A Scots mum has warned parents to stop allowing people to kiss their newborn babies after her son contracted meningitis.
Jacqui Dunlop's seven-week-old baby Daniel spent six days in hospital after he became critically ill with the deadly infection.
Doctors told Jacqui the infection was likely passed on unwittingly by another person who had kissed, held, coughed or sneezed near the tot.
Jacqui, who is also mum to Jack, two, said: "To think something as simple as a kiss could have killed him is just so scary. People need to stop kissing other people's babies."
The Ayr family's nightmare unfolded last Wednesday, February 27, when Daniel fell ill after developing a high fever and breathing difficulties.
Panicked, the 23-year-old called the doctor-on-call who came out in the early hours of Thursday morning to check the tot over.
Diagnosing him with infant reflux, he prescribed medication and told Jacqui and Daniel's dad George Faulds to "keep an eye" on him.
But mother's instinct told Jacqui something else was wrong with her baby and when he started showing signs of a stiff neck and had difficulty breathing, she sprung in to action.
The hairdresser said: "He just hadn't settled all night and was crying constantly. His temperature was 38.2 and wasn't coming down.
"Then he started making grunting noises with every breath and his neck was stiff and then flopping back. I knew something was very wrong. I told my mum 'I need to take him to the doctor."
Jacqui went to her GP who took Daniel's temperature and immediately called 999.
Jacqui said: "He was screaming in the doctor's surgery and then he vomited. As soon as she took his temperature she just called for an ambulance and he was blue-lighted to Crosshouse Hospital."
When he arrived at hospital a team of medics surrounded the tiny tot as his terrified parents looked on.
After various blood and urine tests the frail youngster had to undergo a painful lumber puncture, which ultimately failed and had to be re-done the following morning, when docs confirmed he had meningitis.
Jacqui said the impact was devastating: "As a parent that has to be one of the worst things you can hear. We knew how serious it was if he had meningitis. We were so scared."
Daniel was given antibiotics and tests later revealed he had viral, rather than the bacterial strain of the deadly infection.
Jacqui said: "It sounds daft, but that was a relief because bacterial meningitis is much more serious and can add to horrific complications."
After six days in hospital Daniel was finally allowed home where he is still recovering.
The whole experience has left Jacqui incredibly cautious when anyone comes near her baby and she is warning other parents to be the same.
She said: "It's natural that people want to kiss and hug a new baby, but the fact is their tiny bodies and brand new immune systems just cannot cope with bacteria and virus that adults carry around every day. Please do not let just anyone touch and kiss your baby. It is not worth it."
