TAP top app download banner
theAsianparent Singapore Logo
theAsianparent Singapore Logo
Product Guide
Sign in
  • Together Against RSV
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • Events
  • Holiday Hub
  • Aptamil
    • Immunity
    • Intelligence
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • VIP

Dad Nearly Kills His Baby Because He Forgot to Wash His Hands

3 min read
Dad Nearly Kills His Baby Because He Forgot to Wash His Hands

“RSV is no joke. I didn’t know much about it until a week ago when it almost took my daughter from me. Please make sure to wash your hands before handling little ones.”

Sometimes it is the easiest, simplest things we forget to do. Take out the trash. Get enough hours of sleep. Floss. But sometimes the easiest, simplest things we forget to do have dire consequences: pests invade your house, your immune system falters, and your teeth rot.

And as this Memphis-based father found out the hard way, not washing your hand before handling your little ones can also be dangerous.

The unnamed father almost lost his little one to a series of illnesses, including the severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a virus that causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract.

It all started when his baby was admitted to the hospital for meningitis. Soon her condition deteriorated.

READ: The importance of handwashing

“Now she is fighting RSV,” he said in a post shared on social media. “We almost lost her last Monday. Our local hospital told us if she got any worse there was nothing more they could do for her.”

But her conditions got worse, and so the family planned for her transfer to a different hospital, but in the process the baby flat-lined. The doctors successfully brought her back and put her in a ventilator.

His daughter was further diagnosed with a number of issues including RSV, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, a partially collapsed right lung.

Dad warns parents to wash hands after daughter almost died

“Needless to say, it’s been a rough week for my little one,” he said. “But now I can gladly say that she is doing much better…she has beaten so many odds this past week and made me even more proud to call her my daughter.”

The father added: “RSV is no joke. I didn’t know much about it until a week ago when it almost took my daughter from me. Please make sure to wash your hands before handling little ones.”

Texas-based pediatrician Ari Brown also cautioned: “It’s a really rough virus, like the worst cold you’ve ever had. And though 97 percent of kids do fine with it and become ‘happy wheezers,’ so to speak, with a cough for four to six weeks then they get over it.”

READ: How to properly wash your hands

However, for a small subset of kids, particularly premature babies, can get really sick and would need oxygen support.

CDC revealed that RSV spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes into the air, and it can survive on hard surfaces for hours on end. This is why regular disinfection around the house is crucial for the general health of the household.

Even the simple act of washing your hands has a huge impact on your health.

 

Partner Stories
Not Just a Bite – The Hidden Costs of Dengue for Families in Singapore
Not Just a Bite – The Hidden Costs of Dengue for Families in Singapore
Mom, Is Your Baby's Mouth Ulcer Keeping You Up at Night?
Mom, Is Your Baby's Mouth Ulcer Keeping You Up at Night?
Gentle Relief for Mummy and Baby
Gentle Relief for Mummy and Baby
Busting Eczema Myths: The Truth About Managing This Skin Condition
Busting Eczema Myths: The Truth About Managing This Skin Condition

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

James Martinez

  • Home
  • /
  • Health
  • /
  • Dad Nearly Kills His Baby Because He Forgot to Wash His Hands
Share:
  • SG60 List: Singapore’s New CRANE Programme Aims to Age Hearts Better

    SG60 List: Singapore’s New CRANE Programme Aims to Age Hearts Better

  • SG60 List: Singapore’s Breakthrough Antibody Test Goes Global

    SG60 List: Singapore’s Breakthrough Antibody Test Goes Global

  • Familial Brain Aneurysms: What You Need to Know About Risk and Prevention

    Familial Brain Aneurysms: What You Need to Know About Risk and Prevention

  • SG60 List: Singapore’s New CRANE Programme Aims to Age Hearts Better

    SG60 List: Singapore’s New CRANE Programme Aims to Age Hearts Better

  • SG60 List: Singapore’s Breakthrough Antibody Test Goes Global

    SG60 List: Singapore’s Breakthrough Antibody Test Goes Global

  • Familial Brain Aneurysms: What You Need to Know About Risk and Prevention

    Familial Brain Aneurysms: What You Need to Know About Risk and Prevention

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
  • Family Occasions
  • Lifestyle
  • Normal Delivery
  • Ages & Stages
  • Trying To Conceive
  • News
  • TAP Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
© Copyright theAsianparent 2025. All rights reserved
About Us|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it