Healthy toddler dies suddenly after contracting the flu and going into cardiac arrest
- Muhammed Saadiq Segaff died of Influenza A
- He is the youngest to die of flu this year in Western Australia
A family is devastated after their three-year-old son contracted the flu and went into cardiac arrest before dying.
Muhammed Saadiq Segaff’s parents made the heartbreaking decision on May 26 to cut off his life support at Perth Children’s Hospital, despite the desperate efforts of doctors and nurses to save his life.
The toddler was surrounded by family, some of whom made the frantic flight from Singapore to say goodbye.
Perth toddler Muhammed Saadiq Segaf (pictured) died of the flu last month
Medical tests revealed he had contracted flu A, making him Western Australia’s youngest patient to die of the flu so far in 2023.
Muhammed was originally rushed to Fiona Stanley Hospital after he started wheezing, where he underwent open heart surgery after going into cardiac arrest.
He is remembered as a cheeky, happy and smiling little boy who loved strawberries and broccoli.
His father Segaff Sinin broke his silence Seven News while delivering a heartfelt message to other parents.
“Put family above all else,” he said. “I pray no one else goes through this.”
Western Australia is heading into its worst flu season since 2019, when there were 80 deaths, including five young children.
Flu hospitalizations increased 12 percent in the past week, with the majority of patients under the age of 10.
The state has recorded a 60 percent spike in flu cases in the past month.
About 10 percent of patients admitted to Perth Children’s Hospital with flu end up in ICU, according to Dr Chris Blyth, an infectious disease specialist.
He urged parents to monitor their children closely and seek medical attention if symptoms develop.
“Rapid breathing and shortness of breath is a worrying sign and in children it can affect the brain,” he said.
Australia could be experiencing its deadliest flu season since 2019. Pictured is the flu virus
One in ten patients admitted to Perth Children’s Hospital with flu ends up in intensive care
So confusion or drowsiness is another important sign. Both things would make me want to seek medical advice.
“In the middle of winter, our hospitals are full of people with respiratory conditions, but if parents think their child is much sicker than normal, they should seek advice.”
Dr. Blyth urged parents to get their children vaccinated against the flu.
Only 13.8 percent of WA children between the ages of 6 months and five years have received a flu shot, along with 11.1 percent of those ages 5-15.
Children and seniors are eligible for free flu vaccinations until the end of June.
“I wouldn’t wait,” Dr. Blyth said.
More than 17,000 cases of flu or flu-like illness were recorded in Australia between May 15 and May 28, according to figures from the Federal Department of Health and Aged Care.
The Australian flu season usually lasts from April to October, but like last year, it started earlier in March, with 57,816 cases already reported this year.