Dangers of Coldsores for Newborns (Warning content may disturb)

[visitor1]

DH read this to me yesterday and i was shocked...i knew that they were dangerous..but i never thought death would happen

RIP little Mira

[~Trish~]

Oh how tragic .

We once had a midwife tell us of a newborn that was kissed in hospital by a vistor with a coldsore, the poor baby caught one from that person. That bub now has the virus for life. I would be so angry.

[feeb]

a few months ago my mil came over with a cold sore and got ****ty with me when i told her she wasnt touching jacob!!! DH also got ****ty with me about not letting his mum touch jacob after i foound out he could not grasp concept that i donr get cold sores and neither does he and i dont want our son getting them.

A kind bb member sent me link yesterday to this article to show dh and mil.

RIP little Mira

[briggsy's girl]

i'm one of those poor sods that got kissed as an infant by a grandmother with a cold sore - now whenever i'm stressed or getting unwell, out they come. so far i've only had a mild swelling since pg, so i'm hoping i'm strong enough (immunity-wise) to keep them at bay.

from what i read in that article - parents who are already infected will pass a degree of immunity to their child - is that right? as i said, i've had this virus forever, and would hate to unknowingly pass it to a young bubba (first day i never really notice them - i don't always get that "tingling" feelin - i usually wake with the swelling in the morning...)

[Arimeh]

Holy moly.. that poor little bub...
And the guilt that that poor mother would be feeling... geezzzz

[Gigi]

i think there is a damm good reason why new mums are called "overprotective" - you HAVE to be! for your bub!

i must admit, i find it hard NOT to kiss babies, but i will re-think this now, cos i get coldsores, and i woulnd't want to make a baby get a coldsore.

i am not sure (after reading this) whether you could only pass the coldsores onto a baby is you were experiencing an outbreak that day, or whether you could pass it on any time to a baby. so for now, until i know for sure, i will stop kissing bubs. :sad: i am so damm clucky it will be hard!! but i would never want to endanger a bub (now that this has been brought to my attention).

[Liz]

Wouldn't she have been making antibodies in her breastmilk?

Poor little bubba. Such a tragic outcome for a seemingly simple thing

[briggsy's girl]

i just did a bit of a google search - if the initial infection occurs in the third tri (so birth would be in here) the body doesn't have time to make antibodies against the virus, so nothing to transfer to bubba. initial infection can be up to 21 days before the body is able to fight it into remission - due to the bubba having no immunity, it is possible that the infection became a meningitis type infection...

it's so very sad that something that so many of us take as just a "part of life" is possibly so deadly to a newborn bubba. definitely gives me a question or five to ask the doctors before the Gremlin arrives..