Mom Kelli Beachner has a message for people who want to kiss infants: just don't. After her son Colton contracted RSV — a dangerous viral infection that's often confused with the common cold [1] — at just 6 days old, she feels very strongly about it. In a Facebook post Kelli shared on Nov. 21, she outlined exactly how traumatizing it was to rush her newborn to the hospital [2] all thanks to a well-meaning smooch from a relative or family friend.
"Before Colton was born we had our minds set on absolutely no kisses," wrote Kelli. "But somehow it happened. When Colton was 6 days old, I walked up to him when he was napping and found his top lip was blue and that he wasn't responding. I picked him up so fast that it startled him and he thankfully started crying."
Don't put your want to see [or] kiss the baby before the well-being of that precious baby."
Scared for Colton's health, Kelli and her husband Dalton immediately took him to the doctor to see what was wrong. "After some testing was done, we were told Colton was positive for RSV [3], that in the morning he needed to go to the respiratory clinic," she said. "I didn't sleep for a minute that night. I don't even think I blinked as I stared at him all night praying that he had the strength, while we sat in the bathroom with steam from a hot shower to help him breathe."
![Kelli and Dalton took Colton to the Children's Mercy Respiratory Clinic the following day. There, the new parents had to sign over their 7-day-old son to the hospital's care because his oxygen saturation levels we so low, he needed to be transported to another hospital via ambulance.
"Doctors were already prepping him for the incubator before I even could comprehend what was being said," she explained. "We had to watch our son be hooked to a machine to get the oxygen his little body needed. He was diagnosed with RSV and bronchiolitis. The doctors made it a point to be encourageing through our stay, but at the same time were very clear of the danger of [these illnesses] especially for his age group."](https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/uGHz7Lpd4QK-PdxF6PfB5xFohp4/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2018/12/03/790/n/24155406/330af6df048bce98_RSV1/i/Kelli-Dalton-took-Colton-Children-Mercy-Respiratory.jpg "Kelli and Dalton took Colton to the Children's Mercy Respiratory Clinic the following day. There, the new parents had to sign over their 7-day-old son to the hospital's care because his oxygen saturation levels we so low, he needed to be transported to another hospital via ambulance.
\"Doctors were already prepping him for the incubator before I even could comprehend what was being said,\" she explained. \"We had to watch our son be hooked to a machine to get the oxygen his little body needed. He was diagnosed with RSV and bronchiolitis. The doctors made it a point to be encourageing through our stay, but at the same time were very clear of the danger of [these illnesses] especially for his age group.\"")
Kelli and Dalton took Colton to the Children's Mercy Respiratory Clinic the following day. There, the new parents had to sign over their 7-day-old son to the hospital's care because his oxygen saturation levels we so low, he needed to be transported to another hospital via ambulance.
"Doctors were already prepping him for the incubator before I even could comprehend what was being said," she explained. "We had to watch our son be hooked to a machine to get the oxygen his little body needed. He was diagnosed with RSV and bronchiolitis. The doctors made it a point to be encourageing through our stay, but at the same time were very clear of the danger of [these illnesses] especially for his age group."
Fortunately, after a week-long stay at the hospital, Colton was released. However, he wasn't completely out of the woods just yet.
"The thing that a lot of people don't know is that it's not over when they get the hospital release papers," she said. "Colton now is more susceptible to respiratory illnesses and has recently been prescribed a nebulizer to help him breathe due to possible asthma (he's still too young for a complete diagnosis). He beat RSV, but it's still very much impacting his life from the strain it put on him so early in his life. Not to mention the side effects it has on parents and the paranoia it brings."
![While Kelli and Dalton were relieved that they got to bring their son home, many parents aren't as lucky, so Kelli issued a warning to anyone who plans to be around a baby in the future.
"Overall, just don't be that person," wrote Kelli. "Don't be the reason a mom and dad have to prepare for the worst. Don't put your want to see [or] kiss the baby before the well-being of that precious baby. And don't guilt trip new parents if they wish to protect their baby a little extra. Being able to visit a newborn is a privilege, not a right. Your love from a distance is still felt, I promise."](https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/sJ5wWq9VUobnCcioh7joLnOVofs/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2018/12/03/790/n/24155406/8dd85250540b9cd9_RSV/i/While-Kelli-Dalton-were-relieved-got-bring-son.jpg "While Kelli and Dalton were relieved that they got to bring their son home, many parents aren't as lucky, so Kelli issued a warning to anyone who plans to be around a baby in the future.
\"Overall, just don't be that person,\" wrote Kelli. \"Don't be the reason a mom and dad have to prepare for the worst. Don't put your want to see [or] kiss the baby before the well-being of that precious baby. And don't guilt trip new parents if they wish to protect their baby a little extra. Being able to visit a newborn is a privilege, not a right. Your love from a distance is still felt, I promise.\"")
While Kelli and Dalton were relieved that they got to bring their son home, many parents aren't as lucky, so Kelli issued a warning to anyone who plans to be around a baby in the future.
"Overall, just don't be that person," wrote Kelli. "Don't be the reason a mom and dad have to prepare for the worst. Don't put your want to see [or] kiss the baby before the well-being of that precious baby. And don't guilt trip new parents if they wish to protect their baby a little extra. Being able to visit a newborn is a privilege, not a right. Your love from a distance is still felt, I promise."