AN angry mum has hit out at people who get too close to other people’s babies.
Dusti Allen Latham’s three month-old son contracted respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and has been struggling to breathe due to the illness.
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RSV is a very common virus and almost all children are infected with it by the time they are two years old.
In older children and adults, RSV symptoms include a cough, cold, runny nose and fever.
Taking to TikTok, Dusti urged people to stay away from babies that aren’t theirs.
In the clips, the baby can be heard to be struggling to breath and sounds croaky – both of which are RSV symptoms.
She said: “This is RSV. We are struggling to keep his oxygen over 85.
“It makes me so mad, his oxygen levels are all over the place.”
Dusti previously said that her little boy had been premature and that she had to be taken into labour during a routine checkup.
Experts at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) say that babies that are born prematurely have a target oxygen saturation of 91 per cent to 95 per cent.
Anything lower than this sees baby struggling to breathe and warrants medication attention.
Dusti added: “He can’t stop coughing, he’s making that noise just trying to breathe.
“Stay away from babies that aren’t yours.
“Keep your lips and hands off other people’s babies, stay back and be respectful.”
Dusti explained that she had taken her little boy to hospital on Tuesday night.
It was there that the nurse said he looked really bad and that his oxygen levels were really low.
However after being seen by a doctor, they were sent home, despite Dusti’s worries.
What are the signs of RSV you should never ignore?
NAOMI WATT, a respiratory nurse specialist at charity Asthma + Lung UK, says: “RSV is a common virus that usually affects babies and children under two. Most of the time the symptoms are very mild and can be managed at home.
“RSV starts with a blocked or runny nose and can progress to a cough, fever and sometimes breathing difficulties.
“The good news is that for most children it will clear in a few days without any treatment.
“On rare occasions, some children do develop more severe symptoms.
“RSV can sometimes lead to bronchiolitis, an infection of the smaller airways in the lungs.”
RSV warning signs include:
- Refusal to breastfeed or bottle-feed.
- Breathing more quickly and noisily (wheezing).
- Seeming very tired, upset or inactive.
- Signs of dehydration – lack of tears when crying, little or no urine in their nappy for six hours, and cool, dry skin.
Naomi says: “We would advise any parents worried about their child having RSV or bronchiolitis to speak to their doctor, or call 111.
“Our helpline is available from 9am to 5pm on Fridays, call 0300 222 5800.”
In an emergency, always call 999.
The worried mum, based in the US, said that medics aren’t taking her situation seriously despite her baby’s low oxygen levels.
She added that she has been taking him to her doctor on a daily basis and that they still will not admit him to hospital.
In one of her comments, she said she would ‘never let anyone touch him again’ and added that she has even considered taking her young daughter out of school in order to minimise the risk.
Her story comes after data showed cases of the virus have been increasing in the UK.
RSV cases are higher than typical for this time of year, as are cases of other bugs, including flu.
That’s because Covid lockdowns, in which kids stayed at home, prevented RSV from circulating as it usually would.
In one report from the Academy of Medical Sciences, virus experts said the UK was heading for a “lethal triple mix of Covid-19, influenza, and the respiratory virus RSV” [this winter].
“This could push an already depleted NHS to breaking point this winter unless we act now,” it added.
This is already the case in the US, with all three viruses surging in young kids, catching doctors off guard.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US has been reporting about 5,000 cases per week.
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