Six-year-old hospitalised after smoking vape at Victorian school

A Victorian father is warning parents about the dangers of having vapes near children after his son was hospitalised with what are believed to be the effects of smoking one.

The man's six-year-old son was taken to hospital by ambulance on Friday after suffering a cough for three weeks and ending up struggling to breathe.

The cough is believed to have begun when the little boy and his brother used a vape, also known as an e-cigarette, that a seven-year-old fellow student shared with them at a Geelong school three weeks earlier.

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The boys used the bright purple nicotine vape at recess and lunch, noting it tasted like grapes.

Quit Victoria's Dr Sarah White has said the fact that the boy was likely reacting to using the vape was "incredibly concerning".

"We don't know the impact it'll have on his lungs," she said.

"Kids should not be able to get their hands on these vapes."

Experts fear incidents like what occurred with the young boy could start to become more common.

They're pleading with parents to keep such devices out of reach.

The father of the little boy in hospital, who does not want to be identified, wants tighter controls on brightly coloured lolly and fruit-flavoured vapes.

"Now having learned what I know about vaping.. I'm appalled and disgusted that such a product exists," he said.