we begin with an alarming outbreak that has some u.s. hospitals struggling. the common but potentially deadly respiratory virus called rsv is spreading rapidly among children. doctors telling cnn the spike is unprecedented for this time of year. cnn s brian todd has more on this troubling surge. the drive to the emergency room was really scary and really intense. reporter: this mother of a 5-year-old who was hospitalized with difficulty breathing told us of an anxious drive to the emergency room. things eventually had gotten worse since we were admitted. i have seen starting last night that he is progressively having a harder time breathing. rsv is one of the scariest infections in a child, especially when it s in your baby. so you will see your baby breathing really, really fast and you feel like there is nothing that you can do. reporter: around the country doctors are reporting a spike in cases of rsv, respiratory syncytial virus, a common respiratory illness tha
progress, children need attention quickly. reporter: there is no vaccine and no remedy, but severe cases can be treated in a hospital with fluids, oxygen or even a ventilator and icepacks to bring down the fever. i don t know but she slept with the icepacks on. reporter: 4-month-old lindy was admitted at cook hospital in houston. running a significant fever, not eating as much. reporter: doctors say to avoid rsv clean surfaces in your home, have kids watch hands, cover their mouths when coughing and sneezing. for cases that don t require hospitalization, keep a child hydrated and give tylenol or motrin if they have a fever. day five is the peak of symptoms. parents will notice that their child might be more uncomfortable at day five and then their symptoms resolve and they get better. reporter: the dr. says what worries her is that unlike in previous years when the virus was seasonal and predictable,