RSV information

It has come to my attention that I never really explained all of the details of exactly why we must keep our babies under a sort of reverse quarantine for - well, until they are past their second birthday honestly. With RSV season knocking on our door, I thought it time to really explain the nitty gritty of what we are trying to avoid and why. If you know about RSV and it's dangers, please disregard this post of course. If not, we appreciate you taking the time to try and understand our protective actions.

We have discussed the isolation of our babies at length with their pediatrician, neonatologist and cardiologist. All have urged us to keep our little ones away from enclosed and crowded areas as well as other children - especially other babies and toddlers - as much as we possibly can. They were both diagnosed with chronic lung disease which will not completely resolve until the age of 3. It is highly reccomended that we maintain our strict precautions throughout their first 2 RSV seasons. (Yes, that does unfortunately mean this year AND next.)

Our babies have EVERY risk factor for contracting RSV - multiple birth, materal and paternal family history of childhood asthma, low birth weights, extreme prematurity, and chronic lung disease to name a few. We therefore feel it pertinent to their current and future well being that we follow the instructions of their docotrs and the CDC in an effort to reduce their risk as much as possible.

Please know (as I have said many times before) that this is one of the most difficult restrictions for us to adhere to - for completely selfish reasons, such as the want for others to appreciate our little beauties as much as we do, or to simply have the convenience of taking them to the grocery store- we'd LOVE nothing more than to put them on display. However, if it means putting them at increased risk for an otherwise preventable lifetime of breathing difficulties and hospitalization, and another bout with artificial ventilation - not to mention the possibility of death - we must politely say, "no thank you."

We have (thankfully) gotten permission from the doctors to continue to do outside activites (taking the babies to the park for walks, etc.) while the weather is nice. So, until healthier days arrive, that's pretty much the only thing on the out of the house agenda for our babies.

Please know that we truly appreciate your continued support and prayers through this our first RSV season. We are simply doing everything we know how to keep our little ones healthy and give them every chance to thrive.

Below are some links with further explanation of RSV. The first is a very good straight forward generic letter written by a preemie care website. It is an easy read if you have just a few more minutes.

Again, we cannot express enough how thankful we are for such an incredible outpour of support throughout this time in our family. All we've ever wanted was for these babies to have every opportunity to become healthy, thriving kiddos. I've always said, "I just want to not have to worry about them when they eat dirt at the playground or sand at the beach. I just want them to be regular kids!" Through our continued efforts, we have no reason to believe that they won't do just that (become regular kids I mean).

our sincerest love and gratitude,
Heather and Brent

http://www.preemiecare.org/rsvletter.pdf

http://www.preemiecare.org/rsvfaq.htm

There are some further links contained on both links if you still have questions and as always feel free to send me an email at heatherbowe@gmail.com if you have any further questions, comments you don't want to post here or any other feedback. Much appreciated!