to be worried that someone with a coldsore stroked my 7 week old baby's face.

[TKKW]

just that really. i was cuddling baby really close when collecting toddler from nursery but a lady who looked like she had a cold sore healing, stroked my baby's cheek with her finger.

i know that the virus is primarily transferred by direct contact or contact with saliva but im worried. can someone help with info on whether a 7 week old baby could get the virus and if so, how remote is the likelihood.

i like the nursery and have to say i'm paranoid about cold sores but am not 100 per cent sure it was one as she had two crusty bits on each side of mouth but neither looked red/inflamed or weeping.

thanks

anyone?

If you have had cold sores you will have passed antibodies on to your baby.

Also, the virus would be passed by the person with an active sore kissing your baby; in this case it sounds like she was just touched by someone with a healing sore.

I wouldn't be worried.

(not medically qualified btw)

I'm no expert but I believe it is possible for people of any age to contract the herpes virus that causes cold sores.

Assuming she had not recently had her hands in her mouth and didn't touch your DC's mouth or was very very close to DC's face talking then I don't think the risk is that high.

Anecdotally my DM has always suffered from occasional cold sores and neither me nor my siblings have ever had one.

thanks! im sat here stewing probably unnecessarily!

i dont recall ever having had a coldsore but appreciate i may still have the virus albeit dormant.

i just wish people, however well intentioned, wouldn't touch my newborn.

I get coldsores and I'm always very careful around ds (he's 15 now but I've been having them since before he was born). As long as I don't kiss him, or touch him after touching the coldsore without washing my hands, he's OK. I use separate towels and make sure we don't share cups (I usually drink some first so he doesn't spill it) it's all OK. I know it's easy to panic, but as long as your baby wasn't kissed he should be fine. I usually stick to these measures until the coldsore has gone completely, so no crust/blister/scab. I still cuddle him though

Oh, and he's never had a coldsore

It will probably be fine as she did not kiss your baby and did not touch his mouth.

I wish people would be more careful though, I have given great offense in the past by asking people with cold sores not to touch my newborn, and also by refusing to pick up a brand new nephew whilst I had one. Why don't people KNOW about this risk?

Probably wasn't cold sores if on both corners of her mouth. Could be cheilosis, which is not contagious.

If the woman had coldsores, if they were active and infected if she had just touched them and not washed her hands and then touched your baby and if your baby doesn't have immunity (from you) then there is a very small chance, but it's tiny, honestly.

I have to say two crusty bits on either side of the mouth are just as likely not to be cold sores, so try not to worry. I get little hacks at the corners of my mouth which can crust up if I don't keep them moist.

And even if she does have a cold sore, if her hands were clean then there wouldn't be any risk - and as a parent who gets cold sores I am meticulous about hand washing when I have an outbreak. DS is 8 and hasn't caught them and I've lived with DH for 14 years and he hasn't caught them either.

So please try not to worry.

Although I am a bit confused as to why you're mentioning you like the nursery, it's nothing to do with them surely?

I just wish people, however well intentioned, wouldn't touch my newborn

Such a MN thing to say.

I think you should keep your baby indoors all the time and if it's vital that you take your DC outside then put them in a bubble.

Until they stop being a baby and people couldn't care less about giving your child attention anymore.

ladySybil, it isn't just the risk of getting cold sores, it is a dangerous virus to newborn babies.

odowd

Oh, come on. The baby is 7 weeks old (meaning the OP thus gave birth seven weeks ago). Of course she's worried about her tiny baby getting ill!

Show a little empathy.

I know, Humphrey. There's been articles in the news about newborns who have caught the virus, but the virus is in the fluid inside the blister. Once the blister's gone there shouldn't be a risk.

sorry LadySybil, didn't mean to patronise

I feel strongly about this, can you tell? People are acting as if the OP is being precious about her baby (not you) when there is a real risk involved. I agree it doesn't sound as if this contact was particularly dangerous though, I just wanted to make sure that people are aware!

SOmeone actually kissed my newborn on the back of her head when they had a coldsore, and she was fine OP.

No, you're not at all.

I'm always so very careful, both with my son and with other people (newborns to old age). They are so very dangerous to newborns and I wouldn't want anyone else to get these. Once you have one, the virus stays dormant in your system and comes back. My mother gets them and I started getting them when I was small, so possibly from her.

Some of the news articles are heartbreaking

I think you should keep your baby indoors all the time and if it's vital that you take your DC outside then put them in a bubble.

When I don't want people touching my baby I just keep my arm up and twist my body away. Strangers don't get to touch my child anymore than they got to touch my belly bump. But I'm tactful and polite about it. I just smile, chat a little and let my body language deter them. No harm done.

I think your baby will be fine. We took all the precautions with DD and she still ended up in the hospital at 6 weeks because DH carried a bug home from work. So, try not to stress about it. If baby gets sick, it's probably going to be from you or DP who are near the baby and in their face.

I'm not sure why strangers think they have the right to stroke other people's babies, it's rude. I was sitting in a cafe with ds a couple of years ago and there was a man with his very small newborn. A woman was sitting outside and was fixated with the baby. After 20 minutes of watching she came inside and began to stroke the baby's head

My mother and husband both had active coldsores when my baby was just born... In fact my husband has had three since she was born and she is 12 weeks. I worried like crazy because of course they had kissed and cuddled her when they were infectious before the sores were visible (it is infectious for a longish period before and after) but my dd is fine.

Apparently around 70% of children have the virus by about three so it us all around us all the time. A handful of newborns die from it each year which us incredibly sad but also very rare. Some of these may not have been treated quickly enough with antivirals too so try not to worry.

I think it is totally normal and sensible to worry about them catching things when they are small too.

I had a whacking great cold sore on my mouth when I gave birth to DD1, I was careful as I have had them so long I know the contagion risk to anybody. I certainly wouldn't have touched anyone else's child but couldn't really do much about my own while we were in hospital for 3 days..
YANBU, however I'm rather glad I didn't have MN at the time, I would have been a gibbering wreck!