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Q: My Baby Was Near Someone With a Cold Sore. What Now? A Doctor's Guide.
- Myeongchan Kim
- Jul 15
- 2 min read
Q:Ā Panicking mom here! š„ My 2-month-old son and 3-year-old daughter were just with my mother-in-law. She recently had a cold sore, and said the scab fell off about a week ago. The area on her lip still looked a little pink and was healing. I noticed her touching her mouth and then touching my baby's hands and face. I'm also pretty sure she licked her fingers after eating something and then touched him again. I'm now terrified about neonatal herpes. I thought it wasn't contagious after the scab was gone, but now I'm not so sure. What is the actual risk of my baby getting sick from this?
A:Ā Your concern is completely valid, and itās good that youāre being cautiousāespecially with a 2-month-old, since infants are more vulnerable to infections like HSV-1 (the virus that causes cold sores).
Hereās what you need to know:
Is it still contagious after the scab falls off?
Yes, viral shedding can continue even after the scab is gone, especially if the skin is still pink and healing. The risk is lower, but not zero.
Could my baby or toddler get it this way?
If your mom touched her mouth and then your baby or their things (like pacifiers or hands), thereās a small chance of transmission, especially for the 2-month-old. Licking fingers increases that risk. The 3-year-old is at lower risk and less vulnerable.
What should I watch for? In your baby, monitor for the next 2ā12 days:
Fever or low temp š”ļø
Poor feeding š¼ā¬ļø
Blisters or rash š
Unusual drowsiness or movements š“
If anything seems off, see a doctor right away.
š If your baby has no symptoms right now, thereās nothing that needs to be tested or treated at this stage. Just observe closely and act quickly if anything concerning appears.
Most exposures like this donāt lead to infection, but itās smart to watch closely. Your awareness is the best protection.
And if you ever need help tracking symptoms or getting expert-reviewed answers, you might find the FeverCoach app helpful. :)
