Parents' plea for more vaccination

The devastated parents of a Perth baby boy who died of complications from whooping cough two days ago have made a plea for more people to vaccinate themselves and their children.

Distraught mother Catherine Hughes told _The West Australian _four-week-old Riley was in perfect health until a week ago when he developed a slight cough that turned into a deadly respiratory illness in just a few days.

Riley was too young to have even started the infant vaccination program that could have protected him from the bacterial infection, with the first of three doses not due until he was two months old.

Mrs Hughes said that after Riley developed a slight cough last week, she and her husband Greg consulted a locum doctor on Thursday evening who had reassured them.

But when their baby's condition worsened by lunchtime on Friday, they took him to Princess Margaret Hospital as a precaution and he was admitted.

"We still thought he would be OK and that he'd be discharged the next morning," Mrs Hughes said. "He didn't seem that sick but then every day he got progressively worse.

"He got pneumonia and the staff did everything they could but on Tuesday his heart failed and he was gone."

A strong supporter of immunisation, Mrs Hughes said her family did everything right, ensuring they were vaccinated and advising their parents and close friends to make sure they were immunised as well.

She did not know how Riley became sick but said watching him battle "a horrible infection" had been heartbreaking.

Mrs Hughes posted messages on Facebook, which she allowed friends to share, to make more people aware of the importance of vaccination.

By yesterday afternoon, a message after Riley's death had been shared almost 3000 times.

"We are devastated to let everyone know our gorgeous sweet month-old son Riley John Hughes lost his battle with whooping cough at Princess Margaret Hospital earlier today," she wrote.

"He passed away peacefully in our arms after a tough fight.

"The staff at PMH were amazing and did everything they could to save his little life but the whooping cough was too severe. RIP Riley. Forever in our hearts."

Earlier, when doctors were still trying to save Riley, Mrs Hughes had called on her friends to get vaccinated. "If you haven't been immunised against whooping cough (pertussis), please consider getting it done," she wrote.

"Heartbreaking to watch 4 week old Riley struggle with it at PMH, please keep him in your thoughts!"

The WA Health Department said it was the first death from whooping cough in WA since 2011, with the State recording one death a year from 2008 to 2011.

There were 1723 cases of the infection last year and there had been 270 so far this year.

A spokesman said that unlike in the Eastern States where there was increased whooping cough activity this year, the number of recent reports in WA had been relatively steady.

But six weeks ago NSW and Victorian health authorities warned that the number of cases of the respiratory infection was creeping back up after a lull, which could suggest a major outbreak was imminent.

The Hughes family have set up a Facebook page to raise awareness: facebook.com/lightforriley If you haven't been immunised against whooping cough, please consider getting it done." Riley's mum Catherine Hughes