It just seems natural to want to cuddle and kiss an adorable baby. Most of us have certain standards that we adhere to, and we may insist that people wash their hands before they hold the little one. We may even have a no kissing policy when the child is very young, much to the disappointment of family and friends.

It isn’t that we want to limit people because we don’t want them to show affection to the baby, it’s just that we realize there are certain dangers associated with a kiss. It could unintentionally expose the young one to bacteria or a virus and since children are still developing their immune systems, they are more likely to get sick.

One mother learned this the hard way after a kiss left her son with unusual bumps on his head.

Rhian Brace from England said that she was excited to welcome her first child to the family. She had suffered from endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome which left her doubting that she would have her be able to conceive a child naturally.

Against all of the odds, a baby boy was conceived and Ernie became a part of the family. Two weeks after the miracle birth took place, the mother began to notice a red bump on the newborn’s head.

“Ernie didn’t have a temperature, his nappies hadn’t changed, he was feeding as he had been for the two weeks he had been at home. The only indication I had that he wasn’t well was one tiny blister like spot on the back of head,” she explained in a viral Facebook post.

After bathing Ernie she noticed that the blister had opened and there was pus coming out.

“I cleaned the area and re-washed his head/hair just in case it was infectious.”

She went to the doctor and was told that Ernie had developed a case of eczema and that she shouldn’t be overly concerned.

“Three days later another four [blisters] had appeared and then over night another six had made an appearance, all looking like infected blisters.”

She knew that there was something more serious going on than eczema and Ernie was rushed to the hospital before things got worse.

“Three days into our stay we finally had a diagnosis – Herpes simplex virus, sometimes known as a common cold sore.”

The herpes simplex virus is readily treatable in adults and children but if babies are not treated properly, it could be deadly.

“It is just as deadly as meningitis in babies … because it starts to attack their brain, lungs and other vital organs,” the mother explained.

Brace decided she would share the story on Facebook to warn others of the dangers of an ‘innocent’ kiss.

“Just remember that when being around a newborn, personal hygiene is everything, remember to keep your hands clean, don’t kiss and respect the wishes of parents.”

Ernie is well on the way to recovery.

“He] has almost finished the course of IV anti viral medicine, but he isn’t out of the woods yet, we still have to continue a six month course of oral medicine at home to make sure the virus has been completed killed and numerous follow up appointments,” Brace reported.

“We have been told that if Ernie gets to his 1st birthday and the virus has not come back or showed anymore signs then the virus that has hospitalized him for the first weeks of his life has been completely killed.”