With the sad news that Kit Tarka Foundation is winding down, The Lullaby Trust has agreed that Kit Tarka Foundation’s work fits with the charity’s original mission of the ‘study and practice of infant health and welfare’. Over the next few months, the advice that Kit Tarka Foundation has developed around infection prevention and identification will be reviewed by The Lullaby Trust’s Scientific Advisory Group with a view to integrating it into the existing advice that The Lullaby Trust provides to families and professionals.
It is estimated that neonatal herpes (the cold sore virus in babies) could claim the lives of at least 10 babies a year in the UK, and these are deaths that could be prevented with more education and awareness. The Lullaby Trust has promoted the use of the Baby Check app, which helps to identify if a baby is seriously ill for many years, and the great advice of the Kit Tarka Foundation will be a great addition to the advice and support provided by the Baby Check app. We hope that by working together, these important messages can reach more families and more babies’ lives can be saved.
Kit Tarka Foundation was established in 2018 by Sarah and James de Malplaquet after their son Kit Tarka tragically died at just 13 days old. After discovering that Kit had died from neonatal herpes (the cold sore virus in babies), Sarah set out to learn as much as she could about this devastating disease. She was astonished by the lack of awareness amongst the general public and by the gap in knowledge of symptoms and best practice in the UK medical profession. Kit Tarka Foundation has been fighting for increased awareness and prevention of infection since 2018. The Lullaby Trust aims to continue their work and prevent more babies from dying.
