County Fermanagh-based country music singer Lisa McHugh has told how her daughter spent 10 “horrific” days in hospital after contracting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

rsv A common, but highly contagious, respiratory virus that affects the respiratory system, especially in young children and older adults.

“You feel very helpless, and that’s the most horrible feeling for a parent, not being able to fix what’s going on or help,” Ms McHugh said.

According to the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland, there have been more than 1,000 cases of RSV in infants under one year of age since September 30, 2024.

About two-thirds of the babies have been admitted to hospital.

An RSV vaccine has become available pregnant women In Northern Ireland it has been offered since last September and from 28 weeks of pregnancy.

In November 2024, Lisa McHugh’s four-month-old daughter Hailey came down with a cold.

Her GP told her to monitor Hailey’s symptoms and if the baby is feeding well, his nappy is wet and his temperature is fine, she can manage him at home.

But Hailey’s condition deteriorated and she was admitted to South West Acute Hospital (SWAH). He was diagnosed with RSV.

“From that moment on, it was all a blur and it’s still something I don’t think I’ve fully processed,” Ms McHugh said.

“She had to be tube fed, and then she had to go on oxygen because her oxygen levels were dropping below what she needed to do on her own.

“Within a few days, she really refused. It was absolutely terrifying to see my child lying there so helpless.

“It’s terrible because you can’t do anything for them even if you try.

“I just knew I wanted to be in the best place for him and being at home wasn’t the safest place,” she said.

He praised the “incredible” SWAH staff who “couldn’t have given him any better care or given us any better care”.

“Hailey was very sick of it, but it could have been worse,” he said.

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is one of the common viruses that cause coughs and colds.

Dr Nicholas Lipscomb, consultant pediatrician at SWAH, said RSV is a seasonal infection and they see a lot of patients between November and February every year, but this winter has been particularly bad.

He said that while most babies and children do not require hospital treatment, the younger the baby, the more likely they are to need hospitalisation, especially if they are having difficulty breathing and feeding. yes.

“For a very young baby, especially a pre-term baby, or a baby who perhaps has an underlying heart problem, this can be very dangerous,” he said.

“For most babies, it’s just an unpleasant disease. But for those particularly at risk, it can be potentially fatal,” he said.

Ms McHugh, who is originally from Glasgow, said the vaccine was not available to her before she gave birth.

“If it had been something that had been offered to me at the time, knowing what I know now and what we’ve been through, I would have 100% taken it myself,” she said.

Adults aged 75-79 They are also offered the vaccine because they may be vulnerable to the virus.

Just four weeks after being released from the hospital, Hailey contracted RSV again.

“Thankfully, we were more prepared this time. We knew what to look out for. We knew how to treat him. And thankfully, his symptoms weren’t that bad,” he said.

The child was kept in the hospital for a day, but came home for Christmas. Now six months old, she is fine.

“His immune system is very low right now, and it probably will be for a long time until we get it working again.

“I’m still very protective of her, just because I know she needs it,” she said.

She is urging parents to be more aware of RSV and not be afraid to speak up to protect their child.

“If someone wants to visit your child and you want them to wash their hands before touching them, just ask nicely. Or if you have any kind of cold or sneeze, put off the visit until You may not feel 100% better.

“It’s your job as their parent.”

• RSV starts with a blocked or runny nose and can turn into a dry cough, fever and sometimes breathing problems.

• For most children, this will be mild and can be treated at home with infant paracetamol or ibuprofen

• Call your GP or seek medical advice if your child is not eating normally, breathing rapidly or has a high temperature that won’t come down.

• Call 999 if your baby gets tired trying to breathe – you may notice the muscles under his ribs sucking in with each breath or he may become pale and sweaty