A mother-of-five issued a stark warning urging people not to kiss young children after her six-month-old son was rushed to hospital with potentially life-threatening herpes.
Stephanie Shady, 32, from central Pennsylvania, feared for her baby Lincoln’s life after he fell ill with the herpes simplex virus, which causes painful sores all over his face.
The strain, which can be fatal to babies, was picked up after he was kissed by someone with a coldsore.
The stay-at-home mother and her butcher husband Justin, 36, first noticed blistering on Lincoln’s face on last month but within hours, one side of his face was covered in painful red sores.
Stephanie Shady, 32, from central Pennsylvania, feared for her baby Lincoln’s life after he fell ill with the herpes simplex virus, which causes painful sores all over his face. She is pictured with her husband Justin, and five children. Lincoln and Lyric (baby twins), John and Carter, five-year-old twins, and Thomas, six
Lincoln, who already suffers with skin condition dermatitis, was crying in pain, so the couple took him to the hospital where doctors diagnosed him with the herpes simplex virus (HSV1).
Stephanie said: ‘We don’t know who, but someone kissed Lincoln and he got the herpes virus.
‘He had dermatitis too, but I started to notice it spreading and I could tell he was in a lot of pain so I took him to the ER.
‘It looked like an infection but all the blisters were popping and there was pus.
‘It just looked so bad and we had no idea what it was. It took over half of his face.
‘I thought it was just a regular infection at first, but when I found out he’d tested positive for herpes, I couldn’t believe it had started from a kiss.
Lincoln, who already suffers with skin condition dermatitis, was crying in pain, so the couple took him to a hospital where doctors diagnosed him with Herpes. His facial sores are pictured
Stephanie with her twin sons Lincoln and Lyric. The stay-at-home mother and her butcher husband Justin, 36, first noticed blistering on Lincoln’s face on last month but within hours, one side of his face was covered in painful red sores
‘I was very shocked when doctors told me it could have been fatal.
‘I just couldn’t figure out who had kissed him and when.
‘No one can believe that this can happen just from a kiss, but it did.’
When he arrived at the hospital, Lincoln was rushed to the emergency department, given antibacterial cream and discharged the same day.
He spent the next seven days at home and after visiting his local doctor every two days, he was eventually diagnosed with the herpes simplex virus by a dermatologist.
After the diagnosis, the youngster was pumped with antiviral medication for 10 days and antibiotics, and the sores have just started to heal one month later.
The herpes virus is especially dangerous for babies under six months old because their immune systems are still developing, and one third of babies who develop the virus don’t survive.
Lincoln is now being treated by an ear nose and throat specialist to make sure his hearing hasn’t been damaged permanently by the virus.
Lincoln is now being treated by an ear nose and throat specialist to make sure his hearing hasn’t been damaged permanently by the virus. He spent the next seven days at home and after visiting his local doctor every two days, he was eventually diagnosed with the Herpes Simplex Virus by a dermatologist.
Pictured: Stephanie and Justin’s sons, from left, Thomas, six, Lincoln, six months, Lyric, six months, John, five and Carter, five
Stephanie, also mother to Lincoln’s twin, Lyric, five-year-old twins, John and Carter and Thomas, six, still does not know who passed on the virus to her son.
She added: ‘Be very careful who kisses your children. Try to avoid letting people touch or kiss them.
‘People should ask if they can touch your child and respect the parent’s decision.
After the diagnosis, the youngster was pumped with antiviral medication for 10 days and antibiotics and the sores have just started to heal one month later. The herpes virus is especially dangerous for babies under six months old because their immune systems are still developing and one third of babies who develop the virus don’t survive.
‘I was always that person who said it wouldn’t happen, but it ended up happening and Lincoln ended up in pain.
‘Doctor didn’t think it was any of us in the house because we don’t have active coldsores, but we could have given it to him without knowing.
‘Most people respect when we ask them not to touch our children but sometimes, we have to be mean about it.’
Stephanie, also mother to Lincoln’s twin, Lyric, five-year-old twins, John and Carter and Thomas, six, still does not know who passed on the virus to her son. Pictured: Lincoln
Stephanie said: ‘I thought it was just a regular infection at first but when I found out he’d tested positive for herpes, I couldn’t believe it had started from a kiss’. Pictured is Lincoln’s face recovering from the virus