{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"KZYX News","title":"More pediatric beds needed","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":390,"description":"November 29, 20222, Sarah Reith — Cold and flu season arrived early this year, with an extra hard-hitting strain of RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, which can be dangerous for children and elderly people. With dwindling numbers of pediatric beds available nationwide, kids who need to be hospitalized often have to travel out of the county to receive a high level of care. Doctor Casey Johnston, a pediatrician who works in Ukiah and Lakeport, says that on top of covid, this is a particularly bad season for respiratory illnesses.\r\n\r\n“There’s several different reasons why it’s a bad year,” she said. “Normally we see surges in influenza and RSV. Every few years there’s a worse year for those conditions. We also have covid now, and actually there are some cases of people getting covid and the flu at the same time. So when your immune system gets hit with one thing, you’re more susceptible to get another virus. And then also a lot of people weren’t getting the normal exposures the last couple of years and building immunity. So we’re seeing a lot of particularly young kids get hit hard with these illnesses, especially flu and RSV.”\r\n\r\nThe three afflictions present similarly, with cough, congestion, fevers, and body aches. Dr. Johnston recommends lots of rest, and especially hydration. “Because once a kid starts to get dehydrated, they feel worse, and they don’t want to drink, and then it just gets worse and worse. So hydration is key,” she explained.\r\n\r\nBabies suffering from RSV often experience a lot of mucus buildup, from the nostrils to the lower airways, which can lead to bronchiolitis, a serious illness. This can be addressed with common over-the-counter bulb suction devices, which can be found at any drugstore and feature easy-to-follow instructions.\r\n\r\n“It’s important to know when to get urgent medical care,” Dr. Johnston emphasized. “There’s a lot of things we can try at home, but if your child or baby is breathing really rapidly or using a lot of muscles,...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/xZpAumwbhFUpJUYcwaQ1-q6snzOyqAm13l7cW6AWPCM/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mMzkz/NjAwNjc2OWMyZmFk/YWY2YTdmYjI5M2Mz/YWMxNy5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}