How Do I Know If It Is a Cold Sore?

You don't catch a cold sore from a kiss on the cheek, even if the person had a cold sore. If you do come in contact with someone who has an outbreak and you contract the virus, they tend to show up fast. I don't know what your child has, may be nothing, but it wasn't something she caught from a kiss on the cheek.

Just for future reference a cold sore left untreated gets really bad, really fast. If she had a dot in the morning, if nothing was done, by the time the afternoon hit she would have a large, painful, sore. She would complain. They don't stay little for long.

My mom has cold sores and has for as long as I can remember. I always gave my mom a kiss with or without and to this day (knock wood) I have never had one, nor has my father (married for 22 years) nor my stepdad (married for 12 years). My understanding is that this cold sore would have really needed to be 'active' to pass it along (ie open sore with fluid coming out) and even then it is no guarantee you will 'catch it' as is the case with me. Is the bump bothering her? My mom said she could always feel them coming on, like when you get a big pimple under the surface of your skin and would then treat it asap. Try and relax over this and see what happens.

Try not to freak out. You are making a giant leap from not knowing whether this person even had a cold sore to infecting your daughter. I understand your discomfort with kissing, especially if only an acquaintance and on the lips, but you may be jumping the gun.

In my experience cold sores don't spread easily and pop up right away. No red dot foreshadow. I read a few years ago to put a little sauerkraut juice on the sore to help it heal quickly. That certainly couldn't hurt.

Worst case scenario...... she has a cold sore and may pass it on. Not worth freaking out over.

honestly the first outbreak would be the worst. she;d have them all over her throat, lips and so on...theres no use worrying. if she has them you will know soon because her first outbreak will HURT BUT its probably a dry cracked lip from winter

I worried alot when my daughter was under 2 because my ex's parents didnt think they were contageous and i couldnt imagine a baby or toddler having them and preventing them from kissing random people and kids because of being contageous, but once she hit 3 i prevented them by letting her know to only kiss on cheeks but other than I didnt say much or do much prevention
if she didnt kiss her on the lips there is NO way she got them. you can get them other places but thesores would come out where she was infected not on the lip.

I am not sure a kiss on the cheek will do it?

I have had cold sores since I was a kid (thanks Mother) and only one of my kids have contracted them thus far (knock on some wood).

If it isnt bigger and angrier by the next day, chances are it is not a cold sore!

If you want piece of mind call said friend and ask her if she had.gets cold sores?

Does this friend often have cold sores? If not, then don't panic. A cold sore pops up within hours of the first signs, at the most. If it hasn't blistered by now, it's nothing. Even if your friend had a full blown cold sore, unless your daughter immediately rubbed the cheek that was kissed and then immediately rubbed her hands on her lips, the chances of her getting a cold sore from a kiss on the cheek is very minimal. Not that I'm saying to allow people with cold sores to kiss your child on the cheek or anywhere, but realistically it would be unlikely to spread that way. I'm super cautious and paranoid about cold sores, but still allow my friends and family (and my children) the freedom to give and receive kisses on cheeks and lips unless that person actually has a cold sore. Then no kisses at all until FULLY healed, no scab or anything.