoms of RSV, she didn’t run a fever and was her usual happy, smiling self! The doctor and nurses all commented that she certainly didn’t act sick, and were surprised at how well she handled the virus. I get this comment often when my children are sick because using natural medicines to assist the immune system makes ALL the difference! I’ve never had a baby sick so young, and I’m glad I was able to ease her sickness at home with simple, inexpensive home remedies!

Saline Nebulization Helps Clear Airway Infections & Nasal Passages

If everyone had this simple device called a nebulizer at home, we could lessen the chances or prevent getting tangled up in the medical system. See the video below.

Nebulizing normal saline (0.9%) is an effective, safe treatment for acute viral infection in the small airways of lungs. (source)

The Journal of Pediatrics also assessed the effectiveness of nebulized hypertonic saline in the treatment of viral bronchiolitis (RSV, etc) in infants (source). They found nebulizing with 3% hypertonic saline reduced the length of hospital stays by 26% in infants with moderately severe infection, compared to nebulizing with standard saline (0.9%).

Sources: You can purchase either 3% hypertonic saline or standard saline (0.9%). Or you can make Your Own Saline: You could make your own by mixing one teaspoon of unprocessed salt (such as Himalayan salt, Celtic salt or Redmond’s real salt) into a pint of water. This will give you a 0.9% saline solution, which is about the concentration found in body fluids. (source) 

How To Nebulize:

Read the nebulizer instructions. The treatment for an adult or a child should be 2-5 times a day for 3-5 minutes or longer if possible. Holding the mask in place for your child on your lap may be needed while awake, but it can also be held by a parent (not touching the face) as they asleep. Most children will relax as they find it helps them. Nebulizing has saved many, many lives, especially during Covid.

Baby’s Treatment (most will hold their baby on their lap). 1 Minute.

Best results are with a desktop nebulizer as it delivers it further into the lungs.

The Homeopathic Route

Here is a case in point by Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH: “Laurie stayed on top of her first grader’s symptoms from the onset of a respiratory virus by addressing them with homeopathy — no matter what the viral strain’s alphabet soup name was. And that made her daughter’s condition more manageable and less severe.

“But when confronted by a cold, flu or any respiratory virus, my mainstays (courses of action) are a common Banerji Protocol and speed of action (like when using elderberry). I have averted many viruses with Aconitum napellus 200 mixed with Bryonia alba 30, taken at the first inkling that a virus is taking over my system. Not later or before bed. Not the next day. I’m talking IMMEDIATELY at the first sign that I’m feeling an illness coming on. (And repeating every few hours — depending on the severity of the illness — until very much better or until the presenting symptoms require a different medicine.)

“And not uncommonly, my family and I get sick less and less often as the years go by, by virtue of such knowledge. 

“That’s why I recommend that anyone susceptible to viruses (and that means everyone) carries Aconite 200 and Bryonia 30 in their pocket or purse. Don’t leave home without it! So, things would have been different when Laurie picked up her daughter from school and heard that first little, “Mommy, my throat hurts.”

Armed with Aconite 200 and Bryonia 30 in her purse, Laurie could have pulled the car over and administered this powerful homeopathic protocol immediately — at that moment — not waiting for later that night when they got home.”

Also, the cell salt Kali carbonicum 200 is a powerful medicine for mucus membrane disorders, particularly in the chest. Generally, Kali carb 200 would be utilized once a day for a mild case of bronchitis. However, twice a day may be necessary if the condition is more severe.

Joette gives great information on chest infections without antibiotics using homeopathy. Start at 4:30 for the meat.

I have a whole post here on how 5 simple remedies got me started with homeopathy for my whole family. Homeopathic remedies are non-toxic natural medicines safe for everyone including infants and pregnant or nursing women.

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