RSV hits close to home for McMaster Children’s Hospital emergency doctor
Dr. Anthony Crocco knows very well how seriously respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can impact children.
He is an emergency doctor at Hamilton Health Sciences’ (HHS) McMaster Children’s Hospital (MCH), MCH’s Deputy Chief of Pediatrics, and the Chair of HHS’ Medical Advisory Committee.
He’s also a dad whose child had RSV and received care from the same hospital where he spends most of his time.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus that can cause serious lung infections, especially in infants and young children.
“I most definitely would give my children this protective treatment against RSV.”
Dr. Anthony Crocco
“As a doctor, I knew the course of RSV. I knew in my mind it impacted babies like my daughter and could make them very sick,” says Crocco. “But to know it in my heart and see the struggle that she went through was quite different.”
Just recently, a new medication became available in our community to protect babies from severe RSV infection. It’s available at clinics at MCH and HHS’ West Lincoln Memorial Hospital for eligible babies.
“I most definitely would give my children this protective treatment against RSV,” he says. “RSV is a dangerous disease and anything that I can do to prevent my child from experiencing that in its many forms, I would do.”
High heart rate and low oxygen
Crocco’s daughter was just over a year old in November 2019 – near the start of RSV season, which typically runs until March — when she started showing cold-like symptoms like congestion and a runny nose.
After a day, her symptoms became worse. She had difficulty breathing and was not able to drink, becoming dehydrated and lethargic. Crocco’s wife took their daughter to MCH’s emergency department where Crocco later met them.
When she arrived, her heart rate was over 200 and she had low oxygen levels. She needed extra oxygen and an IV for fluids. Because she was so dehydrated, it took eight pokes to get the IV in.
She spent two days in the hospital, one of which was spent waiting in the emergency department – unfortunately a common occurrence during respiratory virus season when hospitals can have more patients who need care than there are beds available.
We’re “very lucky” to have this prevention strategy available
Fortunately, Crocco’s daughter recovered and was able to return home fairly quickly, which isn’t the case for all children.
“Relative to other children who needed to have a tube put into their lungs to help them breathe, or children who died, our daughter did relatively well,” he says.
Crocco says we’re very lucky in Ontario to have this new prevention strategy, an antibody medication called nirsevimab (Beyfortus®), available to eligible babies.
“This is about saving children from the experience that my daughter went through and saving children from the experiences of ending up in intensive care, or worse.”
“In other countries like Spain who have more experience with this prevention strategy, they have seen a huge drop in the number of children who need to be admitted to hospital and who end up needing intensive care,” he says.
“We know this is something that has a huge impact on our outcome measures with no significant adverse effects. This is about saving children from the experience that my daughter went through and saving children from the experiences of ending up in intensive care, or worse.”
Book an appointment
Babies less than one year old, those being born this RSV season (until March 2025) or children up to two years old who meet the high-risk criteria are eligible to receive Nirsevimab (Beyfortus®).
Please call one of the phone numbers below to schedule an appointment.
McMaster Children’s Hospital clinic: 905-521-2345
West Lincoln Memorial Hospital clinic: 905-945-2253 ext 11401
Learn more about RSV, medication eligibility, and how you can protect your infant.
