SOUTH BEND — Doctors are seeing more cases of a highly contagious respiratory illness in babies called RSV.

A doctor at Memorial Hospital tells WSBT it's the worst infection he's seen so far this season in small children.

Symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough and sometimes wheezing.

Anyone can get RSV, but the younger the baby, the worse the illness. Several babies between 3 and 6 months have been hospitalized.

“It's all about kids' immune systems are different. They're not as mature. Their air ways are smaller, so when they get plugged up they get sicker. It's physical factors as well as immunology factors,” said Dr. Steven Spilger at Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room.

There are some simple ways to protect your infant from RSV:

- Wash your hands before touching your baby and ask others to do the same.
- Wash your baby’s toys and bedding often.
- Do not share your child's personal items, such as pacifiers, cups, forks, and spoons.
- Do not smoke near your baby. Exposure to tobacco smoke increases the risk of RSV disease.

Click on the link the Related Content box for more information on RSV.