Hazel's story: A Perth family's harrowing fight against RSV
For Perth mum Katherine, life with a newborn was meant to be filled with cuddles and cute milestones. But when her 10-week-old daughter Hazel caught what seemed to be a mild cold, the family was suddenly plunged into a terrifying fight for survival.
'Hazel first became unwell at 10 weeks old, after her older brother, Elijah, caught what we assumed was just another daycare bug,' Katherine said. 'At first, we were not overly concerned since there was no fever, and she was drinking well. We were reassured by a telehealth doctor that she seemed fine.'
But overnight, Hazel's condition deteriorated. After sleeping through a feed, something she had never done before, she became unresponsive and floppy by morning. What began as a minor cough quickly spiralled into a life-threatening emergency. 10-week-old Hazel in hospital. Credit: Supplied.
'From the moment the triage nurse called a code blue it all felt surreal,' Katherine said. 'We had no idea how she had deteriorated so quickly… we honestly thought she would not make it.'
Doctors placed Hazel in an induced coma as she was hooked up to life support. The following days were filled with medical procedures: CPR, EEGs, MRIs, blood tests, and multiple failed attempts to remove her from the ventilator. 'She took eight days to get off the ventilator… and then there was drug withdrawal from morphine, and she had to learn to feed all over again.'
It was Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, a virus many assume is just a mild cold. But for babies and vulnerable children, it can be deadly. Hazel in hospital, hooked up to life-saving equipment. Credit: Supplied.
'I wish people could understand how serious RSV can be,' Katherine said. 'Being such a common illness in children, people just disregard it as another cold, when in fact it can be life-threatening.'
Hazel's long road to recovery changed the way Katherine approaches parenting and health. 'It has made us more conscious of how illness spreads, and how we also have a duty to try and protect the more vulnerable,' she said.
Her experience has made her a passionate advocate for immunisation, particularly with Western Australia's infant and maternal RSV immunisation programs now available and set to expand into 2024.
'I had worked in early childhood education for over 12 years at the time and had never heard of [RSV],' Katherine said. 'I thought it was important to share our story with other parents to show them how serious RSV should be taken.'
To parents who are unsure about the vaccine, she urges them to consider the real risk: 'No parent should have to watch their child struggle to breathe or fight for their life. If there is a way to lessen the impact, it's worth consideration.'
Her message to WA parents is clear: 'RSV is so easily spread and can escalate so quickly. Awareness and early intervention are key in reducing the impact it can have.'
And above all, Katherine urges parents to 'trust your instincts and always advocate for your child's health.'
Healthy WA is your trusted source for up-to-date health advice and services, helping Western Australians stay informed and protected. Check your family's vaccinations today to ensure you're safeguarded against preventable illnesses. Visit the website for more information.
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Perth Now
3 days ago
- Perth Now
Hazel's story: A Perth family's harrowing fight against RSV
For Perth mum Katherine, life with a newborn was meant to be filled with cuddles and cute milestones. But when her 10-week-old daughter Hazel caught what seemed to be a mild cold, the family was suddenly plunged into a terrifying fight for survival. 'Hazel first became unwell at 10 weeks old, after her older brother, Elijah, caught what we assumed was just another daycare bug,' Katherine said. 'At first, we were not overly concerned since there was no fever, and she was drinking well. We were reassured by a telehealth doctor that she seemed fine.' But overnight, Hazel's condition deteriorated. After sleeping through a feed, something she had never done before, she became unresponsive and floppy by morning. What began as a minor cough quickly spiralled into a life-threatening emergency. 10-week-old Hazel in hospital. Credit: Supplied. 'From the moment the triage nurse called a code blue it all felt surreal,' Katherine said. 'We had no idea how she had deteriorated so quickly… we honestly thought she would not make it.' Doctors placed Hazel in an induced coma as she was hooked up to life support. The following days were filled with medical procedures: CPR, EEGs, MRIs, blood tests, and multiple failed attempts to remove her from the ventilator. 'She took eight days to get off the ventilator… and then there was drug withdrawal from morphine, and she had to learn to feed all over again.' It was Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, a virus many assume is just a mild cold. But for babies and vulnerable children, it can be deadly. Hazel in hospital, hooked up to life-saving equipment. Credit: Supplied. 'I wish people could understand how serious RSV can be,' Katherine said. 'Being such a common illness in children, people just disregard it as another cold, when in fact it can be life-threatening.' Hazel's long road to recovery changed the way Katherine approaches parenting and health. 'It has made us more conscious of how illness spreads, and how we also have a duty to try and protect the more vulnerable,' she said. Her experience has made her a passionate advocate for immunisation, particularly with Western Australia's infant and maternal RSV immunisation programs now available and set to expand into 2024. 'I had worked in early childhood education for over 12 years at the time and had never heard of [RSV],' Katherine said. 'I thought it was important to share our story with other parents to show them how serious RSV should be taken.' To parents who are unsure about the vaccine, she urges them to consider the real risk: 'No parent should have to watch their child struggle to breathe or fight for their life. If there is a way to lessen the impact, it's worth consideration.' Her message to WA parents is clear: 'RSV is so easily spread and can escalate so quickly. Awareness and early intervention are key in reducing the impact it can have.' And above all, Katherine urges parents to 'trust your instincts and always advocate for your child's health.' Healthy WA is your trusted source for up-to-date health advice and services, helping Western Australians stay informed and protected. Check your family's vaccinations today to ensure you're safeguarded against preventable illnesses. Visit the website for more information.
