'Don't kiss my baby,' says mum after son's illness

A mum has encouraged parents to not let other people kiss their babies after her son was left seriously unwell when he contracted a virus.

Four-month-old Jonah was admitted to hospital after he developed respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) a few weeks ago.

His mother Megan Meiring, 22, from Beccles, Suffolk, said while she was aware of the virus she had not thought about how it could affect her baby.

She encouraged others to not put pressure on parents when asking for hugs with their babies.

Ms Meiring noticed Jonah had a cold and after taking him to the doctor it was determined he was OK and it would clear soon.

However the next day his condition worsened.

"I was with my two sons and he started coughing," she explained.

"Because he was trying to bring up phlegm he went blue and he was struggling.

"I rang 999 and spoke to them... by the time [I'd] answered all the questions 999 are trying to ask, he'd then calmed down and was back to his normal self.

"He brought up quite a lot of phlegm, which was what I could hear with all the congestion."

The 999 operator told the mother to bring Jonah into the James Paget Hospital in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, so he could be checked over.

Ms Meiring said the A&E department was "so busy" with about 100 people waiting to be seen.

Jonah was immediately seen and tests were done and the family were told he had RSV as well as bronchiolitis.

"So then we spent four days and three nights in hospital, he had to have oxygen support," Ms Meiring added.

Jonah is still recovering but is getting better and is due to receive his final vaccinations soon.

Ms Meiring ensures her other son Hunter, four, does not get too close to Jonah.

While it was not clear who the baby caught RSV from, his mother wants others to be aware of the virus.

"You don't actually think about it," she continued.

"I also think that as grandparents as well, they want to cuddle the baby, it's exciting and they want to kiss him.

"Us as parents as well, he's our baby we want to kiss him as well.

"Prior to this incident I had never really thought about it.

"I'd heard of it... I always had in the back of my head, 'oh it won't happen to my baby'.

"It's not until it does happen that it really scares you."

She said she wanted family members to put less pressure on parents when asking for hugs with babies.

"When you're a first time mum, or if you've had five babies, I think asking family members, 'Can you not kiss my baby?', it's awkward.

"There shouldn't be that pressure," she added.

"People when they see babies [should] try not to kiss or cuddle them loads."

Dr Mark Hainsworth, a GP at Bildeston Health Centre in Ipswich, recommended pregnant mothers received the RSV vaccine.

"RSV is a respiratory virus which, in some babies, can cause serious wheezing type illnesses which can lead to hospitalisation," he explained.

"There is a vaccine for it which I recommend to pregnant mums - we don't give it to babies - it's given to the mums during pregnancy from 28 weeks.

"RSV causes bronchiolitis, not to be confused with bronchitis. There is some link between this illness and asthma... but it is not entirely known how that link works," he added.

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