Karl and Jasmine Stefanovic reveal daughter’s RSV health battle

A year after rushing their toddler to hospital with breathing troubles, Karl and Jasmine Stefanovic have revealed they’re ‘worried’ about Harper’s health.

Karl and Jasmine Stefanovic have shared their concerns about their daughter’s long-term health after the toddler was rushed to hospital last year experiencing breathing troubles.

Harper, now three, was treated for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which shoe designer Jasmine now admits she hadn’t heard of before their daughter’s experience.

“The first time Karl and I heard the letters RSV was when Harper was in hospital struggling to breathe,” the 39-year-old mum said this week.

Karl and Jasmine Stefanovic experienced the fright of their lives when Harper fell seriously ill last year. Picture: Supplied.

Recalling the terrifying moment her daughter fell ill, she said: “Initially, Harper had the sniffles and a cough, and we assumed she just had a bit of a cold. But within hours, she deteriorated; it was alarming to see how hard she was working to breathe, with her little ribs sucking in and tummy pulling up into her chest”.

Karl similarly reflected on the “really scary” ordeal on the Today show last year, becoming emotional as he detailed how rapidly Harper faded.

“We are lucky it wasn’t more serious, and we were lucky we had good people around her,” the Channel 9 star said.

Karl choked up on the Today show last year as he discussed Harper’s health scare. Picture: Instagram.

Karl and Jasmine have now revealed their worries about their daughter given she still has a “lingering wheeze”.

“It’s been almost a year since our awful experience with RSV, and Harper still has a lingering wheeze. Doctors have explained that RSV can have a range of long-term health effects. We’ll be keeping a close eye on her this winter,” Jasmine said.

Jasmine said she'd be keeping a 'close eye' on Harper during the colder months. Picture: Instagram.

Karl added: “While Harper fought off the infection, we do worry about the impact of RSV on her long-term health.”

The potentially life threatening illness is responsible for nearly 12,000 hospital admissions for children under 12 months per year, with winter the peak season for infections.

The pair are spreading awareness about the unpredictable respiratory virus, which, according to the Immunisation Foundation of Australia, is the number one cause of hospitalisation among Aussie kids.

RSV Awareness Week runs from June 4th to 10th, with hundreds of Aussie parents sharing their stories to spread the word and encourage parents to be vigilant.

Originally published as Karl and Jasmine Stefanovic reveal daughter’s RSV health battle