Warning from Portsmouth mum as baby ends up in hospital with type 1 herpes virus

Amy Stinton had to rush her 14-month-old son Oliver to the hospital after he came out in a blisters.

After a blood test, the doctors said he had been infected with the herpes type 1 virus which can cause mouth sores, rashes and fever.

Luckily, Oliver received immediate treatment and is now recovering although he will have the virus for life.

Amy, from North End, said: ‘If Ollie had been younger or we had taken him to the hospital a day later, he could have died. That’s how serious the herpes simplex virus can be for babies. If they aren’t treated, it can attack their organs and they can suffer from sepsis.

‘Everyone I have spoken to says how shocked they are that it can be so dangerous.

‘Something as innocent as kissing a baby if you carry the herpes type 1 virus can have serious consequences.’

She added: ‘Ollie has had eczema all his life which goes along with a milk allergy he has.

‘A couple of weeks ago he had really bad eczema on his arms, legs and feet and I thought it was some sort of infection. But the next day, they had turned into blisters.

‘I took him to the GP who said we should get to hospital.’

After confirming Oliver had the herpes type 1 virus by doctors at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham, he was put on an IV drip and given anti-viral and antibiotic drugs.

Amy said this infection will be the worst he suffers and in future, any breakout should be simply treated with creams and antibiotics.

But she wants to warn other parents about the seriousness of the virus and what it actually is.

She said: ‘Most people hear herpes and assume it is the sexually transmitted infection.

‘But type 1 is cold sores and rashes and around 60 per cent of people carry the virus, most of who don’t even know.

‘You just have to be really careful especially around babies.

‘I am really thankful to our GP at Kirkland Surgery because if they hadn’t said, I probably wouldn’t have taken Ollie to hospital.’

Amy posted pictures of Oliver’s rash on Facebook and it has been shared across the country. She has given interviews to people in Australia, America, New Zealand and Brazil.

‘I just want the message to get out there,’ Amy said.