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Respiratory viruses can impact infants more severely than older children, and symptoms run the gamut, according to a new study in Pediatrics. Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center followed 1,223 healthy children from infancy through age 5 from November 2019 to August 2025 and analyzed 15,898 laboratory-confirmed, single-pathogen respiratory infections to characterize symptom patterns and clinical outcomes. Rhinorrhea, cough, malaise, and fatigue were the most common symptoms. The authors also found that compared with children aged 1–5 years, infants under 1 year had significantly greater odds of respiratory distress/dyspnea with influenza A (odds ratio [OR] = 4.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.98–11.30) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) A (OR = 2.52, 95% CI 1.45–4.38). Results show that influenza and RSV infection frequently resulted in hospitalization or emergency department (ED) visits, while at the same time, researchers also observed a similar prevalence of asymptomatic influenza and RSV infection episodes. They conclude that respiratory illness severity varies widely among young children and that recognizing symptom patterns may help clinicians better assess risk and guide management.
Where did everyone go? More than 78% of symptomatic infections were managed at home with just 21.6% treated in healthcare settings, including hospitals, EDs, outpatient sites, and urgent care centers.