Euro Weeks
A bereaved mother whose newborn daughter died after contracting the herpes simplex virus (HSV) is urging other parents to learn about the little-known dangers cold sores can pose to babies. For most adults, cold sores are usually a painful but common infection. But in newborn babies, whose immune systems are not yet fully developed, HSV can cause a life-threatening illness.
Meg Edmonds' daughter, Magnolia, died aged just 10 days in February and it is suspected the virus may have been passed on by her mother. "The guilt is obviously unbearable, it's horrific, but I just try and remind myself that I didn't know and I did what I could have done with the knowledge that I did have," she said. Warning: This story contains details some readers may find distressing She has decided to speak publicly as part of an infection prevention campaign run by the Lullaby Trust, a charity which promotes infant health.
The 22-year-old, from Rugeley in Staffordshire, said Magnolia was born healthy after what she described as a straightforward birth. "I had a lovely birth with her, a water birth. She was nearly two weeks overdue like her big sister but everything was fine and she was born perfectly healthy," she said.
The family had already taken precautions to protect Magnolia from infection. "We chose not to have family round who were poorly at the time because I knew that was not safe," Meg said. "But I'd never ever seen anything about cold sores, HSV, neonatal herpes, nothing, and it's only since that I've found so much out that I just wish I'd known before." Meg said she never kissed her daughter and was careful about hygiene because Magnolia had been born during winter.
"I washed my hands constantly because I was worried in general about infections. "But I never knew that if that passed to her it could kill her." Research by the Lullaby Trust has highlighted the pressure some parents feel when asking people not to kiss or touch their baby. "We know that parents can feel awkward, embarrassed or even guilty about asking someone not to kiss their baby, wash their hands or keep their distance when they're unwell," chief executive Jenny Ward said.
"But protecting your baby from infection is never something you need to justify." She said the charity's THANKS advice - think hands and no kisses - was designed to help families reduce the risk of infection. "Wash your hands before touching your baby and don't kiss them if you are unwell," she said. "Viruses are really common, particularly at this time of year, and while we can't avoid them all we can put some steps in place to reduce the chance of your baby getting unwell." If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, help and support is available at BBC Action Line.
Source: BBC
