There is a cognitive bias called “the curse of knowledge” (sometimes also “the curse of experience”). It occurs when we incorrectly assume that everyone knows as much as we do about a given topic. For example, as a clinical microbiologist, I assumed that everyone knew that andIt’s a terrible idea to kiss someone newborn anywhere on the head.
Dr. Karan Raj, a surgeon with the United Kingdom’s National Health Service, recently made a video of TikTok warning people of dangers of kissing a baby and, judging by the thousands of comments, this was new to many on the social network.
Late last year, a British charity called The Lullaby Trust published the results of a survey revealing that 54% of new parents and expectant parents “would let friends and family kiss their newborn, without being aware of the risk.” of serious infection.”
But why is it so dangerous?
A baby’s immune system is not fully developed when he or she is born, so his or her risk of contracting a serious infection is much higher.
During the first three months or so of life, the human immune system has fewer infection-fighting innate immune cells, such as neutrophils and monocytes, compared to adults. This means that infections that cause mild symptoms in adults or older children can be life-threatening for babies.
The infection by herpes virus is an example of this. In adults, herpes causes cold sores, but newborns can become seriously ill quickly after contracting the virus. If herpes only affects the eyes, mouth or skin, most recover after antiviral treatment. But if the virus becomes systemic and affects the organs, the infection is much more serious and can even be fatal. The smaller the baby, the more vulnerable he or she is to herpes infection, especially in the first four weeks after birth.
Newborns too are more vulnerable to infectious bacteria than older children and adults. Above all, infections by intracellular pathogens (bacteria that can enter and survive inside the cells of the host organism), such as group B streptococci (GBS). These bacteria usually live in the gastrointestinal and genital tracts of their hosts without causing disease. GBS infections in babies cause sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis and blood infections.
Babies are also susceptible to infections from strains of E. coli that are not harmful to adults, causing pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis, all of which can have serious consequences.
Show affection safely
Parents of very young children should not feel uncomfortable asking visitors to avoid kissing or touching their child. If the visitor truly cares about the baby’s well-being, he or she should not be offended by the request. And parents should not feel that they are overreacting.
The kindest action of any visitor is do not put the baby in dangerbut if you must kiss him for good reasons, there are some things that can reduce the danger of infection posed.
First, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly. And avoid giving him a kiss on the mouth or face; do it on the foot or the back of the neck. If you have an active infection of any kind, think about whether you really need to visit your newborn, especially if he or she is less than a month old.
Herpes infections are especially serious for very young babies, so cover any cold sores with a dressing.
If you are not feeling well but feel you cannot miss the visit, wear a mask and avoid getting close to the childespecially if you have a respiratory illness.
Always keep in mind that babies are very vulnerable to infections. Although kissing is a sign of affection, it can make a newborn seriously ill, and you would feel terrible if that happened.
This article was originally published in The Conversation.
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