Almost one year ago, baby Riley Hughes died of the whooping cough. He was only 32 days old.
His parents Catherine and Greg Hughes have since made it their mission to inform others about the importance of getting vaccinated against the whooping cough, also known as pertussis, and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
As part of this advocacy, they recently released a video on their Facebook page Light for Riley.
It shows their baby was already coughing continuously even before he was admitted to the hospital.
He coughed non-stop. The whooping sound of Riley's cough developed later.
At the end, the video explains, "A whooping cough vaccine in the 3rd trimester of each pregnancy provides excellent protection from whooping cough to newborns (who are too young to be vaccinated)."
"I wish I had known about pregnancy vaccination when I was pregnant with Riley," Catherine continued on her post. We are grateful for parents like her who make us aware of options that could potentially save other babies' lives.
If you are only just planning to get pregnant, ask your doctor about vaccinations you should get before conceiving. Afterwards, ask your doctor about getting vaccinated during pregnancy. Lastly, when your baby is born, having him vaccinated is the best way to protect him against serious life-threatening diseases.
Watch the full video here.
WARNING: Some viewers may find this video distressing.
www.facebook.com/lightforriley/videos/vb.1417807785196665/1538734389770670/?type=2&theater
READ: 5 Reasons why you should Vaccinate your child
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