HELP - baby kissed with a cold sore!

[Sade49]

My baby is 5 months old and I kiss him whilst playing - lips included.

I ate acidic food 2 days ago and got my usual bumps on the top of my bottom lip (usually happens when I eat anything sharp). I've suffered since a child with ulcers and I know they aren't contagious but today the GP said it looks more like a cold sore and prescribed tablets and cream.

I've never had one before! Neither has my partner. I'm mortified and distressed, checking my baby to see how his face and mouth are looking. He's well in himself but I'm kicking myself as I've been kissing him with an active sore which I now know 😭 has anyone had this?

Is it a guarantee he will catch it? I'm mortified 💔 Im going to be in this constant worry for weeks, checking his temp and face 😞

They’re only dangerous to newborns I think, so although he might get one and that won’t be very nice,you’re very unlikely to have caused him harm.

its probably not a cold sore if neither your or DH have had one before. GP may have misdiagnosed

@mummumumumumum this is the most ignorant thing I’ve read in a long time. The Dr saw it and diagnosed it and deniers like you are the ones that pass it on the most to babies.

OP history of ‘ulcers’, citrus food irritating them and a GP actually seeing an outbreak and diagnosing cold sores suggests that the ulcers you had previously were likely cold sores all along.

Ah don't worry op, it's newborns mostly at risk and even then it's very low. As a pp said I'd be surprised if its a coldsore if you've never had one before. Gp once misdiagnosed me with what was very clearly hand foot and mouth - basic gp thing - as an allergy 🙄 if you ate spicy food, and you know you get a reaction like that, isn't it way more likely to be that?

Baby will be fine!!! So you don't drive yourself mad hold off the kissing til your ulcers are gone ☺️

@Readabookthisweek Its absolutely not ignorant 😂I'm certainly not a "denier" whatever that is. Perhaps you should take note of your user name if you take everything that a general practitioner says as gospel. Oh and for the record, I have never had a cold sore nor passed one on to a baby.

Also op if it does help (but do not worry if its doing this) generally coldsores are contagious when they look scabby and oozy. If yours still looks like it's just an ulcer, so smoothish or even poss a bit cauliflower looking, it very likely won't be contagious if it is a coldsore and even then they aren't always contagious and even then, baby is 5 months, and EVEN THEN complications for babies are rare.

I've had coldsores on a monthly basis pretty much (hormone triggered) since i was about 14, never passed it on to DP or the DC despite me forgetting sometimes and kissing them, using the same towels etc.

Surprised gp gave you tablets, tbh that would be enough for me to be a bit 🤨 about their reliability ive never heard of anyone needing the antivirals for a bog standard coldsore!

Thank you for replying @Megifer I've just put the second application of the aciclovir cream on too and I've noticed it's got bigger and is more sensitive/I'm aware of a sensation?

I read the back and in bold says not to be used inside mouth OR on ulcers. The lesion is on the top of my bottom lip, so I can touch it with my tongue if my mouth is closed - I'm assuming that is classed as the inside of my mouth!? 😬

I'm waiting for a call back from her. I feel so anxious for my 5 month old!

Hello, that's beginning more to sound more like a cold sore (growing, sensitive).

I get the tablets and prefer them to the cream so hopefully it helps clear it up for you.

Try not to panic about your child just yet (easier said that done), hope it comes to nothing for your little boy.

Not sure there is much you can do other than not kiss him again (anywhere on his body) until your lips are better. And maybe reconsider kissing on the mouth - bit icky!

@GreyBlackLove that's why I thought it could be a reaction as it says don't use the cream on ulcers and I usually get ulcers...

@TheOccupier I don't find it icky to kiss my child's mouth. But obviously would reconsider with a sore whether it's an ulcer or not.

I get it in my mouth all the time 😬 I think they say that probably more to stop people eating it maybe (thinking if they ingest it it will work quicker?) Or using it for mouth ulcers when it won't do anything. If anything bad happens if it gets in the mouth they wouldn't be able to sell it given it literally goes on your lips that we lick, use to drink with (so cream residue gets washed into the mouth) etc. The mouth ulcer thing again will be just something daft like it doesn't work so while you're using it for a mouth ulcer you're not using proper stuff so just prolonging it.

