Heartbreaking picture shows why parents should never let anyone kiss their baby

Parents kissing newborn
-Credit: (Image: Getty)


When parents have a baby it can be tough keeping other people from wanting to kiss and cuddle the infant. But a paramedic has released a terrifying picture to show what can happen if boundaries are not kept.

Nikki Jurcutz, founder of child first aiders Tiny Hearts Education, posted the image of baby Sadie with her mouth red raw and cracked leaving her unable to feed and in pain. She wrote on Instagram: "Every time I post about 'newborn rules' I hear about the pushback parents get on one rule: "Don't kiss my baby."⁠

"This is Sadie. She became very sick after an adult kissed her. Seeing the sores in her mouth reminds me why we work so hard to protect little ones. I can tell you it's much easier having those awkward conversations than seeing your sweet baby go through this."

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In a blog post, the Tiny Heart team explained how Sadie was suffering from Herpes simplex virus - HSV - otherwise known as the cold sore virus. However, this virus while unpleasant in adults can be life-threatening to babies because their immune systems aren't yet fully developed.

And other parents were quick to support her - many who had their own experience of seeing their child suffer. Helen said she had passed on the herpes virus to her child.

She said: "I had never kissed her on the lips. Just cheeks, hands, feet, etc. I never kissed her when I had an active cold sore but I had a cold sore a couple of weeks before her onset of symptoms which was not a mouthful of sores, just a sore/ scab on her ear, followed a few days later by a sore/ scab on her arm. HSV encephalitis unfortunately does not discriminate. Anyone can pass it on, even a parent.

"My daughter fought for her life, and after 5 weeks of treatment in hospital, she made it home. However, our lives were changed forever. She now has GMFCS level 5 Cerebral palsy; she is nonverbal, tube-fed, has epilepsy and chronic lung disease along with many other diagnoses.

"I have had 3 more children since and nobody is to kiss baby before 6 months of age, this rule applies to EVERYBODY, myself and hubby included. We allow kisses on top of baby's clothes (from our kids) but absolutely no kisses to skin. And hand sanitiser is a non-negotiable for everybody each time baby is touched.

"This age I have chosen is not a magic number by any means, if I could resist kissing my kids for the entirety of their lives then I would but I don’t think that is an acceptable way of life and would probably do more harm than good. I have just become extra vigilant. I know what signs to look for and I know how to advocate for my kids to receive the tests/ treatment they may need."

Joanne said: "Other ppl do not need to be kissing other ppls kids on their mouths like ever." Heather added: "So frustrating that people continue to kiss babies and put them at risk. I have literally put my hand in between someone’s mouth and my baby before. It’s a hard no."

But it is not just from kisses. Sarah Jane said: "My daughter caught the cold sore virus at 6 mths by touching the glass at the aquarium ( someone there obviously had the virus). It didn’t matter how much I wiped her hands as a 6mth old she put her hands in her mouth and the week that followed was HORRENDOUS.

"Her entire mouth, tongue and down her throat was covered in cold sores. She couldn't eat, drink and cried so so much in pain. She is 15 now and when she is run down she always gets a painful cold sore come up on her mouth."

The NHS has its own warning on its website saying: "Kissing a baby if you have a cold sore can lead to neonatal herpes, which is very dangerous to newborn babies." It warns anyone with a cold sore needs to be vigilant as they are contagious from the moment you first feel tingling or other signs of a cold sore coming on to when the cold sore has completely healed.

It added: "They can easily spread to other people and other parts of your body." To help stop cold sores spreading:

  • wash your hands with soap and water whenever you touch your cold sore

  • do not kiss anyone while you have a cold sore

  • do not have oral sex until your cold sore completely heals as you could give your partner genital herpes