Dr Phil Kieran: Worried my baby niece will get RSV 

"RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, is the most common cause of lower respiratory infections in children in Ireland. During the winter months, the virus accounts for a significant portion of my workload in smaller kids."

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My year-old niece had to be rushed into hospital earlier in the year with RSV. I am booked to babysit her for a long weekend while her parents take a mini break. I’m terrified she will get seriously ill again. What are the warning signs?

Breathing problems are among the scariest emergencies in medicine, and during my first few years working as a GP they often kept me awake with worry.