When an acquaintance kissed her baby on the mouth, Claire Henderson had no idea that it could ever be harmful to little Brooke.
However, when the English mom noticed sores forming around her daughter’s mouth, she became very concerned. It wasn’t until she talked to a friend that she realized the seemingly innocent kiss could have transmitted herpes, which can be deadly for babies.
When she took Brooke to the hospital, she found out that this was exactly what happened, and now she’s on a mission to raise awareness about the dangers of letting people kiss newborns on the mouth.
“I noticed the signs early and got her to A&E, we have now been in hospital on a drip for 3 days and have got another 2 to go. She was VERY lucky, all her tests came back clear,” she said in a Facebook post.
Though Brooke is okay now, other babies may not be so lucky. Newborns who contract the herpes simplex virus need to be hospitalized and put on antiviral medication for up to 21 days. Even then, some can get brain damage as a result.
iStock
The virus is transmitted through saliva, and about 67 percent of the global population is infected with it. While it isn’t much to worry about in adults, the symptoms can become severe for newborns and even lead to death.
iStock
Comments