Mom’s Heartbreaking Warning: Son’s Eye Infection Caused by Herpes from a Kiss

A mother from Windhoek, Namibia, has shared a heartbreaking warning about the dangers of letting others kiss infants, after her toddler contracted a severe herpes infection in his eye. Michelle Saaiman’s emotional Facebook post is aimed at raising awareness among parents about the risks associated with such seemingly innocent actions.

Saaiman’s son, who was just 16 months old at the time, developed an eye infection seven months ago after being kissed by someone carrying the herpes virus. Initially treated with antibiotic drops, the infection quickly worsened, prompting a visit to an ophthalmologist, where her worst fears were confirmed. The child was diagnosed with a herpes virus infection, the same strain responsible for cold sores.

“I’ve never heard of something so ridiculous. I mean, really, a fever blister growing on his cornea!?” Saaiman wrote, expressing her disbelief. Despite various treatments, surgeries, hospitalizations, and consultations with specialists, including a pediatrician from the United States, her son lost most of his vision and sensation in his left eye.

Saaiman detailed the extensive care her child required: “After thousands of dollars on medication, two surgeries, hospital stays, biopsies, and visits to specialists, including an American pediatrician who helped us, we eventually managed to get the virus in remission.” However, the virus has left permanent damage, and Saaiman is still grappling with the consequences.

The virus, if untreated, can migrate to the brain, causing severe complications, Saaiman explained. She emphasized that herpes cannot be fully cured, only managed. As a result, flare-ups can occur, which unfortunately happened to her son. “Due to the damage caused to his eye, he developed a 4mm open wound on his cornea,” she shared, describing the heartbreaking sight of her child’s injury.

The infection, according to multiple doctors, could only have been transmitted by someone with an active fever blister kissing the baby near his eye or touching the baby’s eye after contacting the infected area. Tragically, the virus caused her child to lose most of the vision and sensation in his left eye, and the ongoing infection threatens the eye’s future.

Saaiman’s son has undergone his first of three planned surgeries in South Africa in hopes of saving the eye through nerve harvesting and possibly a cornea transplant. His eyelids have been stitched closed to protect the injured eye. While the family remains hopeful, they have come to terms with the possibility of permanent blindness in that eye.

In her post, Saaiman urges other parents to protect their children by preventing anyone from kissing their babies, warning that what may seem like a harmless gesture can have devastating consequences. “Such a silly virus caused so much trauma and damage; it’s just not worth it!” she concluded.

Dr. Rethabile Khalema, a maternal-fetal medicine expert and obstetrician-gynaecologist at Universitas Hospital in Bloemfontein, confirmed that kissing is a common way herpes is transmitted. “Herpes simplex type 1, which causes cold sores around the mouth, is usually spread through contact with active lesions or through oral secretions of infected individuals,” he explained. He added that herpes simplex type 2 causes genital herpes but also poses a serious risk to vulnerable populations, including infants.

Dr. Khalema emphasized the importance of preventing transmission, particularly to children, by avoiding contact with active sores and covering them to prevent the spread of the virus.

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Sourced: African Insider