When you meet your friend's newborn baby for the first time, and he/she is staring at you with an angelic smile and big, innocent eyes, doesn't it feel like your whole heart is going to be adorable? At this moment, you can't help but want to go up to him/her and plant a kiss on his/her soft face? Doctors have issued an urgent warning: kisses, especially from non-immediate family members, can be a fatal “sweet trap” for newborns.
Our faces, and even our mouths, harbor millions of bacteria and viruses that act as lurking spies, ready to find new “colonies”. For adults and older children, these bacteria and viruses are just a small part of daily life, and the immune system has already been trained to be “invulnerable”, causing a small cold at most. But for newborns, especially babies under three months of age, these microorganisms can be a real “big enemy”.
An infant's immune system, like a new recruit, is still undergoing rigorous “training” to learn how to recognize and fight these foreign invaders. Although they are already “immune” to certain bacteria and viruses on their parents' faces, as if they have met some old friends, they are still “immune” to new “strangers” - such as relatives or friends visiting from afar. But for the new “strangers” - the bacteria and viruses that come from relatives or friends who visit from afar - they are powerless. Worse yet, if these foreign bacteria and viruses succeed in invading, they may act like wild horses, rampaging through the baby's body and even breaking through the crucial “blood-brain barrier. This barrier is like the “guardian angel” of the brain, protecting it from outside aggression. But once it is broken, the consequences are unimaginable and can lead to a series of life-threatening complications that can cast a shadow over a childhood that should be full of laughter and hope.
A newborn's immune system is like a new computer that has just been shipped, and the “software” inside is still in the process of being updated for the first time. The immune system of a newborn is still very immature, like a bird that has just learned to fly, and is always vulnerable to the elements. It's like a computer that encounters a virus invasion in the process of updating, which, if not dealt with in time, may cause the entire system to crash. So, dear friends and family, when you are excited to visit your newborn baby, press the “pause button” and wait patiently for two to three months. This period is like a “buffer period” for the newborn's immune system, allowing them enough time to complete the crucial “software update”. When their “firewall” is stronger and able to withstand all kinds of “virus attacks” from the outside world, it is not too late to arrange for a visit.
When adults have a mild runny nose and cough, our immune system is like a valiant warrior, keeping these “uninvited guests” at bay. But for newborns, these viruses are like formidable foes, and their immune systems are still in “infancy,” so they are often overwhelmed by these attacks. Take herpes labialis, a little guy caused by the herpes simplex virus. In adults, it's like a “naughty boy” that occasionally makes a mess, but quickly “goes away” without the need for over-the-counter antiviral creams. However, the herpes simplex virus is not so friendly among newborns, a “vulnerable group”.
So, dear parents, when you want to kiss your baby's cute little face, you may want to think first: Is my kiss really safe for your baby? Remember, love, sometimes needs a little distance and caution. Next time when you see those cute little angels, remember to express your love with a look and a smile.
