Mum warns of the dangers of letting other people touch your baby

A US mum has warned of the dangers of letting other people touch your baby after her son was hospitalised with a case of herpes.

Samantha Rodgers, of Des Moines, Iowa said the person who infected her baby probably doesn’t even realise they did it.

Baby Juliano is being treated in a children’s hospital after developing cold sores all over his face.

“All I can say is be cautious,” Ms Rodgers said.

“It can be anybody. Everybody needs to wash their hands. Sanitise if you see a cold sore or anything on them.

“Just don’t let them come by your baby.”

herpes mf

Ms Rodgers said initially she noticed that her son “had blisters growing outside of his mouth”.

She said doctors told her Juliano had the flu or a bad case of hand, foot and mouth disease, but it got worse.

However, tests revealed that he had been infected with herpes, reports 7 news.

“His sores were growing onto his hands and his neck and his stomach.”

herpes

Just two weeks ago, 18-day-old baby Mariana Reeses Sifrit, also from Des Moines, died after contracting meningitis HSV1.

It was caused by the herpes virus, the same one that causes cold sores.

Someone with the virus had touched or kissed Mariana inadvertently transferring the virus.

herpes2

Her mum Nicole Sifrit also warned parents not to let anyone kiss their newborn babies.

Despite the two cases occurring within weeks of each other doctors said they are very rare, but they have warned parents to be particularly careful within the first few months of a baby’s life.

Cold sores are highly contagious and can be spread by saliva, skin and touching things that are contaminated with the virus.

Share your comments below

Image via 7 news

23 Comments

- - henrie_01@yahoo.com.au said
  - 17 Sep 2017
    8:39 pm
My understanding of contracting cold sores is that they are contagious before you can see them (as well as when you can see them). Very sad for these families

- - mom94125 said
  - 02 Sep 2017
    8:09 pm
oh that is just so scary and it certainly is something that you have to be vigilant about. At least there is growing awareness for this fact but it is sad that these children are the reason why it has to be mentioned at all

- - june11 said
  - 14 Aug 2017
    9:01 pm
Ensure people wash their hands before handling your baby.
Do not allow anybody to kiss your baby. I am sure a person has cold sores before they are visible.

- - natct said
  - 10 Aug 2017
    5:49 am
How terrible. I never knew it could be transferred so easily.

- - mom19782016 said
  - 06 Aug 2017
    8:28 pm
Wow, scary stuff. A good article to share with those pregnant or with new bubs.

- - mom206279 said
  - 03 Aug 2017
    2:11 pm
Makes me so angry that someone who has a coldsore would go near a newborn!

- - rachel1970 said
  - 02 Aug 2017
    6:54 pm
How horrific and frightening for the parents. My twins were hospitalised after getting seriously ill after a family member can to visit and was ill. My babies were premmie and had just come home from the hospital only be admitted to ICU and stayed there for 2 weeks, one of them nearly died!

- - ella12 said
  - 02 Aug 2017
    2:03 pm
Very heartbreaking, concerning and also sad.

- - BellaB said
  - 02 Aug 2017
    1:57 pm
Very sad. It’s really hard to keep people away from babies.
- mom93821 replied
  
  03 Aug 2017 , 5:12 am
  I have told people to stay away when ill. It makes sense for bub especially and mum and everyone in the family.
- - rovermum said
  - 02 Aug 2017
    11:37 am
This is so frightening, scary and sad. A simple act of kissing a baby, has such tragic results. And ironic that two cases would happen within weeks of each other when I’d never heard of such a thing before.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 02 Aug 2017
    9:37 am
That’s so very scary and also sad that we have to be so careful of all these things in this day and age. I don’t really think I’d be comfortable with someone that I don’t know touching my child anyway.

- - nadine_hill said
  - 02 Aug 2017
    8:51 am
Poor baby! Just goes to show that you can never be too careful!

- - mom93821 said
  - 02 Aug 2017
    7:58 am
Poor little one – looks so sore and wold be painful.

- - Ellen said
  - 02 Aug 2017
    3:55 am
So contagious !! Poor wee boy !
And how sad baby Mariana Reeses Sifrit died after contracting meningitis HSV1, bless her family.

- - tessie said
  - 02 Aug 2017
    2:12 am
Poor little mite. It’s so easy to pass these germs onto young ones who haven’t had the chance to build up their immunity. Hope he gets better soon

- - mom160421 said
  - 01 Aug 2017
    10:36 pm
What bad luck. You can be the most careful parent and still have things like this happen.

- - mom64736 said
  - 01 Aug 2017
    9:59 pm
This is just one of those things that can happen. I’m not sure keeping the baby in isolation away from others is the answer. I always let strangers interact with my kids.

- - mom101628 said
  - 01 Aug 2017
    9:35 pm
You would think that anyone who knew they had it wouldn’t kiss or touch a baby anyway! So lucky my babies hated being picked up by anyone else other than me.

- - mom112217 said
  - 01 Aug 2017
    9:21 pm
The poor little boy,a horrible experience to go through.

- - country chick said
  - 01 Aug 2017
    8:24 pm
Rotten things cold sores, poor defenceless baby