A mum has spoken out about the terrifying moment her daughter was hospitalised after being kissed by a family member with a cold sore.
Savina French Bell appeared on Loose Women to talk about the day her then two-year-old daughter's face was covered in painful blisters after a family member kissed her, unaware that they had a contagious cold sore.
Speaking to the panel, Savina said she first noticed the ulcers around her mouth and thought her daughter had hand, foot and mouth disease.
Image: ITV/ Loose Women
She took Sienna to the doctor who confirmed this was the case. However, within 24 hours, Sienna was admitted to hospital on her second birthday with a temperature of 40.3 degrees.
Savina added that the family member showed no signs of a cold sore and was confused as to how she contracted the virus.
'It wasn't until Sienna was admitted and diagnosed with the Herpes virus that we sat back and thought "Where has this come from?"
'We realised the relative had a tingling lip that day. But other than that there was nothing. We didn't know.'
Even after the toddler came home from hospital, her condition was still incredibly painful.
Image: ITV/ Loose Women
'It got worse when we came out of hospital. She didn't eat, she didn't drink and the infection wasn't like that when we were in hospital', Savina told the panel.
'As we got home, over the months it just ate away at her face. I used to have to pull her face off the pillows. It was awful.'
Savina also admitted how hard it was to not be able to give her daughter a kiss when she was going through such a horrible time.
She said: 'You try and explain to a three year old why mummy can't kiss you.'
Sienna also has eczema, which her mum said 'allowed the virus to enter and attack immediately.'
Image: ITV/Loose Women
As the virus is the same as a cold sore, it will never completely go away and could always come back. However, it is likely the virus will be much less severe.
Savina explained: 'As she gets older her body will be able to fight it as a cold sore rather than this infection that it's causing.'
