WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A medical expert has warned against kissing a new newborn baby on its head, as it may lead to a serious risk of infection.
In a TikTok video, Dr Karan Raj, an NHS surgeon, warned his 5.3 million followers of the dangers of kissing a newborn baby.
Last year, a UK charity called The Lullaby Trust published the result of a survey which revealed that 54% of new and expectant parents would 'let friends and family kiss their newborn baby, unaware of the risk of serious infection'.
Our faces and mouths are teeming with millions of microscopic bacteria and viruses that can easily pass to a newborn.
Adults and older children have fully developed immune systems that can defend against infections. However, this is not the same for young babies.
For the first three months or so, the infant's immune system has fewer innate infection-fighting immune cells, such as neutrophils and monocytes, compared with adults, which means that infections that cause mild symptoms in adults or older children can be life-threatening for babies.
An infant's immune system might have built up some defense against bacteria and viruses on their parents' faces, however, they won't be ready to fight ones they're newly exposed to. It means a bacteria or a virus spread from a visitor could cross the blood-brain barrier, leading to life-threatening complications.
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