Charlotte Jones is experiencing every parent's worst nightmare. The young mom, from Abergavenny, Wales, has spent days by her son's hospital bedside as he battles a life-threatening case of herpes contracted by a simple kiss. She's posted a heartfelt plea on Facebook warning parents of the dangers of letting people kiss your baby.
At first, Jones thought her baby boy Ellis just had a nasty case of tonsillitis, but tests soon revealed it was far more serious.
In her October 14 Facebook post, Jones shared that Ellis was diagnosed with ulcers and then a rash before it was finally determined that he was infected with Herpes Type 1.
Herpes simplex virus type 1 is spread through skin-to-skin contact and results in blisters on the skin, according to Planned Parenthood. Although the type of herpes is dependent on where it is located, type 1 usually causes blisters around the mouth and throat.
For many adults, the condition is painful, but not fatal. However, the National Health Service explained that the infection "can be very serious for a young baby, whose immune system will not have fully developed to fight off the virus."
"Sometimes neonatal herpes will only affect the baby's eyes, mouth or skin," the website explained. "In these cases, most babies will make a complete recovery with antiviral treatment. But the condition is much more serious if it's spread to the baby's organs."
Moreover, nearly one-third of infants infected with the virus will die if they don't get immediate treatment, the NHS reported.
To say Jones was "devastated" by the diagnoses would be an understatement, her Facebook post shared.
Ellis has had a rough go of it in the hospital, although his mom noted that he's been pulling through it all like a "boss baby."
The mom explained that so far, her son has been sick "with temperatures reaching 40 degrees (or 104 degrees Fahrenheit)," and has needed "nasal drips and two cannula's, two lots of bloods and numerous medication."
Ellis has also had no solid food for over a week, his mother added. Still, she knows that she's got it far better than others who have found themselves in this scenario.
"We've been lucky and Ellis is pulling through it like a boss," Jones wrote, "but for a baby with a low immune system the outcome could be very different."
That is why she's now warning parents to never let a stranger -- or even a trusted adult -- kiss their baby if they can avoid it.
"People really don't realize how a kiss or a touch from someone with a cold sore can be life-threatening for a little body," Jones explained.
In fact, according to the NHS, a baby is at the greatest risk of contracting a herpes infection in the first four weeks after birth.
"Please do not kiss a baby or toddler if you have any symptoms of a cold sore, sanitize your hands before you touch the child!" Jones continued. "In a week, Ellis's lips have changed so much, he's still got a way to go yet but is on the mend!"
Of course, it's not always possible to know that someone is infected with the virus if there aren't obvious signifiers, but to stay on the safe side, it's best to have others wait for kisses once the baby is older and has a strengthened immune system.
As this mom knows all too well, the risk of infection is just too great.
