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Mum issues urgent warning to parents to ‘stop kissing babies’ after fears of spreading illness

Home> Life> Parenting

Updated 11:04 19 Jan 2024 GMTPublished 11:00 19 Jan 2024 GMT

Mum issues urgent warning to parents to ‘stop kissing babies’ after fears of spreading illness

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is more likely to spread during the current plummeting temperatures

Rhianna Benson

Rhianna Benson

If any of your nearest and dearest loved ones have welcomed a beautiful newborn in the last few months, you'll likely want to hold them all day, wiggle their tiny toes, and maybe even plant a kiss on their soft, squishy heads.

But health professionals are this week issuing a warning regarding the third item on that list.

This comes after a spike in cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) - spread largely through kissing newborns - has occurred amid the cold winter temperatures.

This breathing-related virus has been known to trigger the likes of wheezing, rasping, coughing and even vomiting in youngsters if they become infected.

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Arguably even more terrifying is this disease can slow down or pause a tot's breathing, and it can even lead them on to developing the more severe bronchiolitis.

While in adults, RSV isn't considered too arduous to overcome, it can have a potentially fatal impact on a newborn babies and children under two.

People are being warned not to kiss their loved one's babies.
Getty/Matt Carr

The disease is usually contracted after large infected droplets or secretions are passed from one person to another, with babies being kissed by family members being a huge contributing factor.

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It isn't just doctors and health professionals that are issuing a warning about the transmission of RSV this winter.

Social media-using mother Abby - famed for running parenting and mental health blog TheMotherhoodHome on Instagram - is hoping to make fellow mums and dads aware that now is the time of year to expect this virus to become more rife.

Abby wrote in a new post: "It’s RSV season and this is your friendly reminder to NOT KISS babies and toddlers on the hands or faces if they aren’t your child.

The mother issued a warning about the spread of RSV.
Instagram/@themotherhoodhome

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"Even if you are immediate family. This is not about you. This is about protecting children from becoming seriously sick."

The worried mother went on to advise her followers 'don't kiss babies full stop', and that parents should intervene if they see a family member attempting to do so.

"People seem to think toddlers are safe from RSV, but they’re not," she went on. "They can still become very sick. Let’s keep our littles safe."

The disease can usually be relatively simple to treat during its earliest stages of infection.

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According to the NHS, parents should issue their kids with children's paracetamol if they're over two months, or ibuprofen if they're over three months.

Parents should take their children to A&E if they exhibit more severe symptoms.
Getty/Cavan Images/Sigrid Gombert

Salt water can also be administered to assist with a child's blocked nose, and doctors suggest parents always keep their child upright while they're awake to help them breathe easier.

There are several instances, however, where parents should seek immediate attention for their child.

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If the tot is severely struggling to breathe - and is possibly making grunting noises or sucking their stomach in tightly - you should dial 999 or visit A&E immediately.

Similarly, if there are pauses in their breathing, if their skin or lips turn blue, or if they are struggling to wake up or stay awake, you should also seek urgent medical help.

Featured Image Credit: Goodboy Picture Company/Johner Images/Getty Images

Topics: Health, Parenting

Rhianna Benson
Rhianna Benson

Rhianna is an Entertainment Journalist at LADbible Group, working across LADbible, UNILAD and Tyla. She has a Masters in News Journalism from the University of Salford and a Masters in Ancient History from the University of Edinburgh. She previously worked as a Celebrity Reporter for OK! and New Magazines, and as a TV Writer for Reach PLC.

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@rhiannaBjourno

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