Karl Stefanovic has revealed it has been a “terrible year” for his family, saying his two-year-old daughter has struggled with ongoing health problems.
The 48 year old Today The co-presenter made the candid admission on the Nine breakfast show while speaking to Dr Nick Coatsworth, saying his toddler Harper May was undergoing treatment for asthma amid a string of medical scares.
“My daughter Harper, she’s been through a lot of illnesses. It’s been a terrible year,” said Stefanovic, who shares Harper with his wife Jasmine Stefanovic.
“She got the flu last week. Now she has some kind of asthma (device). But (she doesn’t have) asthma. It’s helping. So a lot of kids are going through that right now.”
Stefanovic, who also has three children with ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn, previously revealed his “really scary” experience when he and Jasmine had to take their toddler to hospital in June.
He told onlookers that Harper initially had a “wheezing and coughing” before his condition rapidly escalated to a racing heart rate and a high temperature, which reached a worrying 40C.
“There were literally thousands of parents in similar situations,” Stefanovic said at the time.
“We’re lucky it wasn’t more serious, and we were lucky to have good people around him.”
In response to Stefanovic’s story, Dr Coatsworth said the effects of the lockdown were having an impact on both children and adults as people’s immune systems responded to the country’s opening up.
“We’ve had this horrible season of respiratory viruses,” Dr Coatsworth said. “It’s almost certainly attributed to the lack of human movement during the lockdown, which of course we had to do. But that’s the price we pay.
“Our immune system has evolved over millions of years. It’s there to help us, it’s there to protect us. When we’re exposed to viruses, it certainly makes us stronger for the future.
“So, yes, some children and adults will need asthma medication for a short period of time,” Dr. Coatsworth said, referring to Harper’s asthma treatment. “Especially for post viral cough.”
Karl and Jasmine welcomed their first child in full confinement in May 2020.
Meanwhile, Karl’s co-host Allison Langdon suffered an illness this week and was sidetracked during Monday’s show.
“I’m actually going out this morning. I’m just a bit wobbly,” she said, explaining that she had started to feel unwell but didn’t want to leave her co-host “in the lurch”.
“I didn’t notice, because you’re reeling on a Monday morning,” Stefanovic joked.
“I would have stayed home, but it didn’t hit me until I started work. All the best to everyone, and have a great show,” Langdon added, rising from his seat, phone in hand.