RSV Surge Sparks Concerns in North Alabama: Growing concerns over respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in North Alabama are raising alarms. WAAY 31 spoke with Emily Maldonado, a mother whose son recently tested positive for the illness, sharing a harrowing experience.
“He was intubated and in paralysis for eight days straight. It was the worst days of my life. We thought we were gonna lose him; it was a nightmare,” recounted Maldonado.
Now an advocate for child safety amid the rising RSV numbers, Maldonado emphasizes the seriousness of the virus and urges parents to be vigilant about signs and symptoms.
Paula Armstrong, owner and director of Tender Care Learning Center and Kids Journey Child Development Center, describes this year’s RSV outbreak as the worst she has seen.
“It’s been rough. We’ve had several hospitalized at both of my centers, and it starts out you think that it’s allergies or a cold. It’s like a cycle; someone will have it, they’ll get better, they’ll come back, and then the next group is out with it so they kind of cycled through it for about three weeks,” Armstrong noted.
The severity prompted a temporary closure of the facility for extensive cleaning, a routine practice during cold and flu seasons.
Armstrong advises parents to pay attention to their own health and their children’s, urging sick individuals to stay home and be transparent about their condition, as adults can carry RSV without severe symptoms but pose a risk to small children, especially those with underlying health conditions.
As for Dylan, Maldonado’s son, he is on the path to recovery, though the journey is ongoing.
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