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From the moment you learn that you are pregnant, the only thing that runs in your mind is your little one’s well-being. And, the concern only amplifies when you hold your infant in your arms for the first time. No wonder then that you are on your guard every time the weather changes, especially when it brings along those much-dreaded contagious infections. Given how sensitive and vulnerable babies are, it is pretty natural to feel over-cautious during such times.
A fever is generally not considered an illness in itself but a symptom of another. And, developing a fever is simply an indication of a properly functioning immune system, which is fighting off an unwelcome illness (1). However, when the same condition presents itself during a flu season, it is always better to be on vigilance.
But then, is there any possible way that you can notice the signs of an infection beforehand? After all, every parent wants to detect the signs of a respiratory distress as soon as possible. Courtesy a Facebook post by another fellow mom that went viral, you now know some new signs that you should be on a lookout for this flu season.
A new mom to a four-week-old baby girl, Charlie O’Brien, shared an insight in her post, which can prove to be helpful to all the mothers out there. When her daughter, Luna, was asleep, Charlie noticed something peculiar in the way her little girl was breathing. She further mentioned how it was odd that Luna had mostly slept throughout the day and barely cried either. It was something that stood out from the little princess’ usual routine.
Image: Facebook: charlieobrienofficial
As soon as she realized that something was not right, Charlie immediately undid Luna’s sleeper. What she saw completely shocked her; Luna was sucking in at her ribs. Charlie emphasized that if a parent notices this sign, they should immediately head towards the nearest medical center or hospital. Luna was actually suffering from bronchiolitis and had pretty low oxygen levels.
Fortunately, the anomaly was detected in time and Luna was able to recover completely with only one night of an external oxygen supply. A type of lung infection, bronchiolitis is caused due to a viral infection, which heads toward the small airways present in the lungs known as bronchioles (2). This infection typically results in several symptoms such as congestion, inflammation, and difficulty in breathing.
Much like Charlie’s baby girl Luna, one of the symptoms of bronchiolitis is labored breathing. But, at times, this lung infection might also lead to sluggishness or wheezing. Since this infection does affect infants, parents are urged to be on the lookout for symptoms. For bronchiolitis, the peak time is generally considered to be during the winters. And, the symptoms usually last for somewhere around a few days to several weeks. Since the first few signs of the lung infection often resemble those of a common cold, you should be super alert (3).
Image: Shutterstock
Charlie shared this incident on a social media platform to create awareness about something that was until then unknown to her as well. The fact that her post went viral and reached out to a much larger audience than she had imagined overwhelmed her. And, of course, as a fellow new mom, made her happy.
As we are approaching the much-feared season of viruses and uninvited colds, hearing and learning about this is definitely worth it. It is important that you don’t get worked up. And, trust in yourself. After all, what Charlie shared with us surely proves that maternal instincts are always on point. Just don’t hesitate to reach out to your pediatrician as soon as you feel something is out of the routine.
Here, have a look at the video in which you can observe the unusual way in which Luna is breathing:
