The mother of a young boy has warned other parents about the need to protect their children’s health when her son caught herpes which is believed to have come from a single kiss from a relative.
According to the Daily Mail, Hayley Etheridge’s son Bailey-Grey fell ill and developed a rash across his face after catching the disease. She was told that he could even go blind if the disease reached his eyes. He was also very lethargic.
Hayley was even more worried when she realised that the disease can also affect unborn children and at the time she was expecting a new baby, her son Vito. She was constantly monitored during her pregnancy to ensure that she would receive the proper treatment if she had caught the disease from her son so that her unborn baby would not be harmed. Herpes is a very serious illness for young children as their immune system has not fully developed and so they are unable to fight off the disease.
Since her son became ill with herpes, Hayley has begun working to help other parents to become more aware of the dangers of the disease. Many people are not aware that the disease, which is also known as HSV-1, can be caught from saliva and skin to skin contact. This makes it very easy for a young child to catch it from a relative who does not realise that he or she is putting the child at risk.
The experience was horrific for Hayley who told the Daily Mail that she had no idea that a simple cold sore virus could be so dangerous to a child.
She said: “I remember sitting and crying talking to the doctors, asking them my questions and getting answers no mother wants to hear.”
Happily, Hayley’s story had a happy ending as Bailey-Grey recovered and little Vito was not affected. But while she was very relieved that her son recovered, Hayley is continuing to spread awareness of the dangers of the virus.
Tell us your thoughts on the Facebook post and share this with your friends.
