A toddler nearly died after being infected with herpes from a kiss.
Parker, 16 months, contracted the virus back in August from a kiss from someone who had previously had a cold sore.
Despite developing a rash and blisters all over his body, doctors dismissed the toddler’s symptoms three times, however, his mother Maria O’Neill, 22, from Derry, Northern Ireland, instinctively knew something was wrong and rushed him to A&E.
Parker, who was immediately put on a drip and had to stay in hospital for a week, has largely recovered but has since developed eczema and anaemia as a result of the ordeal.
Ms O’Neill said: ‘The doctor told me that it was from the cold sore virus and that he’d got it by the kiss or the touch of someone with the virus.
‘It could have been fatal if we didn’t catch it in time. I’m so aware now about people cuddling him and kissing him.’
Ms O’Neill has decided to speak out to raise awareness of the dangers of herpes infections in the young.
Parker, 16 months, nearly died after contracting a herpes virus from a kiss
Doctors dismissed his rash and blisters three times (pictured with his mother Maria O’Neill, 22)
Despite doctor reassurance, Ms O’Neill knew something was wrong and took him to A&E
‘It’s unbelievable that it was a kiss that could have caused this’
Ms O’Neill said: ‘Three different doctors said there was nothing wrong with my son. It’s unbelievable that it was a kiss that could have caused this.
‘It really was awful and very scary because I’ve read about it before, but I never thought it would happen to us. Luckily, I don’t think Parker really remembers about it.
‘He now suffers from eczema and he has to go to a dermatologist regularly.
‘He’s been such a brave boy throughout the whole experience. He’s recovered mostly now, but he does still have flare ups. I’m so aware now about people cuddling him and kissing him.
She said: ‘He’s only just recovering now, he’s still not back to himself and he also has anaemia, so that was another struggle for him.’
‘I feel lucky that he’s a bit older as I know it can be fatal in young and newborn babies.’
Once in hospital, Parker was put on a drip and stayed there for a week before going home
Although largely recovered, the youngster has since developed anaemia and eczema
Ms O’Neill says the ordeal has made her very conscious of people kissing or touching her son
She is relieved Parker is not a newborn, as herpes infections can be fatal in very young children
Ms O’Neil said the rash looked like sandpaper, making her instinctively know it was serious
‘My mother’s instinct kicked in’
Ms O’Neill said: ‘He had a fever about two weeks leading up to these events, which progressed into a rash. I went to the doctors twice, but they just gave me cream for him.
‘I just felt there was something else behind it; the rash didn’t look normal and he wasn’t going on normal.
‘Every time the doctors turned me away it seems to get a lot worse so my mother’s instinct kicked in and I knew there was something more to it.
‘His rash looked like red blotches and it felt like sandpaper, then he started getting blisters all over his body.
‘When I went to the doctors for a third time they handed me off again, saying there was nothing wrong with him.’
Once in hospital, Parker received antibiotics and antiviral drugs (pictured with Ms O’Neill)
If his infection had not been discovered when it was, his mother thinks Parker would have died
Ms O’Neill (pictured) wishes to raises awareness of the dangers of herpes infections
Ms O’Neill (pictured) has posted pictures online to make other parents aware of the symptoms
‘It could have been fatal if we didn’t catch it in time’
Frustrated, Ms O’Neill rushed Parker to A&E where he was finally diagnosed with a form of herpes.
She said: ‘The doctor told me that it was from the cold sore virus and that he’d got it by the kiss or the touch of someone with the virus.
‘He was immediately put on a drip and he had to stay in hospital for a week; he had three different antibiotics and one antiviral medicine.
‘It could have been fatal if we didn’t catch it in time.
‘I stayed with him in the hospital for a week and I didn’t leave his side.’
Parker has largely recovered from the virus, but now suffers from anaemia and eczema.
Ms O’Neill has shared pictures of Parker while ill online to raise awareness of the condition.
She said: ‘I wasn’t going to put it up on Facebook, but I saw other people who had done it before me and I just thought it’ll be worth it if I can help someone.’