The following is part of a compensated campaign in collaboration with MedImmune and Latina Bloggers Connect. All thoughts and opinions shared are my own. No one is the boss of me!

It's hard to believe but that sweet photo above was taken of my then 4 month-old Jacob and me, just after his bout with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) back in early 2010.  It was a scary time and I remember feeling like as a mother, I had done something wrong because never in my life had I seen one of my babies so sick. This whole "RSV thing" was new to me, but it is something I find myself still dealing with, since Jacob seems to still always have respiratory issues.  I suspect it's because he was so sick so early in his life. It pained me to have to put him on a nebulizer and so many antibiotics to help try and get him better. But, now that I realize how severe and serious that RSV can actually be, I consider ourselves lucky to have gotten through that together.

First off, there is no treatment for RSV disease. So that means prevention is not only necessary, but absolutely crucial. Many times, visiting the pediatrician at the first signs of illness can make all the difference in the world.  Getting good medical care is a great start, but you as a parent, can also protect your kids by washing your hands frequently (and making sure all who come into contact with your kids), keeping toys and bedding clean, making sure to avoid really crowded places during RSV season, never letting anyone smoke around your baby, and finally – staying away from people who are or have recently been sick. Did you know that RSV is a seasonal virus contracted by nearly 100 percent of babies by their second birthday? That is an astounding statistic! And, in fact, two-thirds of Hispanic mothers have never heard of RSV, and one in five Hispanic moms only becomes aware of RSV once their child has contracted the virus. That was definitely me when my son contracted RSV. 

Learn more about the ABCs of RSV and how you can protect your children using the handy infographic pictured below. 

It is so important to get help as quickly as possible if your child exhibits symptoms of RSV. To learn more about protecting your kids, visit RSVprotection.com