HealthTap Online Primary Care Doctors Accepting New Patients
Book a video visit
HealthTap
Telehealth
A member asked:

My nanny and i both get cold sores. am terrified my toddler will catch it. disinfecting everything we touch constantly - is this necessary?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

Don't touch: The greatest risk of transmission is when an active sore touches another mucus membrane (mouth, eye, genital) . Avoid touching the sores, wash your hands frequently, and don't kiss when you have active sores. Wearing a mask when you have a sore is also helpful, but transmission may occur just before a sore erupts.

Dr Rhoads and 4 doctors agreed

Answered 3/4/2018

4.7k views

Thank

Related Questions

A member asked:

My nanny has nail fungus and she touches my newborn everywhere. Can he get this and get sick? Contagious? What could it do to him? Thank you

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

How to disinfect a herpes virus (cold sores) on my phone and remote surfaces? Is it possible to completely kill them?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

What are the chances of getting a stomach virus or sickness from using my phone (that touched surfaces) in the hospital. I washed my hands but didn't disinfect phone, touched my phone again and accidentally ate with my hands after? Will I get sick?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

I am pregnant and I went to get my eyebrows done at a salon. I didn't see the beautician disinfect the tweezers. She was hard on the skin so she did a minor abrasion. I am terrified that I might have been infected with hep c. Am I at risk? Plz help?

A doctor has provided 1 answer

A member asked:

Is it safe to get your baby/toddler's hair wet in the bath if they are sick? It is not cold outside.

A doctor has provided 1 answer

Sponsored Content
HealthTap Medical Group does not endorse products or services. Sponsored content revenues support our mission to make health information free and accessible to all.Learn more

People also searched for:

Is it ok psychologically to leave my 26 months old toddler with his grandma and nanny for 10 days (they live with us and he loves them very much)?
How important is it to remove sand from toddler's superficial cut on palm (already disinfected)?
If the nurse forgets to disinfect the area before administering a vaccine to a toddler can it cause any infection?
Can you transmit cold sores via inanimate objects (toys, shirt collars)? If you don't wash hands, touch something and a toddler then touches it?
My son's nanny gets cold sores... How likely is it that she could pass it to my son when she changes his diaper if she forgets to wash her hands?

Telemedicine

Primary Care
Manage Your Conditions
Women's Health
Children's Health
Men's Health
Senior Health
Wellness, Prevention & Lifestyle
Sexual Health
Mental & Behavioral Health
Travel Medicine
Urgent Care
Ask your question
Didn't find what you're looking for?

90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more.

Ask your question

More of what we treat

Allergies
Antibiotics
Asthma
High Blood Pressure
Prescriptions
Type 2 Diabetes
Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.
HealthTap
HIPAA logo
HIPAASecure
Soc 2 Type 2 logo
SOC 2 Type 2Certified
JCAHO Accredited
JCAHOAccredited
Member App

Download HealthTap

Video visit and message your doctor

Member App QR Code
Play Store Member LinkApp Store Member Link

Questions?

+1 (888) 828-0841support@healthtap.com
LinkedInTwitter
HomeTermsPrivacyCookiesDMCAHealth TopicsDoctors DirectoryDoctor Q&A by Specialty
Copyright 2026 HealthTap, Inc.