Aabi, a healthy, happy, outgoing two-year-old girl from Perth, has died unnecessarily from influenza. The sad yet shocking occurrence is the first recorded flu-related death of a toddler in Western Australia this winter period. Aabi’s family told her story throughout the weekend, working to paint a picture of their vivacious daughter and sister, who was “the heart of our home.” The loss has prompted health officials to issue a strong warning about the importance of vaccination against flu, particularly for young children.
Aabi was unvaccinated when she fell ill. Her mom described the distressing chain of events that landed her daughter in the hospital. She recounted how Aabi began to vomit after she gave him his usual diet of banana and milk. After the vomiting episode, Aabi was still drowsy, but by the next morning, she seemed to be doing better. Within days, her condition took a turn for the worse, requiring her to be moved to the intensive care unit (ICU).
Aabi’s Health Decline
As recounted by Aabi’s mother, the family’s nightmare began when Aabi started developing symptoms.
“Around 11am, she started warming up again, complaining of a headache … I sat beside her, waiting for the fever to drop, but it kept climbing,” – Aabi’s mother.
She said that when Aabi first got to the hospital she was still throwing up and lethargic. Even with ECG monitoring and immediate medical attention, setting an IV line was not an easy feat due to the patient’s extreme dehydration from a persistent, high fever.
“It felt like she deteriorated significantly and too quickly,” – Aabi’s mother stated.
When the emergency medications given for likely flu, sepsis, or meningitis situations took a turn. Sadly, Aabi had a gentle seizure while in treatment.
“By the time emergency medications could be administered, she had a gentle seizure,” – Aabi’s mother recalled.
Even with the medical team’s combined efforts including two dozen or more specialists, Aabi continued to deteriorate quickly.
Family’s Heartbreaking Loss
His family had always characterized Aabi as a healthy, active child. Her mother expressed the profound impact of the loss on their lives and the heartbreaking nature of her daughter’s illness.
“Aabi was a blessing we had for too short a time. Our lives remain incomplete, and we wish no parent ever has to endure this ordeal,” – Aabi’s mother shared.
Aabi was said to always be full of life, enjoying dancing and singing with her sister. The family is grappling with their grief and hope that sharing Aabi’s story will raise awareness about the flu and vaccination.
“We lost our beautiful Aabi at the hands of what seemed like a ‘mere virus’,” – Aabi’s mother lamented.
Aabi’s death points to a much more distressing trend. In the first four months of this year, at least two children aged under 16 in Western Australia died from influenza-related complications. Medical professionals have already ruled Aabi’s death directly related to the flu.
Call for Vaccination
Following this all too tragic case, health officials are calling on parents to make sure that their kids are protected from influenza through vaccination. This is Dr. Danielle McMullen’s reminder about how important it is to all keep vaccination rates high to protect high-risk populations.
“We need to get back to really high vaccination rates to protect the most vulnerable in our community. It’s never too late to vaccinate,” – Dr. McMullen stated.
She noted that young children and older adults are typically at increased risk for flu complications. She cautioned that even previously healthy young adults can have serious complications from the virus.
“Most often, they’re very young children or older adults, but sometimes even young, healthy adults can have life-threatening complications from the flu, and that’s why it’s so important we take it seriously and get vaccinated every year,” – Dr. McMullen added.
