Unfortunately, it is not the first time that we echo this type of news, but we believe it is important to disseminate it to inform about dangers of the herpes simplex virus in newborns and babies of young age.
This virus, which is mainly transmitted through saliva, has seriously endangered the life of an English baby, and now his mother wants to raise awareness of other families by sharing his story on social networks.
He could have contracted the virus because of the kisses he was given on the day of his baptism
Noah was only four weeks old when, in September 2018, his mother noticed that there was something strange in his right eye. He was swollen, red and somewhat watery, so he took him to the pediatrician right away.
Initially, the doctor told him that it could be an obstruction of the tear duct, and since Noah had no fever, wet diapers and ate correctly, his mother became unconcerned. But nevertheless, days later the injury began to get worse, so the doctors decided to perform an exam to see what it was.
The test results were positive for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), better known as cold sores, and treatment should begin immediately because baby's life was in danger.
In Babies and more Lipstick in children: why it appears and how we can relieve its symptoms Herpes simplex virus is harmless in healthy adults and children, but not in people with weakened immune systems and in babies, in whom the infection could spread quickly and affect the vital organs.The virus that Noah had contracted affected his eyelid, but early detection managed to prevent it from passing into the bloodstream, which could have caused him to die. Even so, the baby was about to go blind in one eye and had to remain hospitalized for more than two months.
Now Noah is nine months old and although he has recovered without sequelae, he must still remain with prophylactic treatment and medical and ophthalmologic check-ups.
His mother is convinced that she contracted HSV-1 on the day of her baptism, because there were many relatives and friends who were holding him and kissing him. Therefore, he has decided to publish his son's story and photos on his Facebook account, with the aim of raising awareness about the dangers of kissing babies:
"Every time I know more cases of babies who get sick from contracting the VSH-1 virus (known as "the kiss of death"), so I want everyone to realize the risks and consequences of kissing a baby or newborn when you have a cold sore. "
"Almost no one has seen Noah's photos when he contracted the virus, but knowing that more and more families are going through the same thing has encouraged me to spread our story."
"When I noticed that something was wrong, Noah was about four weeks old. It was in September 2018. His right eye was swollen and with tears, the boy was somewhat agitated. The pediatrician told me that it could be a clogged tear duct , so since I didn't have a fever, I ate well and dipped a lot of diapers, I didn't care. "
"But a few days later I noticed that I had some blisters around the eye and I read something on Facebook about a baby who had gotten sick from this virus and had similar blisters. I immediately took him back to the doctor, who ratified my suspicions that he could be HSV-1. "
"Our doctor sent us to Barnsley Hospital and they gave him injections and antibiotics until they had the results of the analysis. Indeed, it was HSV-1"
"HSV-1, more commonly known as the cold sore virus, It is not harmful to adults, but in babies it can be fatal if it spreads to their brains and vital organs. Even in cases where there are no symptoms of cold sores, the virus can be transmitted through your saliva, so you should never think that you are being too careful when dealing with a baby. "
"Noah entered the Sheffield children's hospital and began to be treated with antivirals for two weeks: every day, three times a day. Then he started with prophylactic antivirals for six months. But, unfortunately, had a relapse in March and again he had to go through the same. Now he must continue with medication until October. "
"We still have a long way to go before it is finally discharged, so we must continue with reviews with their doctors and ophthalmologists. But after the appointment we had yesterday we are happy, because his doctor saw him well and happy. "
"We were very lucky to have reached this virus in timeOtherwise, maybe my son wouldn't be with me here today. However, I am aware that other families may not be so lucky. "
"It was exhausting, physically and mentally, to see Noah so badly and he would do anything to prevent other parents from having to go through the same thing that we have been through. So, please, never kiss a newborn."
In Babies and more "Don't kiss my baby": the serious danger that can give kisses to newbornsAn aggressive but very rare virus
From the Herpes Virus Association of the United Kingdom insist on affirming that although aggressive, This type of virus is uncommon in infants, and a "very unusual cause of neonatal death."
A baby can be infected by the herpes simplex virus through three channels:
Intrauterine infection (the rarest form of infection, with less than 5% of cases). It occurs when the mother contracts the virus during the last stage of pregnancy not giving time to the development of antibodies that can protect the baby.
Neonatal infection (the most frequent form of infection, with 85% of cases). It occurs through the contact of the newborn with the genital secretions of the infected birth canal, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic.
Postnatal infection (occurs in 10% of cases). It is caused by direct contact of the newborn with the herpes simplex virus or by contact with the saliva of a person with the infection.
In Babies and more Be very careful with herpes: a baby dies because of a kissAccording to the Herpes Virus Association, the problem with this form of infection is that many people do not know that they carry the virus, since only one in three have symptoms that lead to a diagnosis, or even sometimes the symptoms are so mild that they can go unnoticed.
Symptoms include from a slight tingling or burning in a specific area of the skin, to blisters of reddish color and vesicle that will reproduce as a cluster, stinging, itching and pain.
Though cold sores in adults is not seriousIn newborns or very young babies it can be, because their immune system is still immature and the infection could spread rapidly and affect the vital organs.
Therefore, when we visit a newborn, it is vitally important to ensure that we are not sick, to take extreme hygiene measures when it comes to touching or holding him in the arms, and, above all, not to kiss him near the lips.
Via Metro
