Holy crap...can you say Salmonelle?

[rmorse]

 

[SimonL]

You're not likely to get Salmonella off a snake unless it was kept in absolute squalor.

 

[RWaltman]

hahahahahaha.....wow, just poor parenting all across the board on this one, guess I shouldn't be laughing....

 

[Vicious_Fish]

LOL!

 

[jag123]

I wouldn't be so worried about the Salmonella as the snake deciding to have a snack....

 

[Mampam]

um......... dont they grow out of salmonella???

 

[latshki]

your more likely to get salmonela from water or food than any reptile

 

[coura]

People are excedingly stupid NO animal whatsoever should get into direct contact with a child so young period. Even comon bugs people normaly have all over their skin can afect children that young because they are so fragile and their himune sistem has yet to become in full gear. Even dogs should have limeted contact with chidren to the age of 5 and in my opinion only with 5 as well should children be first allowed to handle a reptile

 

[KMKN]

Fail

 

[Brooklynella]

People are excedingly stupid NO animal whatsoever should get into direct contact with a child so young period. Even comon bugs people normaly have all over their skin can afect children that young because they are so fragile and their himune sistem has yet to become in full gear. Even dogs should have limeted contact with chidren to the age of 5 and in my opinion only with 5 as well should children be first allowed to handle a reptile

I think keeping a child away from ....everything....is imposible. Never heard of this theory before.
The only reason a child should not handle a reptile is to prevent harm to the reptile, not the other way around. Little kids tend to squeeze, poke, drop & throw stuff.
I'm a liittle speechless about your opinion regarding contact with dogs. Really the only danger a properly trained dog poses to a child is allergies and of course, bites (Which of course is a serious matter).
The child in that picture is in the 8-12 month range, judging by his ability to sit up straight. They aren't all that fragile.
All that being said I wouldn't let either of my 2 children (One of whom is 9 months old) sit with or interact with a large boa (Or any other snake). My 4 yr old son has taken quite a liking to my new creamsicle Corn snake and I let him handle it while supervised. Again, i'm more concerned for the snake than my son. I don't feel stupid or irresponsible but I guess you never know.
Back to children for a moment...
The best way to build a child's immune system (Something that happens pretty well all on it's own) is to not try and protect them from ....EVERYTHING...but rather expose them to their environment.
A rattle dropped on a carpet poses more of health risk to that kid than that snake's skin, btw.