Hollie Cruickshanks was so afraid that her daughter would contract herpes that, from the moment she was born, she banned family and friends from kissing her. During her pregnancy, she had seen the case of another baby who had been infected and feared the consequences. But when Oarlah was six months old, red and white spots appeared on her body and quickly spread across her face and head.
At first, Hollie thought it might be chickenpox. However, the doctor confirmed that it was a herpes infection, and the baby was taken to the hospital. The lesions even reached her left eye, raising fears that she might lose her sight.
“When I saw that, I was horrified. I knew she could go blind“, Hollie recalled. The doctors administered antiviral medication intravenously and, fortunately, the swelling began to go down after 24 hours. Tests confirmed that her vision had not been affected.
The most puzzling thing was that the family couldn’t determine how the infection happened. “The doctors told us it could also be transmitted through the hands“, the mother explained.
The lesions disappeared after about four weeks, and Oarlah made a full recovery. “I tried to protect her, and she still caught this horrible virus“, Hollie said, adding that she still makes sure other people don’t kiss her daughter.