Posted on 02/27/2009 12:27:02 PM PST by MyTwoCopperCoins
LONDON: An 11-day-old baby girl died after her mother unwittingly infected her with the virus which causes cold sores, probably through a kiss or breastfeeding, a coroner ruled.
An inquest on Thursday found newborn Jennifer Schofield died from Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). Her mother Ruth, 35, probably caught it late into her pregnancy, the coroner said, most likely for the first time in her life, meaning she had not developed immunity and nor had her child.
The virus attacked the baby’s major organs and she died within days.
Schofield fell ill with flu-like symptoms a few days before giving birth, and was treated for several mouth ulcers. Her daughter subsequently became unwell and was admitted to hospital because she was sleepy and not feeding.
Coroner James Adeley said no one could be blamed for failing to identify the virus.
Schofield is now campaigning to raise awareness of the condition which she said kills six babies a year in Britain. “I have been left totally devastated and heartbroken by the death of Jennifer. It’s more than a year since she died but the pain has not lessened,” she said.
Heartbreaking...
A virus killed the baby.
How sad. Prayers for the mom.
I wish I had not read that story. That’s absolutely horrific. I pray the mother finds peace and comfort in our Lord’s Grace and mercy. I also pray for her little angel in Heaven that she will know someday.
I know Agence France-Presse’s headline sounds offensive, but the person in the article wants to get the word out that even a kiss can be fatal: emphasis on the mode of transmission, as opposed to the virus itself.
That is a very cruel headline. I hope that mom doesn’t see it.
My son had this (or similar) when he was about 18 months. It started in his mouth, and his gums were so swollen that you could hardly see his teeth. Fever and listless for a week. Diagnosed at the ER, stupid pediatrician said it was just a cold.
I don't think the headline is some wise call for mothers to stop being affectionate to their newborns, it's just typical media sensationalism.
Very tragic.
Add another reason to keep yourself clean and keep people the hell away from your newborn. I cringe when I see people out with babies less than a month old.
What an awful headline to use! Poor mom. :(
Dreadful. RIP.
I hate viri.
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