Coma caused by a KISS: Parents share heartbreaking footage of nurses battling to save their eight-week-old baby after she was almost killed by a common cold WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT. Doctors fought to save baby Eliza Hobbs She was found lifeless in her cot by her parents Thomas and Sophie Hobbs She spent five days in a coma after a cold turned into a serious chest infection The Hobbs, from County Durham, are warning parents of deadly kisses Eliza Hobbs spent five days in a medically induced coma when a common cold turned into a serious chest infection when she was eight weeks old Parents of an eight-week-old girl have shared a heartbreaking video of their baby on the brink of death when a common cold nearly killed her. Eliza Hobbs spent five days in a medically induced coma and endured CPR four times after the cold developed into a serious chest infection. Her parents, Thomas Hobbs, 27, and Sophie Hobbs, 23, from Billingham, County Durham, are warning people not to kiss other people's babies after their terrifying ordeal. The baby was rushed to hospital earlier this month when Mr Hobbs woke to find her 'pale and lifeless' in her cot. He said: 'A simple lovable kiss could have killed our baby.' Parents Sophie and Thomas Hobbs are warning other parents not to let people kiss their babies, believing Eliza could have contracted the deadly cold from someone else 'We thought we were going to watch her take her last breath'. Eliza, pictured before her parents' wedding, spent seven days in intensive care 'The message I want to get out there is if anyone has a cold don't let them kiss your baby. It can be passed on through colds, cold sores, viruses.' Mr Hobbs said that Eliza had recently picked up a cough and had been 'sniffling' so took her to the doctors, but were later sent home and told to keep an eye on her. Five days later, on November 7, he found the toddler lifeless in her cot and unresponsive. Mr Hobbs said: 'I went in to see her and she was lifeless. She was really pale and wasn't responding. I knew there was something really wrong so I phoned an ambulance. 'There was this feeling of dread and absolute fear. We were thinking is she going to pull through or is this the end for her. 'When we got to the hospital she was put into a little cot and on high flow oxygen. 'She suddenly went blue and 20 doctors rushed round the bed. It felt like we were in the centre of an earthquake – like we'd been pushed to the back of the room and all we could do was watch our daughter and we couldn't do anything to help her. 'At that point we thought we'd lost her. They were performing CPR on her. 'She stopped breathing for about a minute but they managed to bring her back round.' Doctors performed CPR on Eliza three-four times because she stopped breathing Mrs Hobbs said her baby had been 'left lifeless by a common cold', and warns others parents to keep their babies warm. Pictured, Eliza is on oxygen after coming out the coma Eliza, pictured in a coma, couldn't cry when she woke because of the swelling in her chest and windpipe Eliza was transferred to another hospital and was placed into a medically induced coma. Mr Hobbs said: 'They were listening to her chest and could hear secretions. They took swabs to try and find out if it was viral or bacterial infection. 'They couldn't identify what it was from the results so put it down to a chest infection but we think it was bronchitis. 'She was put into a medically induced coma. 'It was the worst scenario we could imagine. We just stood at the end of the bed and couldn't take our eyes off her. 'We thought we were going to watch her take her last breath. 'She was in coma for five days and three or four times they had to perform CPR because she stopped breathing. 'It could have been a cold that would have just passed had it been an adult but it developed into a massive chest infection which became life-threatening.' Eliza came round and was able to breath on her own before she was sent home after spending seven days in the intensive care unit. Mr and Mrs Hobbs, pictured with Eliza, say people need to keep their hands clean, keep their babies warm, and stay away from babies if you have a cold Mr Hobbs said: 'When she came round properly she couldn't cry. She sounded like a purring kitten because of the swelling on her chest and in her windpipe. 'It's like you could sense the pain and confusion. It really upset us. 'Everyday she's getting a bit better and less chesty. Bringing her home was amazing – just being able to give her that safety and security and she could become part of the family. 'She's a little fighter. She fought when she was born and she's had to do it again. 'She's mischievous and she'll burst into these little smiles and giggles. She's beautiful and I wouldn't have her any other way. 'Thankfully she's going to make a full recovery and we're able to enjoy her as new parents. Taking to social media, mother Mrs Hobbs said her baby had been left 'lifeless by a common cold'. She said: 'I want to make all parents aware please please keep warm in the cold weather and keep your babies warm too. 'I just want to warn all parents as it is heartbreaking for me and my husband to see our baby girl like this. Please do not let other people kiss your baby.' Mr Hobbs added: 'We are very protective parents and this still happened to us. We don't know where she picked it up from but it could have been deadly. 'People need to make sure they wash their hands – simple things like that and if they've got a cold stay away until it's gone.' It's not the first time parents have warned others about kissing babies. The 'kiss of death' is term used to describe when a baby catches neonatal herpes from someone with a cold sore. Neonatal herpes is extremely dangerous for young babies due to their immune systems not being strong enough to fight the virus. Leo Aldcroft from Prestwich, Greater Manchester, tragically died this year at just 10 days old after catching the virus from his mother. HOW TO GIVE A BABY CPR If your baby is not responding to you and you think they are unresponsive try to see if they react when you gently tap or flick the sole of their foot. If they do not wake up or respond to you they are likely to be unresponsive. Check to see if they are still breathing normally. If they are unresponsive and not breathing normally open their airway and check their breathing again by looking for chest movement, listening for the sounds of normal breathing and seeing if you can feel their breath on your cheek. If they are not breathing normally, you need to start CPR straight away. If someone is with you, get them to call 999 or 112 for emergency help. If you’re on your own, you need to give one minute’s worth of CPR before you can call for help. How to perform CPR on a baby Place the baby on their back on a firm surface at about waist height in front of you, or on the floor. Give five initial rescue breaths before starting the sequence of 30 chest compressions and two rescue breaths. Step 1 of 3: How to give a rescue breath to a baby • If there is anything in their mouth pick it out and ensure the airway is clear and open. •Take a breath in and place your lips around the baby’s mouth and nose to form an airtight seal. • If you cannot make a seal around the mouth and nose, close the baby’s mouth and make a seal around the nose only. • Blow steadily into the mouth until the chest rises. • Remove your mouth and allow the chest to fall. • Repeat four times more. • Now Give 30 chest compressions. Step 2 of 3: How to give a chest compression to a baby • Place two fingertips of your lower hand on the centre of the baby’s chest. • Press down vertically on the breastbone, and press the chest down by at least one-third of its depth. • Release the pressure without moving your fingers from their chest. Allow the chest to come back up fully – this is one compression. • Repeat this 30 times, at a rate of about twice a second – the speed of the song ‘Staying Alive’. • Now give two rescue breaths. • Carry on giving 30 chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths for as long as you can, or until help arrives. • If the baby starts breathing normally again, stop CPR and put them in the recovery position. Step 3 of 3: How to put a baby in the recovery position • Cradle them in your arms, with their head tilted downwards. This will keep their airway open and stop them choking on their tongue or breathing in any vomit. Continue until help arrives. Source: St John Ambulance Source
