Mother Warns The Damaging Effects Of Kissing Babies On The Lips

Lucy Kendall and her partner Jaz Miller now know the dangerous effects that a kiss can have on a baby. The couple had to rush their 11-day-old infant to the hospital after he contracted oral herpes.

The parents knew something was not right when their little baby stopped drinking  milk throughout the night. As precaution, they admitted the child to the High Dependency Unit of a hospital. The little one was subjected to several tests and it was found that he had a case of oral herpes.

Oral herpes is said to be common for adults but it can be deadly for infants, due to their weak immune systems. Kendall shared her experience on Facebook, and the post has been shared almost 7k times.

In the post, Kendall shared that neonatal herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus. It can be passed to a baby if a person having cold sores touches or kisses the baby. When cold sores rupture, they can be extremely contagious. So, you can spread the virus even if you have touched a cold sore and don’t suffer from the disease yourself. Cold sores take a long time to subside and may reoccur in the same spot multiple times.

Kendall confirmed that she and her partner do not suffer from herpes and they did not kiss the baby. But she definitely warns the damaging effects of kissing infants on the lips. It took the little baby a 21-day-stay at the hospital and he now has to undergo a six month antibiotic treatment.

Keeping a newborn free from infections is the primary responsibility of the baby’s caregivers. Newborns have weak immune systems and overlooking hygiene can lead to severe health problems. Here are some precautions to exercise when you have a newborn home.

• All caregivers must keep their hands clean before handling a newborn. This includes the mother even if she is in confinement. Hand sanitizers are not as effective as washing with soap and warm water is.
• See that the folds of a baby’s neck, thighs and arms are clean and dry.
• When bathing a baby, see that no oil remains on the skin to avoid infections. Use of oil should be minimal and washing must be gentle.
• Maalishwalis must be checked for infections and diseases
• Avoid exposing the newborn to too many outsiders
• Avoid kissing or hugging the baby (this is tough)
• A mother must clean her breasts before every feed to avoid passing infections through sweat.

Disclaimer: Information has been sourced from heart.co.uk

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