1) My mom who has a history of cold sores kissed my baby in the back of the head and top of the head yesterday and today has woken up with a cold sore. What do you think the chance of transmission is here?
Incredibly low. The intact skin of the head is too thick for virus to penetrate, if she happened to be shedding virus.
2) I have tried to be very diligent and strict on no kissing the baby rules but I come from a big loving family and everyone else kisses all the other babies so I don’t want to make my baby feel weird when he sees affection not toward him, is there a “safest” place to kiss babies? I am now on even higher alert since someone can just pop up with a cold sore the next day.
Anywhere other than lips or genitals.
3) Are you always contagious days before outbreaks? Is that like a given? Or only a maybe?
It’s a maybe
4) If I believe an exposure has occurred, how many days after the exposure is he at risk of getting a cold sore, when can I stop worrying?
The average time from infection to symptoms if 5.5 days, with the range being 2-10 days.
5) Say someone kisses him and nothing pops up for like a month or so, can something pop up years later? Or can I assume he’s in the clear?
Very likely yes
6) If he does catch the virus will he catch it where the contact was or will it pop up anywhere? Like with a kiss to the head or cheek will it pop up there or manifest on his mouth?
It would show up where the contact was. The cheek is too thick for virus to penetrate also.
Terri