The Advertiser
4 days ago
- The Advertiser
Australians urged to address falling vaccination rates
With a marked dip in immunisation rates for flu and COVID-19, Australians are being urged to get the jab before winter sets in. Vaccine coverage for influenza sits at just 24.24 per cent nationally and 14 per cent for those under the age of 50. The take-up of COVID boosters has also dropped away significantly in people aged 75 and over, falling from 38 per cent to 32 per cent in the past 12 months. The Australian Medical Association says people need to prioritise conversations with their GP about vaccination against both conditions as well as the similarly widespread respiratory syncytial virus, especially those at greatest Australia's RSV immunisation program has achieved a 57 per cent reduction in hospitalisations among infants, saving the state's health system up to $6.9 million in hospital costs. AMA President Danielle McMullen says its success highlights the power of evidence-based prevention. "These results show what's possible when we get vaccination right, with more babies being kept out of hospital because their parents chose to protect them," she said on Saturday. "The timing could not be more critical with RSV cases climbing since the start of 2025 and children under five most at risk." Dr McMullen says the drop in COVID and flu jab rates is alarming."New COVID-19 strains continue to circulate leading to increased hospitalisations, making regular boosters essential for maintaining protection against severe illness," she said. "We are particularly concerned by (influenza) vaccination rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, which have declined across all age groups." The national RSV prevention program offers free maternal immunisation and targeted infant protection, while annual influenza jabs provide strong protection, with more than 98 per cent of this year's circulating strains matching vaccine components."The evidence is clear, vaccines work," Dr McMullen said. "But vaccines sitting in fridges don't save lives. We need people to pay attention, particularly parents of young children and older Australians." With a marked dip in immunisation rates for flu and COVID-19, Australians are being urged to get the jab before winter sets in. Vaccine coverage for influenza sits at just 24.24 per cent nationally and 14 per cent for those under the age of 50. The take-up of COVID boosters has also dropped away significantly in people aged 75 and over, falling from 38 per cent to 32 per cent in the past 12 months. The Australian Medical Association says people need to prioritise conversations with their GP about vaccination against both conditions as well as the similarly widespread respiratory syncytial virus, especially those at greatest Australia's RSV immunisation program has achieved a 57 per cent reduction in hospitalisations among infants, saving the state's health system up to $6.9 million in hospital costs. AMA President Danielle McMullen says its success highlights the power of evidence-based prevention. "These results show what's possible when we get vaccination right, with more babies being kept out of hospital because their parents chose to protect them," she said on Saturday. "The timing could not be more critical with RSV cases climbing since the start of 2025 and children under five most at risk." Dr McMullen says the drop in COVID and flu jab rates is alarming."New COVID-19 strains continue to circulate leading to increased hospitalisations, making regular boosters essential for maintaining protection against severe illness," she said. "We are particularly concerned by (influenza) vaccination rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, which have declined across all age groups." The national RSV prevention program offers free maternal immunisation and targeted infant protection, while annual influenza jabs provide strong protection, with more than 98 per cent of this year's circulating strains matching vaccine components."The evidence is clear, vaccines work," Dr McMullen said. "But vaccines sitting in fridges don't save lives. We need people to pay attention, particularly parents of young children and older Australians." With a marked dip in immunisation rates for flu and COVID-19, Australians are being urged to get the jab before winter sets in. Vaccine coverage for influenza sits at just 24.24 per cent nationally and 14 per cent for those under the age of 50. The take-up of COVID boosters has also dropped away significantly in people aged 75 and over, falling from 38 per cent to 32 per cent in the past 12 months. The Australian Medical Association says people need to prioritise conversations with their GP about vaccination against both conditions as well as the similarly widespread respiratory syncytial virus, especially those at greatest Australia's RSV immunisation program has achieved a 57 per cent reduction in hospitalisations among infants, saving the state's health system up to $6.9 million in hospital costs. AMA President Danielle McMullen says its success highlights the power of evidence-based prevention. "These results show what's possible when we get vaccination right, with more babies being kept out of hospital because their