A mum has shared an upsetting photo of her baby as a warning to other parents.
The picture showed the impact of kissing her baby after the tot caught herpes simplex virus - HSV (the cold sore virus), which can be life threatening to babies. Adults who carry HSV can spread it, even if they don't have any symptoms.
It can lead to encephalitis, which can cause inflammation of the brain, Birmingham Live reports.
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Tiny Hearts Education wrote on Instagram: "This. This is why we need to respect boundaries set by parents. Last night I shared the rules and boundaries my family is setting as we prepare to bring home our newest bub. After sharing that, I received a few messages from people saying they get a lot of pushback on one particular rule: "Don't kiss my baby."
"To people who don't understand, I refer them to this story. This is Sadie. Sadie became really unwell after an adult kissed her. Every time I see the sores in her mouth, I'm reminded about why we push so hard to protect our babies. We may get people who disagree, and we may have to have a few awkward conversations. But I'm more than happy to cop that if it means I'm keeping my little one safe."
It added: "Still need more convincing? We have written a blog post, that is perfect for sharing with friends and family members who want more information. "Please, don't kiss my baby - here's why." Click the link in our bio to read and share."
In reply Adrienne wrote: "As someone who was given the cold sore virus by a extended relative when I was younger - it is the worst.. everytime my immune system is down, or I’m stressed I get cold sores. I could never forgive myself if I passed it to my bub.. so if I even think I’m getting one I don’t kiss her. It’s a horrible virus to pass on, and with so many stigmas." Jade said: "I love this page and think this is a good message to send, especially for young babies."
But Ally replied: "This is an important message and a very valid point being made, but unfortunately a highly insensitive way to discuss an already deeply stigmatised virus." Jen said: "No one should be kissing any baby on the lips period!"
Coach said: "I appreciate all your posts, and thank you for the reminders .. yet I can’t believe we still need to talk about this in 2023. Hygiene dictates that your adult mouth has billions of bacteria. Keep it away from innocent babies!"
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