A concerned mother promotes the importance of vaccinations for young children.
A concerned mom in Australia learned the importance of vaccinations for young children in a nightmare no mother should experience, and is using her heartbreak to bring awareness to others.
Read: Why Does Hillary Clinton Keep Coughing?
Sandra Tee began to worry when she heard her 5-week-old baby, Heidi, cough softly from inside the nursery. The cough seemed minor, however, Tee’s worry soon turned to fear.
“It seemed like a small and insignificant cough," Tee told InsideEdition.com. "But when my daughter became really sick with apneas, it happened extremely quickly."
When Tee entered her daughter’s room moments later, Heidi’s skin color was a deep-purple shade.
“Heidi’s episodes of apneas happen quietly, so if we don’t watch her constantly, we wouldn’t hear it,” said Tee.
Heidi was suffering from a severe whooping cough she contracted from her 3-year-old brother, Lincoln, who also caught it at daycare.
Whooping cough is a contagious bacterial disease that typically affects children. The disease is characterized by violent coughs followed by a whoop.
Read: 7-Month-Old Baby Receives Donor Heart And Escapes Death with Moments to Spare
Tee and her husband, Tug, rushed their daughter to a local hospital where doctors administered round-the-clock care. They placed an oxygen mask on the baby to help her breathe.
It is common for parents to overlook their child’s slight cough. According to Tee, ignoring the warning signs of whooping cough can be fatal for an infant.
She recorded her daughter’s hospital visit and posted the video to Facebook to educate others on the importance of vaccinations.
Tee told InsideEdition.com that she urges all parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as possible as it is imperative for their health.
"Heidi is too young to be vaccinated and relies on others not to spread this disease," said Tee. "If everyone, at any age, is vaccinated, we may eradicate certain illnesses altogether."
Watch: Parents Wed At Baby's Hospital Bed Before Living Apart For Life-Saving Treatment
