Showing affection through kisses, hugs and caresses is key to the healthy emotional development of our little ones, but a manifestation of affection such as kisses on the mouth to children is something that is often questioned. For some parents, pecking their mouths is a completely normal and everyday act, while others do not see it as hygienic or appropriate. Is it okay to kiss your children on the mouth? Can it be risky for your health? Does it have psychological connotations? We answer all questions with the help of a pediatrician.
Can kissing on the mouth be risky?
If we are talking about newborn babies, premature babies, or immunologically weakened children, they should not be kissed on the mouth or let anyone do it under any circumstances , due to the risk of contagion of a virus or disease. A common virus such as herpes simplex virus (HSV) is highly contagious and can be fatal to a baby a few months old with an immature immune system.
In healthy children, more germs are likely to be spread by shaking hands or sneezing than by kissing them on the lips. Even so, as it is a route of disease transmission, pediatrician Miryam Triana considers that it is better to avoid it :
“For health reasons, we should avoid kissing on the mouth, especially to the youngest children who are the most vulnerable and those with the most immature immune system. Through saliva we transmit multiple infections and it is that in the mouth we have millions of viruses and bacteria Common illnesses such as a cold or flu, herpes, infectious mononucleosis (the so-called “kissing disease”) can be transmitted through kissing, but cavities can also be transmitted this way, or when we wash the pacifier that it has fallen to the ground with our saliva and then we give it to the child.
And we should not only avoid them to protect children but also ourselves, adults, in some cases. Pregnant women, for example, must be careful not to catch some diseases that can be transmitted by little ones, especially cytomegalovirus. “
Caries risk
Likewise, as it is a route of transmission of bacteria, according to the Spanish Society of Pediatric Dentistry, we should not kiss our children on the lips as we increase the risk of cavities.
“It has nothing to do with whether adults have cavities or not, simply the exchange of saliva can transfer these germs to the child’s mouth. Therefore, the main recommendation is to do without kisses on the mouth, however endearing they may seem” recommend.
Can kisses on the mouth confuse children?
One of the most talked about photos of former soccer player David Beckham is one in which he appeared kissing his five-year-old daughter on the mouth. They machine-gunned him to criticism and negative comments because they considered it disturbing. The same thing happened to actress Olivia Wilde.
There are those who believe that kissing children on the mouth like you do with a partner is not a good idea, and that parents should think twice before kissing their children on the mouth because it can confuse young children.
The sexualization of the act of kissing on the mouth is an adult interpretation. Children see nothing wrong with a kiss on the mouth of their parents, they see it simply for what it is: a token of affection.
The child will not be confused if we do not transmit confusion to them. It is enough to explain to them that they are special kisses reserved for loved ones.
There are those who go further and find it totally counterproductive for children to get used to being kissed on the mouth because it could make them more vulnerable to abuse. I see this a bit exaggerated, what really seems negative to me is forcing the children to kiss if they don’t feel like it.
Kisses on the mouth to children: yes or no?
Knowing the risks it can have, kissing children on the mouth is a parent’s choice.
“I think everyone should do what they think best;. I think an example of love and affection, though I do not I do not think kids get confused, just to teach them that Mom and Dad can give kisses like that and we give others on the cheek.
There are small children who put them in the mouth of their peers (because they get confused, because they come out …) and I don’t think we should make a drama either. I also think that it is important to teach them that they give kisses if they want and that they receive them if they want too; they must learn to say NO “, explains Miryam Triana.
Until when to do it? As children grow older parents stop doing it or do it less than before. Sometimes it is even the children themselves who no longer want to receive a kiss on the mouth from their parents, because “they are older.” Still, it is not uncommon for some families to kiss older children on the mouth.
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In Babies and more | Today is International Kissing Day, do you kiss your children on the mouth? Children have to be able to choose who to kiss and who not
