Family shares story after 2-year-old Oxford boy hospitalized with RSV

OXFORD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Doctors and families are on the lookout for many viruses right now, and an Oxford family is sharing a warning after their youngest landed in the hospital. 

The Kimball family shared a heartbreaking video of 2-year-old Beau struggling to breathe. That is what RSV looks like. 

It started with a runny nose and then hit the family with sudden severity. 

Two days after Christmas, Katie and her husband Steve took Beau to Beaumont Hospital where he tested positive for the virus known as RSV. But even then, they didn't know how bad it was. 

"I'm a teacher, my husband is a teacher and we've been around kids with RSV, and it's just a cold," Katie said.

It can be mild, or severe. RSV is an infection of the lungs and airways. 

"We get mucus plugs like snot in our lungs," said Dr. Kelly Levasseur with Beaumont. "So with little kids, they have small airways and it makes it hard for them to breathe with those mucus plugs."

Beau continued to struggle and ended up staying in the hospital for nine days. There's no real treatment for RSV, the goal is to just help you breathe. 

"It really was just time that he needed to get better," Katie said. 

"RSV can last for about seven days, but the worst days are four or five," Dr. Levasseur said. 

Dr. Levasseur said she worries most about the tiniest patients. 

"The biggest risks are really for our infants and youngest children because they can stop breathing," she said. 

As days continued to pass, eventually Beau struggled less and finally started feeling better. 

The Kimball House is now back to normal noise level, with Beau back in action reminding his big brother and big sister that he's feeling better. 

RSV can stand for a serious virus. You should look out for runny nose and coughing. Unfortunately, you can't really avoid it. It's like catching a cold. Elderly and very young are most at risk.