Dr. Karan Raj, a surgeon with the National Health Service in the UK, recently took to social media to warn about the dangers of kissing infants. Judging by the thousands of comments, this was news to many of his followers.
The warning primarily concerns family members and guests visiting a newborn. However, parents should also be cautious about how they express affection through touch.
Last year, the British charity The Lullaby Trust published survey results showing that 54 percent of young and expectant parents might allow “friends and family to kiss their newborn without realizing the risk of serious infection.”
So, what’s the danger?
As explained by Primrose Freestone, a senior lecturer in clinical microbiology at the University of Leicester, a newborn’s immune system is not fully developed. This significantly increases the risk of contracting serious infections.
During the first three months of life, an infant’s body has fewer innate immune cells, such as neutrophils and monocytes, that fight infections. This means that infections that cause mild symptoms in adults or older children can pose life-threatening risks to infants.
Herpes virus infection is one such example. In adults, herpes causes cold sores, but infants can become seriously ill after contracting the virus. If herpes affects only the eyes, mouth, or skin of a child, most recover after antiviral treatment. However, if the illness becomes systemic and affects the child’s organs, it can even be life-threatening. The younger the child, the more vulnerable they are to herpes infection, especially in the first four weeks after birth, noted Dr. Primrose Freestone.
According to her, infants are also more susceptible to infectious bacteria than older children and adults. Newborns are particularly vulnerable to infections from intracellular pathogens, such as Group B streptococci. These bacteria often reside in the gastrointestinal tract and genitalia of healthy adults without causing illness. However, when they enter an infant’s body, they can lead to sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections.
Additionally, newborns can easily contract infections caused by strains of E. coli. Such infections pose risks of pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis, as reported by IFLScience.
Expressions of affection to be wary of
Parents of very young children should not feel awkward when asking persistent visitors not to kiss or touch their baby. If a guest truly cares about the child’s well-being, they should not take offense at this request, believes Primrose Freestone.
In her view, the best thing a visitor can do is to avoid putting the child at risk of infection. This means following some simple guidelines.
First and foremost, guests should wash their hands thoroughly. They should not kiss the infant on the mouth or face. It’s better to kiss the little one on the foot or the back of the head.
If a friend or relative has an active infection of any kind, they should cancel their visit to the baby, especially if the child is less than a month old.
Herpetic infections are particularly dangerous for small children, so any visible symptoms should be covered with a bandage.
The best option for a visitor who feels they must see the infant is to wear a face mask.
If someone is feeling unwell, they should not expose the baby to any risk. It’s better to postpone the visit.
As Dr. Freestone pointed out, it’s essential to remember that infants are very vulnerable to infections. While kisses are a sign of love, they can seriously harm a newborn.