Los Angeles (PRWEB) February 28, 2014
The premier dating, friendship and support website that caters to people who suffer from all forms of sexually transmitted diseases, PositiveSingles, has posed a survey to its members. It asked all members to explain the steps they take to take care of their babies to keep them healthy and avoid contracting the herpes simplex virus. Many members participated and answered the question with helpful advice on keeping babies healthy and disease-free. PositiveSingles experts compiled the results and have released the top five ways to keep babies from contracting herpes from their parents.
One of the ways parents who suffer from herpes can keep their babies healthy is to avoid kissing their newborn babies. This is a very difficult sacrifice for a new parent, but it’s an important one. Kissing comes with a high risk of transmitting HSV1 (oral herpes) to anyone, and newborns are especially at risk. One anonymous member said, “I read in the paper that herpes killed a baby because of the baby’s poor immune system.” Parents should remember that they can cuddle, but not kiss. Plenty of cuddling will bond a parent with her newborn and help prevent the infant from getting oral herpes.
Parents should also remember to avoid sharing food with their children. Saliva contains the HSV, and it will be left on the food when the parents are eating. Parents should also avoid sharing eating utensils, cups and straws. If parents share any of these items, they put their child at a risk of contracting herpes.
Parents should also never bathe with their children, especially when they are experiencing an outbreak. Although the virus should die in the bath water, there is still a possibility the child can contract the herpes virus. There was a case in China where a young girl contracted herpes from swimming in a public swimming pool, which proves that herpes virus can still live in water, even when it’s been chlorinated.
Lastly, parents should never share toothbrushes with their children. The herpes simplex virus that is present in saliva can live for a long time on a toothbrush. Families should never use a plastic or glass drinking cup in the bathroom; they should all use a disposable drinking cup that they throw away after each use.