The Lullaby Trust - Infection Prevention Campaign
Preventing infections in babies saves lives. The Lullaby Trust and their Campaign Ambassador, Annabel Karmel are raising awareness around how to prevent infection in those first few months of life.
Why do we need to keep babies safe from infection?
It is very important to try and keep babies safe from infection, particularly in those early weeks and months following birth. Babies have immature immune systems, which means that they are particularly at risk from infections. Whilst these may be mild in older children or adults, they can be life-threatening for babies.
There are some key things that everyone can do to reduce the risk of serious infections in babies. It’s important to follow THANKS – Think Hands And No Kisses.
- Wash your hands before you touch a baby
- Do not kiss a baby unless you are their parent or main carer – and even then, avoid kissing if you have an infection, are unwell, or have recently been unwell
It’s also important not to visit a baby if you are ill or have recently been ill. This includes active cold sores as well as diarrhoea and vomiting illnesses. Staying away until you are fully recovered is a key part of keeping babies safe from infection.
The Lullaby Trust have produced THANKS buggy tags that can be used on your pushchair to remind people to think twice about touching your baby while you’re out and about, particularly if they haven’t washed their hands. Click here to purchase a buggy tag
Read here to find out more about The Lullaby Trust's Newborn Infection Prevention campaign