A mum whose six-week-old baby was rushed to hospital with a very common virus has issued an urgent warning for parents.
Queensland woman Montana Shortland feared her son Griffith would not be coming home when he was airlifted to specialist intensive care after she took him to hospital with what she believed to be a common cold in May.
Ms Shortland said her son, who was six-weeks-old at the time, went from having a runny nose to ‘gasping for air’ within the span of 24 hours.
The worried mum took her baby to Rockhampton Hospital where doctors performed tests and confirmed the little boy had respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – a virus common among children.
RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. However, symptoms can prove life-threatening especially for infants and the elderly.
Montana Shortland (right) feared her six-week-old Griffith was going to die after her son went from having a runny nose to ‘gasping for air’ within the span of 24 hours
‘The ED doctor told me that if I hadn’t brought him in when I did, I could very possibly have woken up with a baby that wasn’t breathing the next morning,’ Ms Shortland told ABC.
Ms Shortland believes her 18-month-old son Archer, who attends daycare, caught the virus and passed it on to his little brother Griffith.
Griffith was placed on high-flow oxygen and a feeding tube and after three days plans were being made for him to go home as his condition improved.
However, that evening the little boy’s condition deteriorated further and a decision was made to airlift him more than 650km to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
There, Griffith was placed in intensive care for four days.
‘I was so scared if I took my eyes off him for one second, he may be dead,’ Ms Shortland said.
‘We never imagined that a slight cold or a slight cough could have turned into something so serious.’
Now at 10-weeks-old, Griffin still has a lingering cough but has otherwise recovered from his serious bout of RSV.
Queensland Health data reveals there were 16,332 confirmed cases of RSV across the state from the beginning of the year to June 26 – with the highest number of cases (4,076) recorded in Metro South for the same period.
Symptoms of RSV, Covid-19 and influenza can all overlap, leading to a prolonged flu season, with doctors claiming it is one of the worst in several years.
Tests confirmed the little boy had respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – a virus common among children. However, Griffith’s condition worsened and he was airlifted more than 650km to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (pictured)
Queensland Children’s Hospital paediatric emergency physician Doctor Geoff Pearce said young children and infants are susceptible to developing pneumonia and bronchiolitis from RSV.
‘RSV is a common and highly infectious virus that most children will catch at least once before they turn two,’ Dr Pearce said.
‘In most cases, RSV is similar to the common cold and causes a minor illness best treated with plenty of rest and fluids, but young children can become very unwell and may need to be admitted to hospital.
‘The infection can cause inflammation and mucus to build up quickly in children’s small airways which can make it difficult for them to breathe, and they may require oxygen support.
‘RSV is a common cause of lung infections such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia and children under three are at the highest risk of serious illness because their immune system is less developed.’
RSV is a common virus that spreads easily with symptoms usually beginning between three to 10 days after contact with the virus.
RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms however, symptoms can prove life-threatening especially for infants. Young children and infants are susceptible to developing pneumonia and bronchiolitis from RSV (stock image)
Most mild cases are treated at home with rest and hydration but children under 3 years of age are at the highest risk of serious illness.
Symptoms in infants and babies include runny nose, cough, wheezing, fever, irritability or tiredness, refusal to breast or bottle feed, weight loss and working hard to breathe or fast breathing.
Parents are urged to call 000 immediately if their child appears to be very lethargic, has severe difficulty breathing, is making ‘grunting’ noises and has blue-coloured lips or skin.
The prevention of RSV is through restricting the transmission of the virus by washing hands regularly or using hand sanitiser, cleaning surfaces, disinfecting toys and keeping unwell children away from newborn babies and the elderly.
