A Sussex couple are raising awareness of the dangers of k.i.s.s.i.n.g babies, after losing their newborn at just one month-old
The parents of a baby who d.i.e.d from an infection have issued a warning against kissing and touching newborn babies.
Violet-May Constantinou, the daughter of Hayley Riches and Dimitri Constantinou, was diagnosed with the herpes virus at barely eight days old and unfortunately d.i.e.d.
Now, Hayley and Dimitri want to spread the word about the risks of family members and friends kissing and touching infants, advising other parents and caregivers to reconsider letting others near their kids.
“We are constantly terrified and we always will be,” the pair said in an interview with ITV about the tragic circumstance.
“You never know what sort of viruses are out there.”
The couple realised something was wrong when their daughter refused to feed and her skin began to appear yellow.
Little Violet was rushed to hospital, where she diagnosed with neonatal herpes, and although she was given anti-viral medication, her condition worsened.
Violet needed a liver transplant as soon as possible after being diagnosed with severe liver failure at Southhampton Hospital due to the illness.
However, Violet d.i.e.d at one-month-old while waiting for the procedure.
A baby’s immune system is not fully developed until later in childhood, meaning newborns are at high risk of becoming ill and catching infections.
The herpes virus (HSV) can be contracted through skin-to-skin contact, which causes infections in or around the mouth.
Most people have no symptoms or only mild ones, with those contracting oral herpes experiencing ulcers or cold sores, which can be painful and uncomfortable.
However, some people suffer through more extreme symptoms such as fever, bodily aches and pains, swollen lymph nodes, headaches and more.
For a newborn, who relies on their mother’s antibodies during the first few weeks of their lives, this infection is incredibly dangerous.
Hayley told the Mirror, “This is why you have to be attentive and a little protective.” “A newborn can be k.i.l.l.e.d by a cold sore, so avoid touching them if you have one.”
Violet’s parents are unaware of how their daughter contracted herpes, with no one in their family having cold sores at the time, and reckon that it must have been an outside source.
Since then, the Lullaby Trust, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting infants and helping bereaved families, has emphasized the risks associated with allowing friends and family to kiss infants.
According to a 2023 survey by the charity, 54% of new and expectant parents would let friends and family to kiss their newborn child despite the possibility of a dangerous infection.
The charity have campaigned against these issues with the T-H-A-N-K-S guidelines, which are as follows: Think, Hands And No KisseS.
This helpful acronym offers advice on washing hands and keeping away from babies if you feel unwell, and definitely no kissing.
