Edel Jones has praised the staff at Children's Health Ireland at Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Crumlin for saving the life of her six week old baby Billy.

Billy was diagnosed with RSV, a respiratory virus, and bronchiolitis after being rushed to Crumlin's Emergency Department.

Speaking about the terrifying experience, Billy's mum said: "Billy got so bad that they brought him to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and they put a big mask on to help his breathing.

"It was like a suction mask all around his little face. Billy didn’t really respond to it or get better.

"They were giving him one more day and said if he didn't respond, they'd have to put him on the ventilator, the life support.

"It got really bad really quickly.

"They said he was having such difficulty breathing that he was becoming exhausted and might need the help of the machine to continue. It was so terrifying.

"I was a mother for the first time and that alone was scary enough. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to react.”

Swipe across to see baby Billy

The staff worked tirelessly to avoid having to put Billy on life support or a ventilator, and at the last second, they stabilised the tot.

Edel admitted she never felt the kind of relief she felt at that moment before: “We’ve never been so relieved in our lives.

"They are remarkable in ICU at keeping you calm. It the middle of your own panic the staff have everything under control and they reassure you."

Billy didn't leave Crumlin for three weeks in total, but Edel highlighted the fantastic work done my the staff - especially one nurse in particular: “I’ll always remember one particular night a wonderful nurse was taking care of Billy and I wasn’t fully asleep, my eyes were just closed, but she thought I asleep and I could hear her talking to him.

"She was so loving, saying what a great little boy he was. My heart could have burst.

"I was so grateful because knowing she was there to take care of Billy let me relax, rest and get some sleep. I was so grateful for that.”

Like every first time mother , Edel was worried every time Billy's breathing got a bit heavy - but what relaxed her was knowing Crumlin was only a phone call away, with top class medical professionals at the other end.

“Billy is doing great now and he's drinking more bottles than he ever did. He's sleeping all night too and is in a proper little routine. Thank goodness!

"We were in hospital for about three weeks but it felt like a lifetime. I’ll be forever grateful to the incredible people in there who made my little baby well again.”