Sydney mum shares horror influenza story that landed her toddler in intensive care

Australia is suffering one of its worst influenza seasons in years and, after her daughter became dangerously ill with the virus, a Sydney mother has one message she is desperate to share to other parents.

Talia Clow knew influenza could kill but she was shocked how sick it made her two-year-old daughter, who ended up in intensive care.

Now she has a message to other parents – get your children vaccinated for the flu.

Aria was born just before the pandemic hit and enjoyed two years of minimal respiratory viruses thanks to lockdowns, closed borders, social distancing and mask-wearing. But now influenza is back – with vengeance.

“She picked up every bug at daycare imaginable and I had been trying to get her well enough to get vaccinated, but it got her before we could get her vaccinated,” the mum from Leura said.

More than 78,481 people in NSW have caught influenza this year alone and vaccination rates for children are at a low 25 per cent for under-fives. The adult vaccination rate is 35 per cent, despite the free vaccine offer being extended to July 17.

Nationally there has been more than 147,000 cases, the highest rate in five years.

Talia Clow, pictured alongside her daughter Aria, has urged parents to get their children vaccinated. Picture: Tim Hunter.

So far, influenza has claimed 54 lives – and Aria came very close to losing hers.

Two weeks ago she came home from daycare with a temperature and was initially diagnosed with tonsillitis but on Monday June 13, her temperature hit 42 degrees.

“She was coughing, her breathing was fast and we went to Blue Mountains hospital. They did a swab and she had influenza A … she was admitted because her oxygen levels were really low,” Ms Clow said.

By Wednesday, Aria deteriorated rapidly. “She just went downhill so fast, her colour and breathing was not good and she was on the highest oxygen they could give her. She had an X-ray and she had pneumonia,” she said

Aria was transferred to intensive care at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

Aria’s condition deteriorated rapidly. Picture: Supplied

Aria with her father Paul as she was being transferred to ICU. Picture: Supplied

“Not only did she have tonsillitis, influenza A, pneumonia but another strain of influenza as well and two other viruses,” she said.

“Her oxygen just kept dropping and she was on antibiotics and Tamiflu, an antiviral,” Mrs Clow said, admitting she thought she would lose her baby.

“I know kids can die from influenza and I was scared. I thought this is really not good. And when we did finally get discharged, the paediatrician said she gave them a big scare, so to hear the doctors say they were scared solidified my fears,” she said.

CHW paediatric infectious diseases specialist Dr Brendan McMullan said there had been close to 700 children hospitalised in Sydney’s two children’s hospitals since April and 5 per cent have been in intensive care.

Talia says her daughter got so sick she was fearful that she may lose her life. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“There is probably some vaccine fatigue and they may not think they need vaccination for influenza as only those with risk factors get severe flu,” Dr McMullan said.

“But of the kids admitted to ICU, half of those haven’t had any obviously underlying risk factors. Everyone can get severe flu, so get vaccinated if you can.”

Complications from influenza include pneumonia, convulsions and seizures and heart inflammation.

“I’m pushing for everyone to get vaccinated. I wouldn’t want any family to go through what we went through, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone,” Mrs Chow said.

Aria is still recovering but the virus is still taking its toll.

“She still has a cough and runny nose and I’m concerned about the mental trauma she went through and she has had a big developmental regression.

“A little girl that was good at communication and words and is now muddling them up,” she said.

“They said it will take her another six weeks until she is better.”

Covid VACCINES SAFE FOR FAMILIES

Australia can use America as the perfect test case for Moderna’s Covid vaccine for children aged under five.

Sydney University paediatrician and immunisation expert Prof Robert Booy said we can judge how the rollout goes in America while our Therapeutic Goods Administration evaluates the mRNA vaccine.

“We can afford to wait and follow the US. If we follow them two to three months later, we have the safety experience in millions of children to fall back on, to say: ‘Yes, it is well tolerated in that age group’,” Prof Booy said.

“They will have millions safely vaccinated to follow their example.”

Since Covid tends to be less severe in children, the balance of risks in terms of side-effects versus benefit was closely considered. More than 1200 children and adolescents have died in the US since the beginning of the pandemic and hospitalisations have soared with the arrival of the Omicron variant.

Professor Robert Booy says the Covid vaccine is tolerated in the under five age group. Supplied

In examining side-effects provided by the company from their trial, the FDA found adverse reactions in younger children were generally lower compared with those observed in adolescents and young adults. Fevers were found to be not “substantially different” to all other childhood vaccines.

The FDA found the Moderna data on safety, immune response and effectiveness had “a favourable benefit-risk profile in all age groups”.

The Moderna vaccine for children aged six months to five-year-old is half the usual dose for older children and given as two 25 microgram doses administered at least a month apart. There will also be a third dose for high-risk children.

Australia will likely follow suit after a strict evaluation of the safety data.

Pfizer was given a provisional determination last Thursday, which means it can now apply to use its vaccine in the under-fives.

The Moderna vaccine for children aged six months to five-year-old is half the usual dose for older children. Picture: Joseph Prezioso / AFP

There have been more than 420,000 cases of Covid in children under nine in Australia and nine deaths.

“There are a small number of children in Australia who died, who were previously healthy before Covid,” Prof Booy said.

“Children under five who have a chronic medical problem should be front of the list of getting vaccinated against Covid. Flu itself is a bigger risk to children under five than Covid and they should get their flu jab first.

“We can’t predict among healthy children who will be the unusual child who will get Covid severely and that is why we give universal vaccinations to cover off … getting a severe dose of whatever disease is being vaccinated against.”

Covid vaccines have also been shown to reduce the risk of longer term complications.

If the TGA approves the Moderna, the safety data will then be assessed by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation before any recommendation is made.

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Originally published as Sydney mum shares horror influenza story that landed her toddler in intensive care