While adults come into contact with harmful bacteria and viruses every day, most of the time nothing happens. However, those same germs can be deadly to newborns whose immune systems are still so weak.
First-time parents John and Louise Wills had no idea how dangerous these simple germs could be to their newborn, and those concerns were at the back of their minds since their infant baby Eibhlin was so alert and healthy. “We were finally a family and the excitement and anticipation of this new bundle of joy started to set in as we began what we thought would be a normal journey as parents,” John said.“From the moment she came home she was such a little joy, so placid and relaxed and for the remainder of that week seemed to settle into her own routine quickly.”
Even when a nurse came to check on baby Eibhlin, she seemed perfectly healthy and strong, but two days later she started being a little difficult and wouldn’t eat. “However, with a little cuddling and rocking she did settle and by Monday morning she was back sleeping well,” John said.
“As the day went on it appeared she was a bit congested as if she had caught a cold. She was not distressed in any way but a bit more clingy,” John said. But when baby Eibhlin suddenly went limp and the color in her face went pale, they rushed her to the emergency room. “Within minutes a crash team was called and before we knew what was happening they were ‘working on her.'”
By 1:09 am, Eibhlin was pronounced dead just a week after being taken home, and doctors realized she had contracted the Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1), known as the Cold Sore Virus which can cause organ failure in infants with no symptoms until it’s too late.
90 percent of the time, these infections are passed along by the mother, but Louise does not have the virus, and more tests showed that Eibhlin contracted the virus in the hospital where she was born. “Eibhlin contracted the virus postnatally and, although we may never know from whom or exactly when it happened, we know from tests that the virus was already in her system when she came home from the maternity hospital with us,” said John, who is now sharing his daughter’s story to warn other parents.
“In Eibhlin’s legacy we now want to ensure the general public is aware how lethal a cold sore can be to a newborn baby,” he said.
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[Featured image: Eibhlin’s Little Story]
12-Day-Old Baby Dies From This Common Virus is an article from: LifeDaily