Maine baby receives life-saving surgery after fight with RSV

LOWELL, Maine (WABI) – Multiple respiratory viruses are currently circulating at high levels nationwide.

The flu and RSV, a respiratory virus that especially affects children, have hit harder and earlier than usual this year.

That certainly was the case for one family from Lowell.

Roman Madden was just 7-weeks-old when he contracted RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus).

While he was receiving care in Bangor earlier this month, doctors did a chest X-ray and discovered he needed immediate heart surgery.

He was flown to Boston to get care as that was the nearest hospital able to perform the surgery needed.

His parents, David and Joy, are urging other parents to educate themselves about the virus.

And, don’t hesitate to get your child care.

“The fact that he went six weeks with a congenital heart disease that they normally find in a newborn baby, it was just a lot of factors. COVID delayed his doctor’s appointment, so that would be when they would normally find something like that, and he wasn’t able to have that, so that got delayed,” said Roman’s dad, David.

“Really, the RSV was a blessing in disguise because if he wouldn’t have gotten it, we wouldn’t have known about his heart condition until it was probably too late, and that’s a scary thought,” said Roman’s mom, Joy.

Roman is now 2-months-old and is settling in well at home.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family with medical costs.

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