After welcoming their baby into the world, a newborn’s parents were beyond ecstatic. Unfortunately, that feeling would tragically be short lived as the infant passed away just 12 days later, and that’s when the couple learned what one of the nurses had done, leading to the loss of their child.
Although she was 9 days past her due date, Eibhlín Gráinne Wills was born healthy on November 19, 2015, after coming into the world via c-section. Parents Kenny and Louise were delighted with their new bundle of joy, who weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces.
Within just five short days, the new family had begun to settle into their new lives as little Eibhlín was already starting to operate on a schedule. With the infant eating and sleeping at steady intervals, all was reported well – until just a few days later.
The new parents took their baby to the doctors for a routine checkup when she was 8-days-old. Delighted with how little Eibhlín was coming along, there were no doubts that this was a very healthy child and that her parents were doing very well with her.
However, it wasn’t until Eibhlín took her first trip to her grandparents’ house that people began to notice that something was off. Saying that the infant was acting “out of sorts” with symptoms that included congestion – as if she was getting a cold, exhaustion, and unusual fussiness.
Although they didn’t think too much of it at the time, Kenny and Louise decided to take Eibhlín to the doctor in the morning just to make sure. Unfortunately, her health rapidly deteriorated, prompting doctors to admit her to the emergency room.
There, her parents watched as the girl’s color began to change rapidly and Eibhlín became lethargic. Sadly, she was diagnosed with “Disseminated Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus 1” and died at 12 days old, just one week after being brought home from the hospital.
In a similar case, where an infant passed away after the virus was passed from a carrier via a simple kiss. Although this is usually how it is transferred, Eibhlín’s case was a bit different.
According to the family, just after the girl’s birth, she had become a bit distressed, prompting doctors to send Eibhlín to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) as a precautionary measure. It is believed that the infant contracted the virus during her 4 days there since her mother isn’t a carrier.
As the family explains:
“We have been reassured that staff don’t ‘kiss’ babies. So in this case, it was not a kiss, but an accidental slip in hygiene during the care of Eibhlín. Eibhlín was in NICU from the Thursday until Sunday afternoon. She had no visitors until she was out of NICU and on my ward.”
It is believed that the newborn contracted the virus via an open source, such as a drip or a feeding tube, but they aren’t exactly sure. Unfortunately, Eibhlín showed no signs externally, such as cold sores, that would hint to what she was suffering from until it was too late.
Although cases of Neonatal Herpes Simplex Virus only happen about 33 times per 100,000 births, and deaths are even rarer, there are a few things to protect your child if you fear he/she is at risk:
If you or another visitor has an active cold sore DO NOT kiss the baby until the outbreak is healed. If you feel the tingle/other sensation of one coming on take this precaution also. Use a physical barrier (e.g. topical cream/plaster) while the cold sore is active as a way to reduce the risk of transmission. Ask visitors coming to see your baby if they have (or recently) had a cold sore. Ask visitors and hospital staff if they have washed their hands prior to touching your baby. Tell medical staff if you have a history of genital herpes so extra precautions can be taken towards the end of pregnancy/during birth. When breastfeeding, if there are herpes lesions on the breast (which can occur after touching a cold sore and then the breast), express and discard the milk. Use formula until the lesions on the breast have healed.
There’s no such thing as being “too safe” when it comes to the lives of your children. Although parents can seem overbearing at times, no one ever wants to experience what Kenny and Louise went through. The best thing you can do is educate yourself and help spread the word so that other parents know as well. The last thing anyone would want to happen is for an innocent baby to come into this world only to die because someone didn’t know any better.
