A traumatized mom reveals how a little girl nearly died after a family member kissed her lips

A traumatized mother said that her baby girl nearly died – after falling ill when a family member kissed her lips.

Kaylah Merritt, barely a year old, was hospitalized for four days last month after a parent kissed her on the lips while she had a cold sore.

She quickly developed a "terrible" purple rash all over her body and was left crying in pain.

Her parents Brogan Thomas and Connor Merritt, both 22, took her to the Darlington Memorial Hospital urgently for emergency treatment.

Kaylah, of Staindrop, Durham County, Darlington, was diagnosed with eczema herpeticum, a viral infection caused by the herpes virus, and needed two sets of antibiotics and several creams to calm her his skin.

His parents now urge adults to become aware of the risks involved in kissing a baby on the mouth after the doctors had stated that the experience of the latter could have been fatal.

Brogan, a mother, stayed at home: "Kaylah was crying so hard that I knew it could only mean that she was in pain.

"We were at home and I was about to put her in the bath when I suddenly saw all the marks on her legs.

"It was a terrible nightmare, there were purple eruptions everywhere and Kaylah was sobbing.

"I was terrified, my first thought was that it had something to do with meningitis because she already had it before.

"My fiance was petrified, but he kept me calm and made sure that Kaylah was calm too.

"I immediately knew we had to take her to the hospital.

"The doctors told us that a person with a cold sore had to kiss her on the lips and that the immune system of the babies was not powerful enough, she developed a rash.

"When the doctors told me how dangerous he was, I cried and cried thinking that I could have lost her because of a silly kiss." .

Connor was shocked and could not believe it was a kiss too.

"If we had not gone to the hospital quickly, it could have been very dangerous, we could have lost it.

"I was so relieved when Kaylah was out of danger."

Kaylah had already survived meningitis and needed a lumbar puncture to survive.

This time, the doctors told his parents that eczema herpeticum could have been very dangerous. She was so lucky that she was brought to the hospital.

Kaylah was able to return home after four days in a unit, but her parents said she was still not fully recovered.

Even a month later, she has to take her medication every day until the virus is cleared and has to go to the doctor's appointment once a week.

Brogan said, "I'm in Kaylah's lunar house and I'm enjoying it with its extra toys and cuddles.

"I just want other parents to know that it's not necessary to be physically sick to hurt a baby – you can just carry the virus and continue to have it." affect."