TWINS Michael and Edward Sanson are just 21 months old and between them they have already been admitted to hospital more than 15 times in their short lives.
The boys – who live in Chandler’s Ford with mum and dad, Alison and Graham – were diagnosed with bronchiolitis when they were six months old after they had trouble breathing.
At first, Alison was told that there was nothing that could be done but to wait and see whether they could cope on their own.
Before long they started to show signs they were becoming very ill. Their ribs showed when they tried to breathe, their bodies lurched, feeding was reduced and breathing was rapid. The twins were admitted to hospital where they needed oxygen and feeding tubes.
“It was almost a relief when they were admitted to hospital,” says Alison. “Before that it felt like a waiting game; waiting for them to get to the point where they needed more help than we could give them.”
Both twins continue to have poorly chests, but Michael copes less well than Edward. He has been continually in and out of hospital and has ongoing respiratory problems.
Last winter he was admitted to hospital 12 times. He now has medication, but he has already started getting ill again this winter and has been admitted to hospital once so far, but Alison and Graham fear that this may not be a one-off.
Bronchiolitis is a common condition in babies and young children caused by inflammation of the small airways in the lungs – which restricts the amount of air able to enter the lungs – making it difficult for the child to breathe. Every year it is responsible for the hospitalisation of more than 30,000 infants under the age of one.
Alison and Graham had not heard of bronchiolitis before going to the GP and were referred to the More Than a Cold website, which aims to raise awareness among parents of winter illnesses that some vulnerable babies can be at risk of.
“Now that we are aware of it, we realise that it affects a lot of people,” adds Alison.
“And it is still affecting us now as both boys continue to have bad chests.
“Hopefully as the boys get older they will get stronger.”
Twins, Edward and Michael
Top tips on prevention
The viruses that cause bronchiolitis are very common and easily spread.
It is therefore not possible to prevent the condition altogether, but there are some simple steps to reduce the chances of getting bronchiolitis or prevent it from spreading further.
1. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water – especially before you touch the child. Make sure siblings and visitors wash their hands too.
2. Cover your child’s nose and mouth when they cough or sneeze.
3. Try to keep away from other children and adults who are sick or show signs of a cold.
4. Wash or wipe toys regularly to prevent the spread of germs.
5. Ensure your child is kept away from tobacco smoke.
REMEMBER F.A.C.T
Fast breathing: shallow, quick breaths not taking in much air.
Appetite: inability to feed.
Cough: distinctive rasping cough.
Temperature: high temperature will usually accompany cold-like symptoms of a runny nose.
If your baby exhibits all of these symptoms, seek medical attention from a healthcare professional.
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