Shawn Johnson East Reveals the Crucial Lesson from Her Child’s RSV Battle

Shawn Johnson East is an Olympic and Dancing with the Stars champion who earned serious “cool mom” street cred in 2023 when she flipped for Blippi. But like many parents across the United States, she’s had to monitor sick children and help them through respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports most children will get the common respiratory virus by age 2. But RSV can be dangerous for infants, as well as some young children.

The Olympic gold medalist experienced how scary it can be for an infant firsthand. She shares her family's journey with RSV and what she wants other parents to know about the illness, healing, and making informed, empowered choices.

Her Scary RSV Experience

Johnson East's first child, Drew, came down with RSV during toddlerhood, right around the time her second, Jett, was born. 

“That was my first introduction to RSV," says Johnson East. "It didn't seem to progress more than a cold for her, so in my mind, as a first-time mom, I was like, ‘OK, we can deal with this RSV thing that people are talking about.’”

As many parents of multiple children quickly learn, no two kids are exactly alike. Six months later, Jett came down with RSV, and Johnson East’s experience was much different.

“He woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't breathe,” she says. “I was having a very, very hard time. Of course, it was the one time my husband was gone, and I was solo momming.”

Johnson East called an ambulance. 

“I was really scared,” she says. “I couldn't get him to calm down or get a breath. It's different when they're 3. It’s different when they're 1. But having an infant was scary. There’s a lot of fear that you have with an infant, and I just knew I needed to help to make sure that no matter what, he was OK.”

Who Is at Risk for Severe RSV?

Jett is OK—he responded to treatment at the hospital and is now a thriving 3-year-old. But Johnson East is right: RSV can be different for infants. That's also the case for children with underlying conditions, such as chronic lung disease, cystic fibrosis, and congenital (present from birth) heart disease, according to the CDC.

"Older adults, infants under 1 year of age, and young children with certain immune compromising conditions can get very sick and sometimes need to be hospitalized," confirms Andrew Elliston, MD, FAAP, a board-certified pediatrician and the co-founder and medical director of Elliston Pediatrics. 

It’s a leading cause of hospitalization in infants in the U.S. and can have a ripple effect on the body.

"RSV can cause a disease called bronchiolitis in infants, which involves swelling of lower airways—bronchioles—and wheezing," says Zachary Hoy, MD, a board-certified pediatric infectious disease specialist at Pediatrix Medical Group in Nashville, Tennessee. "Sometimes, this can lead to trouble breathing and a need for oxygen. RSV can also cause apnea or longer pauses in breathing in young infants less than 3 months of age. This can require special monitoring in the hospital or emergency room."

But immunizations can protect infants and vulnerable toddlers from getting seriously sick from RSV. Johnson East had the opportunity to get her third child, Bear, protected.

Protecting Against RSV

The CDC reports that RSV typically causes mild and cold-like illnesses, like what Johnson East’s first child experienced. However, the CDC reports that two to three of every 100 infants under 6 months are hospitalized with RSV. 

The numbers can feel small, but it’s personal when it’s your child.

“I had done everything that our pediatrician had walked me through, like, trying cool air, trying to calm him down—it wasn’t working,” Johnson East says of Jett. “I was very panicked.”

When she learned that her due date for her third child, Bear, would be in December 2023—peak RSV season and right around the holidays when families gather (and viruses can spread)—she was filled with dread.

However, just like each child is different, each year is different. And, in July 2023—about six months before Bear’s birth—a new tool became available: a preventative RSV drug called Beyfortus (nirsevimab-alip). Johnson East recalls that her pediatrician was “almost nonchalant” when recommending it.

What’s the difference between Beyfortus and the RSV vaccine given to pregnant people and kids?

“A vaccine would teach your body to make antibodies, so the next time you get introduced to that virus, your antibodies will go and fight it,” says Mona Amin, DO, a pediatrician, IBCLC, host of the PedsDocTalk podcast, and mother. “The way [Beyfortus] works is that it's an antibody. When you get introduced to the RSV virus, the antibodies immediately go to neutralize the virus to hopefully reduce the risk of complications and severe disease.” 

Dr. Amin says to think of it like an “immediate defender.”

Beyfortus is available to infants in their first RSV season and certain children up to 2 years old. Newborns can get Beyfortus in the hospital. Dr. Amin has seen children receive it around one day of life for prompt protection. 

Dr. Elliston is thrilled it's available to families. He points to data that shows the immunization decreases the risk of becoming hospitalized with RSV by 80% to 90%. "As a pediatrician, it was amazing to finally be able to directly protect most babies from RSV for the first time in July 2023," Dr. Elliston says.

Of course, it's important to have conversations with your child's healthcare provider to determine the best course of action for your family.

Finding Comfort During Peak Respiratory Virus Season

For Johnson East, it was a no-brainer. Bear was going to be born during peak respiratory virus season, and the family had large gatherings planned for the holidays.

“We had about 30 people coming in town because we had a new baby, including 11 kids under the age of 6,” Johnson East says.

It also allowed her to feel confident in letting her older children attend favorite activities, which she thought was especially crucial during the transition of welcoming a new baby. 

Like with any immunization, though, there can be side effects. Dr. Elliston notes side effects from Beyfortus are rare and minimal but might include:

• Pain
• Redness
• Swelling at the injection site
• Rash

These side effects are also listed on the Beyfortus website, and Johnson East’s pediatrician mentioned them to her, but little Bear? 

“He handled it with no problem,” Johnson East says.

“They’re often tougher on us,” I say, and fellow moms Johnson East and Dr. Amin respond with a knowing smile and nod.

In the long term, Johnson East and her family felt great about the decision.

“It did bring me comfort,” Johnson East says. “It won’t keep him from getting RSV, but it made me feel good knowing he was armed with more protection.”

Raising Awareness for Available Options

Immunizations can be a challenging topic for parents. With so much misinformation, it can be difficult to feel like you can find the accurate information to make a truly informed choice. 

Johnson East has found her pediatrician to be a trusted resource, especially for RSV protection questions. She recommends parents speak with their child’s care team about protection for their children as RSV numbers tick up this fall and winter. 

“I truly think these conversations are important to educate yourself on,” Johnson East says. “I think it's wonderful to have as an option and something you should definitely talk through. As a mom, what I've learned with each kid is, ‘The more I can know, the better.’ It makes me feel more confident having more education and more knowledge.”

Dr. Amin agrees health care providers can be a valuable resource. She also says that the Beyfortus website and the Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have more information on RSV protection options. Dr. Amin notes that the AAP includes the RSV immunization in its immunization schedule. 

But, as important as health care providers can be, Dr. Amin also praises people like Johnson East with large followings—and those without them in small groups of friends—for speaking out about sickness, healing, and using the tools we have to advocate for and protect our children.

“I love when moms who are not trained in medicine speak about medical things in the way that they would to their friends,” Dr. Amin says. “We need that. We need advocates for the health care system. We need advocates for therapeutics that are helping children because that's what we're trying to do here.”