'You want to kiss your newborn - I have heartbreaking reason why you never should'
Violet-May Constantinou was diagnosed at just eight days old
Hailey Riches and Dimitri Constantinou with baby daughter Lily
(Image: Hailey Riches/SWNS )
A heartbroken mum is warning people not to kiss newborn babies after losing her daughter to a viral infection. Hailey Riches, 25, knew there was something wrong with Violet-May Constantinou after she refused to feed and had yellow skin.
She was advised to take Violet to hospital as she "started getting worse". At eight days old it was found out from a series of tests that she had contracted neonatal herpes (HSV-1) - a serious infection in newborns caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
Violet was immediately given anti-viral medication, but her condition quickly deteriorated and she began to experience seizures. She was consequently taken to Southampton Hospital, where she was placed in intensive care.
Doctors noticed the newborn was having acute liver failure and, despite being put on the highest priority in the UK for a liver transplant, she tragically died at one month old while still waiting.
They told mum Hailey and dad Dimitri Constantinou, 30, they would never know where the herpes came from. Hailey and her fiancée have vowed to spread awareness for people with cold sores, or those prone to the virus, to keep away from newborn babies.
Hailey said: "I do see it online many times people saying 'but why can't we kiss a baby?' when it is not their baby - it frustrates me because of having gone through this situation.
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"This is why you have to be slightly protective and be aware. If you have got a cold sore don't go near a baby because it is deadly and can kill them.
"This is not to scare new mums or pregnant women. It is to say if you are not feeling right in yourself and if the baby is not feeling right then to be persistent and get it checked."
Violet-May in hospital
(Image: Hailey Riches/SWNS )
Hailey added: "I don't have genital herpes, none of my family or myself had a cold sore outbreak. They said it is most likely from an outsource, but they are not sure who.
"Anyone can spread the virus without even knowing. Even if you have got no symptoms you might still pass it on."
Hailey, who works as a speciality coordinator for the NHS, said she had a "normal" pregnancy and gave birth via an emergency caesarean on March 22, 2023.
Despite the newborn seeming "fine and well" once the family returned home mum Hailey noticed that Violet started to feed less, looking fatigued and had yellow skin. A health visitor advised Hailey to take her to Worthing Hospital - where she was checked with a jaundice machine.
The newborn was sent home, but everything "started to get worse", explained Hailey. At eight days old, Violet was still having troubles feeding, so Hailey took her back into hospital, where a nurse discovered she had a high temperature.
At that point mum Hailey was admitted with sepsis. This led to blood checks and a lumber puncture, which revealed that Violet had neonatal herpes (HSV-1) - a serious infection in newborns caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).
It can be contracted before, during, or after birth. Type 1 (HSV-1) is mostly spread by oral contact through kissing, sharing drinks or utensils, and causes infections in or around the mouth, like cold sores.
Violet was immediately given anti-viral medication, but her condition quickly deteriorated, and she began to experience seizures. On April 1, she was taken to Southampton Hospital where she was placed in intensive care.
Violet-May with yellowing skin in hospital
(Image: Hailey Riches/SWNS )
Hailey, of Billingshurst, Sussex, said: "The doctors said that we will be lucky to see her survive the next 24 to 48 hours. She was deteriorating further and then they decided to flew her by helicopter to King's College Hospital in London because they realised she was having acute liver failure."
Hailey said: "It was absolutely traumatising. The worst time of our family's life - I don't think our family has ever gone through such a traumatic time.
"Every day something was happening and she was deteriorating further - it affected her brain, her lungs, she then had a cardiac arrest at one point where we watched her being resuscitated for nine minutes. It just got worse and worse and it was time to say goodbye at the end."
To their happiness on August 16, 2024, Hayley and her fiancé welcomed daughter Lily into the world. But Hailey explained she was "terrified" during the first months of giving birth following her experience with Violet.
Hailey Riches and Dimitri Constantinou with baby daughter Violet-May in hospital
(Image: Hailey Riches/SWNS )
She said: "I had consultants telling me the first six weeks are crucial to protect her because they have no immune system. I had always said to people no kissing, wash your hands when you come in or if you want to hold her. We were very protective because of the situation we went through.
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Hailey concluded: "Thank you to Southampton General Hospital, the Pediatric Unit and Ronald McDonald charity who accommodated us in Southampton and London during these tragic times."
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