Duration and prognosis
The duration of herpes symptoms depends on age and whether the virus is newly infected or reactivated. An initial infection accompanied by mild fever and fatigue usually subsides within two weeks. In severe forms or complications such as herpes encephalitis, the duration can vary greatly.
Later on, the herpes usually only reactivates, accompanied by blistering. These heal on their own after about one week and leave no scars. If the baby’s existing herpes infection is only a local inflammation, i.e. limited to a certain area of the skin or mucous membrane, the prognosis is considered good.Whereby one must always take care, especially with small babies, that the infection does not spread further because the defense system is not yet fully developed.
If the brain or other organs are affected by a herpes infection, the mortality rate for babies is about 50-80% despite adequate therapy. If the affected child survives the severe infection, there is still a high risk of permanent damage. These include, for example, a reduction in intelligence, mental retardation, a spasm or damage to the eyes.
Herpes is dangerous for children as long as their immune system is not yet fully able to fight the virus effectively and contain the infection. According to publications of the German Green Cross, herpes is dangerous for the baby especially in the first six weeks and can lead to severe symptoms. After that the risk decreases more and more as the immune system becomes stronger. At around one and a half years of age, herpes no longer poses a major risk to children with an intact immune system.
Prophylaxis
Prophylactically, the risk of herpes infection in children can be minimized by following some important instructions. If a baby is about to be born and the mother has genital herpes, the doctor should perform a caesarean section to protect the baby from infection. If there is an acute herpes infection, one should generally avoid visiting a baby until the acute phase has subsided, the blisters have dried up and the crusts have come off.
If parents or people who are in close contact with the baby suffer from lip herpes, care should be taken to wear a mouth guard. Affected parents can treat the cold sore with acyclovir cream and cover it with a plaster. It is also important to follow strict hygiene measures, such as regular washing and disinfecting of the hands.
In addition, kissing and cuddling with the baby should be avoided. Everything that can come into contact with the infectious blisters, such as dishes, glasses or even towels, should not be shared with others. A mouth guard should also be worn when breastfeeding. If the mother’s nipples are infected with herpes blisters, the baby should not be breastfed any further for the time being.
