Kathryn Thomas' 'nightmare' as baby daughter hospitalised with breathing problems

The Operation Transformation host ended up in the emergency room after the tot came down with a nasty case of bronchiolitis at just four weeks old.

Speaking to the RTÉ Guide, mum-of-two Kathryn explained how she “fell apart” when she handed Grace over to the doctors at Crumlin Children’s Hospital.

“It was absolutely horrific, every parent’s worst nightmare,” she said.

“I was fine until I got to the door of the emergency department and then I fell apart. You hand over the most precious thing in the world to people you don’t know, but who you trust implicitly.

“Grace was tested for meningitis and sepsis and had to get a spinal lumbar puncture.”

“I knew instinctively it was nothing like that, but they had to take those preventative measures, including giving her intravenous antibiotics, just in case it was sepsis or meningitis.

“The staff were incredible, they’re walking angels, and after three days we were home and all was well.”

Kathryn, who also shares daughter Ellie with her husband Padraig McLoughlin, told of how baby Grace is her pride and joy, saying that she has been an excellent distraction from pandemic life.

The 42-year-old said: “With all the terrible stuff happening in the world, Grace has been a little beacon of light for me and a distraction from all the other stuff.

“Grace has just started to smile now. Padraig had been saying that he was getting a few smiles and I was like: ‘That’s rubbish.’

“She’s smiling like a good thing now and those little moments bring it all back, how it was with Ellie. So, it’s the most glorious little world that we are in right now.”