parents chose to protect them," she said on Saturday. "The timing could not be more critical with RSV cases climbing since the start of 2025 and children under five most at risk." Dr McMullen says the drop in COVID and flu jab rates is alarming."New COVID-19 strains continue to circulate leading to increased hospitalisations, making regular boosters essential for maintaining protection against severe illness," she said. "We are particularly concerned by (influenza) vaccination rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, which have declined across all age groups." The national RSV prevention program offers free maternal immunisation and targeted infant protection, while annual influenza jabs provide strong protection, with more than 98 per cent of this year's circulating strains matching vaccine components."The evidence is clear, vaccines work," Dr McMullen said. "But vaccines sitting in fridges don't save lives. We need people to pay attention, particularly parents of young children and older Australians." With a marked dip in immunisation rates for flu and COVID-19, Australians are being urged to get the jab before winter sets in. Vaccine coverage for influenza sits at just 24.24 per cent nationally and 14 per cent for those under the age of 50. The take-up of COVID boosters has also dropped away significantly in people aged 75 and over, falling from 38 per cent to 32 per cent in the past 12 months. The Australian Medical Association says people need to prioritise conversations with their GP about vaccination against both conditions as well as the similarly widespread respiratory syncytial virus, especially those at greatest Australia's RSV immunisation program has achieved a 57 per cent reduction in hospitalisations among infants, saving the state's health system up to $6.9 million in hospital costs. AMA President Danielle McMullen says its success highlights the power of evidence-based prevention. "These results show what's possible when we get vaccination right, with more babies being kept out of hospital because their parents chose to protect them," she said on Saturday. "The timing could not be more critical with RSV cases climbing since the start of 2025 and children under five most at risk." Dr McMullen says the drop in COVID and flu jab rates is alarming."New COVID-19 strains continue to circulate leading to increased hospitalisations, making regular boosters essential for maintaining protection against severe illness," she said. "We are particularly concerned by (influenza) vaccination rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, which have declined across all age groups." The national RSV prevention program offers free maternal immunisation and targeted infant protection, while annual influenza jabs provide strong protection, with more than 98 per cent of this year's circulating strains matching vaccine components."The evidence is clear, vaccines work," Dr McMullen said. "But vaccines sitting in fridges don't save lives. We need people to pay attention, particularly parents of young children and older Australians."
Perth Now
4 days ago
- Perth Now
Australians urged to address falling vaccination rates
With a marked dip in immunisation rates for flu and COVID-19, Australians are being urged to get the jab before winter sets in. Vaccine coverage for influenza sits at just 24.24 per cent nationally and 14 per cent for those under the age of 50. The take-up of COVID boosters has also dropped away significantly in people aged 75 and over, falling from 38 per cent to 32 per cent in the past 12 months. The Australian Medical Association says people need to prioritise conversations with their GP about vaccination against both conditions as well as the similarly widespread respiratory syncytial virus, especially those at greatest Australia's RSV immunisation program has achieved a 57 per cent reduction in hospitalisations among infants, saving the state's health system up to $6.9 million in hospital costs. AMA President Danielle McMullen says its success highlights the power of evidence-based prevention. "These results show what's possible when we get vaccination right, with more babies being kept out of hospital because their parents chose to protect them," she said on Saturday. "The timing could not be more critical with RSV cases climbing since the start of 2025 and children under five most at risk." Dr McMullen says the drop in COVID and flu jab rates is alarming."New COVID-19 strains continue to circulate leading to increased hospitalisations, making regular boosters essential for maintaining protection against severe illness," she said. "We are particularly concerned by (influenza) vaccination rates among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, which have declined across all age groups." The national RSV prevention program offers free maternal immunisation and targeted infant protection, while annual influenza jabs provide strong protection, with more than 98 per cent of this year's circulating strains matching vaccine components."The evidence is clear, vaccines work," Dr McMullen said. "But vaccines sitting in fridges don't save lives. We need people to pay attention, particularly parents of young children and older Australians."