Honestly try not to worry baby will be absolutely fine even if it is a coldsore ☺️

Nobody believes you @mummumumumumum .

I can't speak for everyone op but when I get a coldsore mine always follows this pattern:

Tingling

Next day - giant swollen lip on whatever side coldsore starting, very painful, opaque tiny blisters that look like a cauliflower. Might last 2 days

Swelling goes down and then it goes a bit crusty. Lasts about 2 days

Scab usually comes off at various points 🙄bleeds a bit, rescabs. Goes on about another 2 days

Whole episode goes on for about 5-7 days.

Sounds painful and long @Megifer

I didn't have tingling, nor cauliflower, nor blisters. I have one large lesion which started as a red bump, like I'd bit my lip (but hadn't).

Then yellowish top which has got larger and more red legions behind it SINCE using the cream 🥹

If it is a cold sore, I'm hoping my son has only be exposed and doesn't breakout over the next few days 💔

@Readabookthisweek 😂 grow up

Yea it can be, just one of those things ☺️

I don't think yours sounds like a coldsore tbh but obvs I'm only an expert on my own 😬 well and my friends as we compare them 🤣

Could you post a pic? Only thinking if maybe a few of us could say its not a coldsore in our opinion it might help you feel a bit better? (Even though honestly I think you have absolutely nothing to worry about!!)

@mummumumumumum you need to stop placating people (and giving them your pseudo diagnosis over the internet) that are potentially passing on the herpes virus to their babies. Just because you say you’ve never had a cold sore doesn’t mean you are not an asymptomatic carrier who can still pass it onto others. This is why babies should not be kissed on the lips! If we all followed your advice there would be no need for GP’s simply asking Mumsnet would be sufficient primary care for all!

And obviously ignore any hysterical posts 😬 parents have kissed babies since time began, nothing wrong with it in the slightest and some people forget that when those babies become teenagers in any given weekend that set of lips will possibly snog at least 3 or 4 people catching christ knows what. Ahhh.....Good Times......

Their immune system when teenagers are geared up for it as babies it’s a medical risk especially with loads of blisters all over her lips even if she’s trying to explain them away as anything but what the GP has diagnosed. Like I said denying they are cold sores doesn’t make them not real. It’s ignorance and high risk behaviour exposing babies to the virus instead of just treating them and avoiding kissing babies on the lips in the first place.

@Readabookthisweek you need to relax. I am clearly not the only person that says there is a possibility of misdiagnosis from the GP. I am going to enjoy the evening with my family now, I suggest you do the same. Ciao! 😚

Op your baby will be fine. Kiss away if you want once your lips are lump free its a perfectly normal thing to do

@Megifer thank you. I think I'll keep on the cream tonight 😬 and see how it is in the morning. I'm failing to see how it will 'scab' as it's the inside, but I guess a film will kinda cover it - eww! 🥹

Update from GP, despite looking like an ulcer she's advised to continue the cold sore treatment as it won't do harm and once it's gone completely, baby is at no risk to transmit if I was to kiss him. A lesion makes it contagious with direct contact (as well as tingle phase which I didn't have).

She also said that there is no guarantee on baby breaking out, despite being exposed to the virus. Baby could break out in 10 years and you won't know if the virus was contracted in early years or the week prior to the breakout.

I didn't realise how common the virus was, and how people can carry it without a symptom or breakout EVER! 🤯

A good reason not to kiss children on the mouth. You never know when a cold sore is forming.

Are you sure it's not a canker if it's more on the inside?

Either way op please try not to worry, unfortunately you'll have so many things to worry about for the next 20-odd years don't waste time sweating the small stuff. Keep an eye on baby anyway like we all do, don't panic if baby does become ill as it is that time of year, but get him checked out if you're worried otherwise you'll drive yourself mad. But genuinely I wouldn't (and didnt) worry about this.

I'm always drawn to a coldsore thread on here because of how often I get them and I always find it weird that there's a general feeling of them being more contagious than anything, yet in 50 combined years of living with and kissing my family on the lips and not always being vigilant with hygiene when i have one not a single one has ever caught one!