Baby is gone to fight for life after catching the herpes of a kiss at baptism

A newborn nearly died after contracting herpes at the eye after being kissed during a baptism.

Noah Tindle was only four weeks old when her mother, Ashleigh White, 21, noticed that her son's right eye had swelled, had blisters and was watering.

Ashleigh was devastated when it was announced that his son was likely to contract the disease through an infected adult who kissed him in the face.

Now her mission is to educate and warn people not to kiss newborns, who may die of the disease.

Noah was rushed to hospital and quickly diagnosed with the herpes simplex virus 1 [HSV-1] – known as the kiss of death.

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He almost became blind in one eye and was hospitalized for two and a half months, but is now on the road to recovery.

The telephone sales agent said, "We went to a baptism where friends were hugging and kissing him – maybe it was any of them.

"I just want to make more people aware of the risks and consequences of kissing a baby, especially a newborn with cold sores, because I know how heartbreaking it can be to see your baby so badly.

"Almost nobody had seen Noah's pictures when he contracted the virus before I put them online, but I thought it was important to raise awareness."

Ashleigh, 21, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, told her story on Facebook, which has since become viral.

She says she was initially informed by the medical visitor that Noah's angry eye was due to a blocked lachrymal duct that was clearing normally.

Noah, now nine months old, was not very hot and ate as he should, which calmed Ashleigh's spirit.

But a few days later, she noticed blisters around her eye and read something about a baby wearing the same marks that was catching herpes.

She added, "What I did not know is that even if you do not have an active cold sore, you still carry the virus in your system and in your saliva, which means you can not never pay too much attention.

Noah was taken to the doctor in September and referred to a children's ward for tests, injections and antibiotics.

A few days later, he returned positive to HSV-1, also called the cold sore virus.

Ashleigh said, "We still have a long way to go before we get out of the dark and continue to have routine check-ups with our doctors and ophthalmologists.

"But after our appointment with his doctor yesterday, he is happy that Noah is doing well and is happy, so it is good to know that you are doing something right.

"I was lucky enough to reach him in time and still have my little boy with me today, but some may not have that chance.

"It was exhausting, physically and mentally, to see Noah so badly and would do everything in his power to prevent families from crossing what we went through, so please, please, n do not kiss newborns.

"He's crawling, he's like a baby should be, we spent two and a half months in the hospital because of that, he can now lead a normal life."