A mum has issued a stark warning to fellow parents after her nine-week-old baby ended up in intensive care after catching a cold.
Becky Inglis was terrified as son Alfie was rushed to Crosshouse Hospital, in Kilmarnock, Scotland, in an ambulance.
Little Alfie was sedated and then brought to the Glasgow’s Children’s Hospital where he was taken into intensive care.
He had started with what Becky, 21, described as a “normal cold” which worsened over a couple of days.
"He had a cold and was coughing and wasn’t interested in his bottle for a couple of days,” Becky told the Kilmarnock Standard .
“We were then told Alfie had RSV and bronchiolitis, which babies get from people with colds.”
Alfie’s condition worsened on the Monday morning when he was put on to high flow oxygen.
Becky said: “A few doctors came back and forth and was pretty confused by a lot of things being said to me but I knew he was becoming more and more poorly.”
Anaesthetics sedated Alfie and breathing tubes were placed down his throat, as his attempts to breath by himself were making him exhausted.
The tot spent three days under sedation while Becky and partner Jack Anderson held a bedside vigil.
“We were worried out of our minds knowing our tiny baby was lying there on machines breathing for him and not being able to just scoop him up and keep him safe in our arms,” said Becky.
Becky described as “the biggest moment of relief I had had in a week” as he was taken off the ventilator.
He was eventually weaned off his oxygen and back on to bottle feeding and is now, three weeks on, “doing great”.
Becky has now warned others about the dangers of contact with newborn babies when suffering from common colds and winter illnesses.
She said: “I’m so glad I called to get him checked when I did, otherwise I don’t know what would have happened.
“Luckily for us Alfie has had a pretty speedy recovery and is loads better.
“For someone else in the same position, it could go very differently.
“Please always wash your hands before touching a baby and never kiss babies, and if you have any sign of even a slight cold, keep your distance – it is really not worth the risk.
“What can seem like a simple cough or a wee snuffle can result in a baby having to go through what our wee Alfie did.”
Health chiefs have this week told parents and carers of the steps which can be taken to avoid spreading the bronchiolitis virus.
Dr Elvira Garcia, consultant in public health medicine for NHS Ayrshire and Arran, said: “Bronchiolitis is a common lower respiratory tract infection that affects babies and young children under two years old.
“Around one in three children in the UK will develop bronchiolitis during their first year of life.
“Bronchiolitis is caused by a virus known as the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is spread through tiny droplets of liquid from the coughs or sneezes of someone who is infected.
“It’s very difficult to prevent bronchiolitis, but there are steps you can take to reduce your child’s risk of catching it and help prevent the virus spreading, particularly if they are premature or have a condition.”
Steps to prevent the spreading of the virus are:
- Wash your hands and your child’s hands frequently
- Wash or wipe toys and surfaces regularly
- Keep infected children at home until their symptoms have improved
- Keep newborn babies away from people with colds or flu
- Avoid smoking around your child. Do not let others smoke around them.
Dr Garcia added: “This is sensible information to follow
at this time of year to help reduce the spread of many other viruses too.
“Most cases of bronchiolitis are mild and clear up within two to three weeks without the need for treatment, although some children have severe symptoms and need hospital treatment.
“The early symptoms of bronchiolitis are similar to those of a common cold, such as a runny nose and a cough.
“About two to three per cent of babies who develop bronchiolitis during the first year of life will need to be admitted to hospital because they develop more serious symptoms, such as breathing difficulties.
“This is more common in premature babies (born before week 37 of pregnancy) and those born with a heart or lung condition.”
