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Don’t Kiss My Baby

By Christy Lenahan - Macaroni Kid Content Contributor October 11, 2018

If you’ve been on social media lately, you may have seen the meme “Don’t

Kiss My Baby” popping up on your sites. Babies are cute and loving on them is hard

to resist, but there is good reason for you and others to avoid physical contact with

infants. RSV or respiratory syncytial virus is a common virus that presents as the a

simple cold in most people. However, in children, especially those under 2 years of

age, it can cause severe illness. The CDC reports that 2 out of every 100 children

who are infected with RSV will have to be hospitalized and many will require

temporary help with breathing.



If you are the parent of a young child, early symptoms of RSV include runny

nose – usually with significant amounts of mucous, decreased appetite, and cough

that may be accompanied by wheezing. A few tips for everyone to follow to prevent

the spread of RSV especially in young infants include limiting contact with strangers

during cold and flu season as well as family members who are sick. Always wash

your hands for at least 20 seconds and if water is not available it is okay to use an

alcohol based hand sanitizer. Avoid putting your hands near your face, but do cover

your coughs and sneezes, preferably with a tissue (wash your hands after). Clean

and disinfect high traffic areas on a regular basis. And, finally, if you are sick stay

home and avoid public areas.