Mom’s Warning After Son Contracts Herpes from a Kiss
When Namibian mom Michelle Saaiman noticed her 16-month-old son Juwan’s eye was infected, she thought it was a typical eye infection. But after antibiotic drops failed, a specialist delivered shocking news — Juwan had contracted herpes simplex virus (HSV), likely from a kiss by someone with an active cold sore.
“The doctor said there’s a fever blister growing in my child’s cornea,” Michelle told Metro. “I thought it was an April Fool’s joke.”
The virus caused severe damage, leaving Juwan blind in one eye as his cornea deteriorated. Doctors feared he might lose the eye completely. To save it, the family flew to Cape Town, where Juwan underwent amnion graft surgery and had his eyelids stitched shut temporarily. Another nerve transfer surgery is planned in hopes of enabling a future cornea transplant.
Despite the pain, Michelle says her son remains brave. “He’s always smiling, even after everything he’s endured,” she said.
The family initially felt anger toward the person who unknowingly passed on the virus but now focus on raising awareness. “Kisses come from love, but people must know — a cold sore can cause lifelong harm,” Michelle warns.
Michelle’s Facebook post about Juwan’s ordeal has gone viral, along with a fundraiser to cover medical costs. She hopes their story reminds others to avoid kissing babies or toddlers when you have a fever blister, no matter how harmless it may seem.
“Please be careful,” Michelle urges. “We’re doing everything we can to save our son’s eye.”
