'I thought my baby had a common cold. Within hours, she couldn't breathe on her own.'

When Deanne's six-week-old daughter Winter seemed a bit off, the mum-of-two chalked it up to a common cold. Winter was snotty and had a slight cough — nothing that initially seemed concerning.

But when her little girl suddenly didn't want to feed and became more congested, a worried Deanne took her to see the GP.

"They said that because she hadn't had a bottle throughout the morning and hadn't had a wet nappy, we had to go to the hospital," Deanne told Mamamia.

During the 40-minute drive to the hospital, Deanne's concern grew with each passing moment.

"By the time we got to the hospital, (Winter) was actually gasping for air," Deanne recalled.

Watch a clip of Winter in hospital. Post continues below.

Winter was immediately taken to the resuscitation bay. What had started as a simple sniffle had rapidly evolved into a serious medical emergency.

"Everything happened so quickly… and it was very stressful not knowing what was actually going to happen with her," she said.

Winter was diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) — a common virus that typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms in adults but can have more serious implications for infants.

For more on RSV, listen to The Quicky. Post continues below.

According to the health department, RSV is a leading cause of hospitalisation for babies in Australia, with approximately 12,000 babies admitted each year with severe cases.

The most common symptoms of RSV include: runny nose, cough, wheezing, breathing difficulties and fever.

In most cases, RSV infections can be managed at home with plenty of rest and fluids. However, for some infants, particularly those under one, or with risk factors like prematurity, the virus can lead to more serious conditions such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

Baby Winter needed a feeding tube and oxygen in hospital. Image: Supplied.

For Deanne, Winter's diagnosis meant navigating both emotional and practical challenges. With a two-year-old son also needing care, she found herself "ringing around frantically trying to get someone to pick him up, trying to work out where he was going to stay for the week".

Winter required oxygen and a feeding tube during her week-long hospital stay.

"I ended up staying there 24 hours a day, every day until she got discharged," Deanne said.

Each day, she'd just be waiting for an update, watching her little girl, willing her to get better.

A year later, Winter still experiences the effects of her encounter with RSV, including a chronic cough and bronchiolitis. She's scheduled for surgery to correct what doctors describe as a "floppy airway".

"The airways weren't ready to catch anything that severe being so young, so they really took a hit," Deanne explained.

"She ends up catching absolutely everything that comes around at childcare.

"In the last few weeks alone she's had Gastro. She's had hand foot mouth. She's had another cold.

Deanne wants other parents to be aware of the signs of RSV. Image: Supplied.

The power of protection.

There's encouraging news for parents. The number of Australian babies admitted to hospital with RSV has nearly halved compared to the same period last year, according to the Immunisation Foundation of Australia (IFA).

In April 2025, just 84 babies under six months were admitted to major Australian hospitals with severe RSV, compared to 165 in April 2024. Intensive care admissions also fell significantly.

This improvement follows the nationwide roll-out of free maternal and infant RSV immunisations, offering Australian parents two options: free maternal RSV vaccination administered between 28-36 weeks of pregnancy or free infant RSV immunisation given to babies at birth or ahead of/during winter.

A happy and healthier Winter with her older brother. Image: Supplied.

Professor Chris Blyth, Perth Children's Hospital paediatrician and vaccination specialist, emphasised: "With winter now upon us, now is the time to ensure that as many babies and infants as possible are protected against severe RSV."

For parents like Deanne, early intervention was crucial.

"Our GP was super happy we brought Winter in when we did because if we hadn't, it could've been so much worse," she said.

Her advice to other parents is clear: know the signs and seek medical attention promptly if your baby refuses to feed, has fewer wet nappies than usual, shows signs of respiratory distress or appears unusually lethargic.

Feature image: Supplied.