This heartbreaking video uploaded to Facebook has an important message for all parents

When you’re a parent, there are some fears and worries that are pretty universal. One, in particular, is that your child could become ill. Even worse? Your child could become ill, and you wouldn’t realize until too late. For one Australian mom, Sandra Tanrikulu, her five week old baby catching whooping cough was enough to motivate her to post an honest video to Facebook about the importance of vaccinating babies — and what can happen if you don’t.

As Tanrikulu explains in her video, posted to her Facebook,

“This video may distress some people but I’m sharing to show just how scary and dangerous whooping cough is to babies who are too young to be vaccinated. The scary symptom for babies is when they don’t cough but silently choke and turn blue/purple from lack of oxygen. If we weren’t in hospital and sitting watching our baby 24/7 the outcome would be fatal.”

While everyone has their own personal beliefs and perspectives when it comes to vaccinations, it’s so important to be educated and aware of the risks all children face, vaccinated or not. Especially in children who are not yet able to talk, it’s extra important to take precautions and monitor symptoms that could develop quickly, or take a fast turn for the worst.