Today show host Karl Stefanovic revealed he was ‘freaked out’ and ‘feeling guilty’ after his two-year-old daughter Harper was rushed to hospital hospital on Wednesday.
Speaking on air on Friday, the presenter, 47, said his daughter had ‘sniffles and a little cough’ on Wednesday, which brought him and his wife Jasmine, 38, to the take you to the GP.
But his condition rapidly deteriorated, his temperature reaching a dangerous 40°C and his heart rate racing to 200bpm.
Today show host Karl Stefanovic revealed he was ‘freaked out’ and ‘feeling guilty’ after his two-year-old daughter Harper was rushed to hospital hospital on Wednesday.
She was then rushed to hospital in an ambulance and diagnosed with respiratory syncytial virus, which is common in children during the winter months.
“Two days ago my daughter Harper had what she has had so many times this year, a sniffle and a little cough,” he told viewers.
“Within hours we gave her Nurofen and Panadol as advised and put her to sleep.
“When she woke up she was breathing very fast, wheezing, and her heart rate and temperature were on the rise.”
Karl and his wife Jasmine welcomed Harper in 2020, their first child together. Karl shares three older children with his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn: River, 15, Willow, 16 and Jackson, 22
He went on to explain that things quickly went from bad to worse, with little Harper eventually ending up in the hospital.
“So we took her to our GP who was brilliant.
“But within minutes his condition deteriorated, his temperature was over 40 and his heart rate was climbing over 200 bpm, we were really worried.”
The star explained how the “incredible” GP quickly stabilized her with a nebulizer and called an ambulance.
Today show host Karl Stefanovic, 47, was the doting dad at all times as he took Vivid on a yacht with wife Jasmine and daughters Willow and Harper earlier this month.
“From the ambulance, the paramedics were amazing,” he continued.
“At North Shore Hospital, other doctors worked on her and she was admitted after several hours to the emergency room.
“They did an amazing job and the hospital staff were amazing.”
The presenter said he was revealing the chilling ordeal to show solidarity with the “thousands of parents in similar situations”.
Karl also spoke to Associate Professor Margie Danchin (pictured), a pediatrician at the Royal Children’s Hospital, who said parents are ‘really looking after it’ at the moment
“We were lucky, and we are lucky, that it was not more serious. But it’s a common situation, that’s why we do it,” Stefanovic said.
“The thing is, you freak out, when the doctors start acting fast, you freak out.
“We felt guilty, we should have taken her straight to hospital, we took her to the GP first.”
Karl also spoke to Associate Professor Margie Danchin, a pediatrician at the Royal Children’s Hospital, who explained that parents are “really dealing with it” at the moment.
“It is unfortunately a similar story.
“After the last two years when Covid has been so scary, we have seen a huge increase in viral respiratory conditions.
“Over the last month or so we have seen an increase in RSV – parents are really dealing with it.
“We also don’t want parents to go to the emergency room,” she added.
“Our emergency services are really overwhelmed.”
She said if a child shows increased breathing, bruising around the lips, or if they are listless and pale, the parent should take them to the emergency department.
Happy times: Jasmine nestled in a sturdy Harper ahead of the harbor boat ride earlier this month
Karl and his wife Jasmine welcomed Harper in 2020, their first child together. Karl shares three older children with his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn: River, 15, Willow, 16, and Jackson, 22.
Karl met the model-turned-shoe designer at a boat party in Sydney just months after he split from his first wife in 2016.
The couple married at the One&Only Palmilla resort in Mexico in December 2018
In an interview with Stellar magazine in October 2020, Jasmine described Karl’s parenting style as “very practical”, adding that it “helps a lot”.
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