# 12 month old with a cold sore on lip....please advise....please



## Parker'smommy (Sep 12, 2002)

omg.....my worst fears have happened. I ALWAYS get cold sores on my lips, and I have ALWAYS been diligent about not kissing my kids, to not spread them to them. But it looks like that 12 month old dd has the beginnings of one on her bottom lip!!! What do I do now???? I have of course, nursed her. Will she infect my breasts? Will we just end up passing it back and forth to each other???? She is TOO YOUNG to be weaned and won't take anything else as far as milk goes!!!

I am in a panic mommas........please help me if you can...advise, links, anything!

Thank you!


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## Parker'smommy (Sep 12, 2002)

I have been on the internet and I can find nothing conclusive to help me.......I Think I;m going to throw up............


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

My understanding is that it takes an opening in the skin to pass, so as long as your boobs are wound free you should be okay on that front.










-Angela


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## kalisis (Jan 10, 2005)

It takes an open wound on your breast for you to get a sore there.

This is the only link I found:

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...v39/ai_7621905

For me personally, I dose up on Vitamin C when I feel one coming on. I even dissolve tablets and give them to DS as a precaution.

I also use the following remedies:

Apis Mellifica
Mezereum
Rhus Toxicodendron

Good luck mama.







s


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## JillyD (Mar 2, 2005)

I get coldsores too and have gotten them since I was about 2 years old. They are a virus...it's a form of the chickenpock virus. I think some are just more prone than others. I have no experience breastfeeding and coldsores but since you both already have them, it is probably fine (although, i am no doc obviously). I have no idea if you can get them on your breast.

I dose up on lysine and have found that "miracle cure" for those things is this stuff called licrogel (its a mix of peppermint and licorice made into this pinkish gel). Seriously, when I feel one coming, i put it on right away and sometimes the sores are so small they never even really emerge.

hope you are feeling better about it...


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## Parker'smommy (Sep 12, 2002)

Thanks everyone!!! It's just my worst nightmare right now. It helps to have people here helping me and in my corner!!!

I finally was able to speak to my LLL leader and she said that she would have to get back to me on this as in her 21 years of leading, this has NEVER come up! But, she felt that since I had already exposed my breasts to the virus, that what was done, was done, and that maybe it wouldn't occur. She also felt like some of you ladies that it would take an open sore on my breast to spread. I don't have any open sores right now, so that's a good thing. I am fighting a clogged duct......but that's another problem!







:

We discussed me maybe obtaining a nipple shield if I do get lesions on my breast, but who knows what dd would do with that. She can be quite stubborn.

The article linked was a good one, except that the author attributed the low incidents to this problem to not many children nursing past one year. The mother in this article did end up not nursing for a week because it was just too painful but was able to resume. Her ds was 15 months. Hopefully it won't get to that point.

So far, the bump on her bottom lip is small, not red yet, and doesn't seem to bother her. Also....she gets a pretty good latch and gets most of the arreola in her mouth so maybe it won't get that much contact with my nipple and areola as her bottom lips rolls out, covering the bump when nursing.

Thank you everyone for responding so quickly this Friday evening....I am forever indebted!!!!!!!


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## twins10705 (Feb 10, 2006)

I don't have direct experience with your situation, but I do know a little bit about how cold sores are spread -- and you would not need an open wound on your breast to spread the virus there. Since your nipple area is a mucous membrane I would think it would be prime ground to be infected, then again since you have had cold sores you could have some kind of an immunity. I had a friend who's finger became infected with herpes from touching a coldsore on her lip -- it went under the nail bed and she needed injections and a minor surgery because of it(warped the nail).
I would try a few home remedies on her lip because until it blisters up and breaks I don't think your risk of contraction is high. Putting a cold pack on the spot might help -- I have also heard cutting a raisin and holding the cut half to the area can help since grapes have some natural sterilizing/anti-inflammatory properties. Little things like that could possibly prevent the blister from surfacing...though from how you describe it, it doesn't sound like herpes to me. Usually, the first outbreak one has is pretty bad since your body hasn't built up immunities, and it doesn't sound like the case with your little girl. Do you think it could be a pimple maybe?
I hope it turns out to be nothing -- I can only imagine how awful even the prospect has made you feel. (((hugs)))

--Amanda


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## Parker'smommy (Sep 12, 2002)

It's definitely a cold sore...herpes simplex virus 1. This morning she woke with it having a little pimple like head to it. I only wish it was just a pimple. There has only been one documented case of a child transmitting a cold sore to mom's breast, so that's very comforting. But I am still nervous and frankly I feel terrible that I have passed on this terrible and disgusting thing to our dd. Now she will suffer like I have my entire life with these terrible things. We keep telling ds to stay away from her mouth. But she puts EVERYTHING in her mouth that I wonder if its just a matter of time that he gets it too. He is not nursing though. Thanks again everyone.....I've been tossing and turning all night worrying about this and I imagine I won't stop until she heals. If I do contract the virus on my breasts, we will deal with it then I guess. I just can't imagine weaning her on a what if, and frankly I don't think she would stand for it. It's not life threatening to either of us either.

Thank you so much!


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## Tofu the Geek (Dec 2, 2003)

Just so you know, cold sores are not always HSV I. Type II can also be had orally, although rare. If you have type I and spread it to your daughter, she will also have type I. You already have type I, so the chance of you getting elsewhere on your body are rare (assuming you have a good immune system). Your body already had antibodies to the virus so the chances of getting it elsewhere on your body are greatly reduced. If you did not already have HSV I, then I would be worried.

There is a Yahoo group called Picking Up the Pieces with LOTS of excellent and accurate information on HSV. If you head on over there and join the group you'll find lots of helpful people and will get your questions answered.

As for your son also getting the virus, yes it's possible. But realize that the stat of people that have HSV I is over 80% of the population. Not all people have outbreaks. Also, having HSV I orally, can help to protect you from getting it genitally (yes it is VERY easy to spread HSV I to the genitals during oral sex).

The virus goes though a cycle where it sheds on the skin. Anytime during the shedding period it can be spread. It is impossible for a person with HSV to always know when the virus is shedding, how do you think so many people have HSV I? It's mostly passed from people WITHOUT an active cold sore, since how many people do you know would want to kiss something with an active coldsore? Children are often exposed to it from relatives who just love to kiss the little ones.


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## Parker'smommy (Sep 12, 2002)

Thank you Technogranola.....lots of good info and it does make me feel a lot better. I just got a big talk from my mom and she reminded me that I didn't do this on purpose to our dd, and that the damage has been done and now its just really, a waiting game. She also suggested I wash my breasts after nursing, as a precautionary, but I think I've been properly exposed already. I'm just really relieved that not one person, including my mom and dh, have told me to wean my dd. The thought is just mindblowing to say the least....she's just a baby!!!

I really don't know what I would do if I didn't have such informative ladies like you ladies in my corner.....it means so much...you don't even know. It makes me realize what a difference we can make on these boards when we band together to help other mommas in need!! Again..........thank you from the bottom of my heart and from my family!


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