WATCH: Kathryn Thomas on daughter's rush to hospital over deadly virus that's like cold

RTE presenter Kathryn Thomas has opened up about her daughter's brush with the potentially deadly respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) virus to make other parents aware.

Kathryn said the incident happened a few years ago when her now three-year-old daughter Grace was just a newborn and she was advised to bring her to the doctor by a fellow mum at the school gate.

The broadcaster says she had not heard about RSV until the incident and assumed her new baby had a cold as the symptoms were so similar and she didn't immediately spike a temperature.

She rushed Grace to Crumlin where they did a number of tests and confirmed it was RSV, a potentially life-threatening virus in young babies if not treated.

Kathryn appeared on Ireland AM on Virgin Media Television this week to discuss the issue because a lot of people are still unaware of the dangers of RSV, particularly in very young infants who have underdeveloped airwaves. The build-up of thick mucous can cause breathing difficulties and can even result in pneumonia.

"Like half an hour ago she had a head cold, and now she's been taken off me for a spinal lumbar puncture!"

Broadcaster @gokathrynthomas joined us this morning and highlighted the dangers of RSV for babies and toddlers after her daughter Grace contracted the virus. #IrelandAM pic.twitter.com/GFgHwEucCh

— Ireland AM (@IrelandAMVMTV) October 9, 2024

The HSE says "RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is a common virus that causes coughs and colds. It is the main cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in very young children.

"It’s not a new virus. Almost all children get RSV by the time they are 2 years old. It usually spreads in winter and early spring," they add.

READ NEXT: Hat and scarf season is officially here as plunging temperatures are expected to hit this week

"Most symptoms of RSV are mild, such as a runny nose, coughing and sneezing. People usually recover within 2 to 3 weeks without treatment or the need to see a GP.

However, they add that RSV can be serious for babies under 1 year of age; children aged 1 to 4 years; children and adults with an underlying lung or heart condition; people with a weakened immune system; adults aged 65 years and older."

There is no home test for RSV and most people only find out they have a condition caused by RSV if they are in hospital for treatment.

"There is no specific medicine to treat RSV. But RSV immunisation is being introduced for newborn babies. This will help protect them from RSV over winter months," the HSE says.

"Symptoms of an RSV infection start like a cold and can include cough, wheezing, runny nose, difficulty feeding or decreased appetite fever (temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or higher) and sore throat. These symptoms usually appear in stages and not all at once," HSE advice states.

After 4 to 5 days of RSV, babies and young children can develop bronchiolitis. Their symptoms may get worse and include increased breathing (more breaths per minute), wheezing, difficulty feeding or decreased appetite, less wet nappies.

"These symptoms often remain for 3 to 4 days before slowly getting better. It can usually take 10 to 14 days before babies and young children recover from an RSV infection," the HSE advises.

Many babies and children may have a cough that lasts for weeks after the start of the infection. This does not need antibiotics.

They also warn: "Bring your child to your GP if you are worried about them or their symptoms worsen. Call 999 or 112 or go to your nearest emergency department (ED) if your child: is having visible difficulty breathing - their nostrils are getting wider as they breathe, or their ribs are sucking in; has gone blue on their lips or tongue; will not stay awake or wake up; has long gaps in breathing (more than 10 seconds at a time or regular short gaps in breathing of 5 to 10 seconds); is breathing a lot faster than usual (more than 60 breaths per minute); is pale and sweaty; has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more."