There is a cognitive bias called the “curse of knowledge” (also known as the “curse of expertise”). This happens when you mistakenly assume that everyone knows as much as you do about a particular topic.
As a clinical microbiologist, I thought everyone knew that kissing a newborn baby anywhere on the head was a terrible idea.
NHS surgeon Dr Karan Raj recently said: TikTok It warned people of the dangers of kissing babies and judging by the thousands of comments, this was news to many on the social media platform.
Late last year, British charity The Lullaby Trust published research that revealed: 54% of new and expecting parents “Friends and family members will let their newborn baby kiss without knowing the risk of serious infection.”
But why is kissing a newborn so dangerous?
The baby’s immunity is not fully developed Because they are so young at birth, they are at much higher risk of developing serious infections.
For the first three months or so, infants’ immune systems have fewer natural infection-fighting immune cells, such as neutrophils and monocytes, than adults, so infections that cause mild symptoms in adults and older children are less likely to occur. may occur. It’s life-threatening for the baby.
Herpesvirus infections are one example. In adults, cold sores cause cold sores, but babies can quickly develop cold sores. serious illness After being infected with a virus.
If the herpes only affects your baby’s eyes, mouth, or skin, most will recover after antiviral treatment. However, if the virus spreads throughout the body and affects the baby’s organs, the infection can become more serious and even fatal.
The younger the baby, the more vulnerable it is to infection, especially with herpes. first 4 weeks after birth.
Newborns are also more vulnerable than older children and adults to infectious bacteria, especially infections with intracellular pathogens (bacteria that can enter and survive inside the cells of a host organism) such as group B Streptococcus (GBS). are more susceptible to.
These bacteria often live in the host’s gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts without causing disease. GBS infection in infants cause Sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis, blood infections.
Babies are also susceptible to infections such as: Escherichia coli Although the strain is harmless to adults, it can cause pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis. serious consequences.
Show love – be safe
Parents with young babies should not feel uncomfortable asking visitors not to kiss or touch their child. If the visitor truly cares about the infant’s health, there is no need to be offended by the request. And parents shouldn’t feel like they’re overreacting.
The kindest thing a visitor can do is not put the baby at risk, but if you have to kiss the baby for good reason, some things This will reduce the risk of infection.
First, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly. Also, avoid kissing infants on the mouth or face. Kiss your partner’s feet or the back of their head. If your baby has any active infection, think about whether you really need to visit your baby, especially if he or she is less than a month old.
Herpes infections are especially serious for young babies, so cover the cold sore with a bandage.
If you feel unwell but cannot avoid visiting your baby, wear a mask and avoid being close to your newborn, especially if you have a respiratory illness.
Always remember that babies are very susceptible to infections. Although kissing is a sign of affection, it can cause serious health problems for your newborn, which can be devastating if this happens.
primrose freestoneSenior Lecturer in Clinical Microbiology; university of leicester
This article is republished from conversation Under Creative Commons License. please read original article.
