Tips for Parents About Herpes Infection in Childhood
An estimated 20-33% of children are infected with oral herpes by age five, and most of these infections could have been prevented. Currently, there is no vaccine for HSV-1. (Chayavichitsilp, 2009)
HSV-1 is easily spread through contact with saliva, cold sores, and wet, mucosal skin surfaces. Sharing knives, forks, spoons, cups, straws, kissing, or possibly contact with objects such as toys wet with saliva can also lead to infection.
Parents, grandparents, and brothers and sisters are most often how many children get infected. Loved ones may not realize they have herpes, can spread it and most often do not know they can spread the infection to a baby or young child.
Children may accidently spread infection to a brother or sister through sharing things or from touching. t. Furthermore, HSV-1 infections are most easily spread when a person has sores but can still be spread without sores.
Newborns and infants who get infected during birth are at high risk of serious disease, including death.
How to keep you and your loved ones safe
- Avoid direct touching sores or saliva.
- Avoid kissing newborns and children on or near the mouth, nose, eyes, or other wet skin.
- People with a cold sore should not kiss an a baby
- Do not share things that might have saliva such as knives, forks, spoons, cups or toys.
- If someone in the house has a cold sore, they should avoid touching the sore
- Clean objects such as toys that might be shared and put into the mouth by another child.
- Wash hands frequently.
- If your children does sports involving skin-skin contact (like martial arts or wrestling), be sure the mats are cleaned. Children should not do contact sports with someone with a sore.
What happens from herpes:
- Oral sores with blisters
- Sores on other body parts like the face, cheeks, butt, etc.
- Brain or spinal cord infection
Other serious (rare) outcomes may be:
- Inflammation of the brain (HSV Encephalitis) or spinal cord (Viral Meningitis)
- Newborn herpes after delivery
- Herpes sores of the hands or face
- Herpes of the eye (Herpes Keratitis)
Clinical symptoms of a herpes for children can include the following:
- Fever
- Being tired or cranky
- Not able to eat or drink
- Swollen and painful gums
- Increased drooling in babies
- Sores on the tongue, inside of the mouth, upper part of the mouth and lips or face
- Painful glands under the chin or neck
- Pain, burning or itchy skin
Sources:
https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/what-to-know-about-cold-sores-on-infants-and-young-children
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/964866-overview
Chayavichitsilp, 2009
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