Breelynn was born healthy, happy, and full of promise. But just two days after she entered the world, an innocent kiss from a well-meaning visitor changed the course of her life forever.

The person who kissed her on the mouth had an active cold sore, unknowingly pᴀssing the herpes simplex virus (HSV) to the newborn. With her immune system still too immature to fight the infection, the virus spread to her brain, causing a rare and life-threatening condition known as herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE).

Just two weeks later, Breelynn began suffering from seizures, leaving her family terrified and searching for answers.

Her mother later shared their story in an interview with Special Books by Special Kids, hoping to raise awareness about the hidden dangers of kissing newborn babies.

“When parents ask people not to kiss their baby, this is one of the reasons why,” she explained. “Breelynn was born perfectly healthy. At just two days old, someone was so excited to meet her that they kissed her on the mouth. Two weeks later, she started having seizures.”
Doctors discovered that the infection had reached Breelynn’s brain, causing severe inflammation. Nearly 60% of the left side of her brain and around 10% of the right side were permanently damaged before the virus was finally stopped.

Although HSE is extremely rare, the damage it can cause is devastating. Breelynn was left with permanent brain injuries and now faces lifelong medical challenges. Yet despite everything she has endured, she has exceeded many of her doctors’ expectations with her strength and determination.

Remarkably, her mother says she has forgiven the person responsible.

“It was an accident,” she said. “They never intended for this to happen.”

Since their story was shared, many parents have admitted they had no idea that a simple kiss could expose a newborn to such a dangerous infection. Breelynn’s journey has become a powerful reminder that even small acts of affection can carry serious risks for babies whose immune systems are still developing.

Today, her family continues to encourage parents, relatives, and visitors to avoid kissing newborns—especially on the face or mouth—and to help spread awareness that could protect other babies from experiencing the same heartbreaking outcome.

Source: Tyla