Image by: Jade Watson
A single mum has spoken of her “heartbreak” after her 12-week-old baby contracted coronavirus – in what is thought to be one of the UK’s youngest cases to date.
Little Winter-Rose Watson was admitted to hospital on Friday morning (3 April) suffering from a severe temperature and struggling to breathe.
According to distraught mum Jade Watson, doctors initially ruled Covid-19 out but tests the next day confirmed the virus, she said.
Brave Winter-Rose was placed on a drip and left to fight for her life, as experts told the mum-of-two there was “nothing else” they could do.
Miraculously, within 48 hours the baby’s condition had improved so drastically she was allowed to return home, where she remains in recovery now.
Jade, 27, from Burnley, Lancs., said: “It was the worst experience of my entire life, I was so scared.
“To see my baby struggling like that was so painful, I couldn’t believe what was happening.
“I’m so grateful she was able to pull through.”
Jade is speaking about her ordeal to warn other parents about being vigilant and staying indoors, following reports babies were not as susceptible to the virus.
Image by: Jade Watson
Jade said: “She’s still got the virus and I don’t know if I’ve had it or not, as the only symptom I had was a headache that wouldn’t go away, even after taking headache pills.
“My son was with me a couple of days before Winter went into hospital, but now he has to isolate with his dad at his home as we don’t know if he could have it too.
“It’s been such a difficult time as I’ve not been able to have anyone come and visit. Even when I was in the hospital I was on my own, it was hard.
“You need support at times like this, but with this whole situation, it must be so difficult for people who are in hospital alone, not having anyone to come and visit them.
“That was the hardest thing – having no-one to support me at the hospital.
“I did receive a lot of nice messages from people online though. That was quite overwhelming, and made me cry but it’s what got me through.”
Jade said doctors are continuing to check on Winter-Rose’s condition every day, and family members drop food and other items outside her house.
She added: “There’s been talk of this virus not affecting babies the same way as others, but it does, and it has affected Winter so much. I had never seen her looking so helpless.
“I’d only been out of the house really to go to Lidl and Home Bargains but people need to listen to the advice, and stay indoors.”
Dr Chris Gardner, Deputy Medical Director and Consultant Paediatrician at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We do not comment on individual cases but we are pleased to report that no babies or children cared for at the trust have needed oxygen or any respiratory support as a result of Covid-19 in keeping with the fact that this virus generally causes only a mild illness in children.
“We are however ready and able to provide all additional support including stabilisation, ventilation and transfer to intensive care and have good links with specialist children’s centres around the country for any future children who may require this.
“We would also like to reiterate the plea for people to stay at home to protect themselves and others.
“If you do need to go out please observe social distancing guidelines, and make sure you wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.
“Children do however still get sick with other serious and treatable conditions apart from COVID-19 which often presents as only a mild illness in this age group.
“If your child is unwell and you are concerned, we want to see them.
“Do not delay in connecting with NHS111, your GP or in serious cases the emergency department. This is particularly important for young children and babies such as Winter-Rose.”
Image by: Jade Watson
Image by: Jade Watson
The single mum, who also has a six-year-old son, said: “On Thursday she had a really bad temperature, it was about 38.5 degrees.
“So I contacted 111 and they advised me to stay at home.
“But at about 5am on Friday I’d set my alarm to check on her and she’d got really warm, even more than she was before.
“I didn’t even need to touch her, there was heat just coming off her. She was gasping for breath.
“I called for an ambulance but it took around three hours to get here. Her temperature had gone down slightly but it was still 39.1.”
Winter-Rose was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital.
Jade said it was “heartbreaking” to see her little girl in so much pain but it was made worse by the fact she had to go through the ordeal alone, without the comfort of having her family and friends around her.
The single mum claims upon arrival at the hospital with her daughter a senior doctor told her babies did not get Covid-19 and they would not be testing the 12 week old.
She said: “That really upset me, and they could see that.
“A consultant said he still wanted to give her a test though and they put a cannula in her hand and tried to put a catheter in her too, it was heartbreaking.”
It usually takes 24 to 48 hours for a coronavirus test to come back, so while doctors waited for the results, Jade says they carried out other checks and placed Winter-Rose on antibiotics to try to bring her fever down.
She added: “They put needles in her spine to check for meningitis and gave her antibiotics, but they didn’t work.
“And on Saturday morning the doctor came and told me she had tested positive for coronavirus.
“It was the worst thing in the world to hear.
“She was on a drip to try to get her fluids back up but there was nothing else they could do to help her fight it.”
Over the weekend, Winter-Rose’s condition improved and she was allowed to go back to her home in Burnley on Monday morning, where Jade was told to isolate with the 12-week-old for 14 days.
Image by: Jade WatsonVideo by: Jade Watson
