I took LO to the ped today and the dr is 80-90% sure that he has shingles on his right hand. From what I've read it's rare but possible for kids to develop shingles (and I agree with the dr that his symptoms fit with shingles). Has anyone else had a LO develop shingles? How long did it last/how severe was it?
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I thought they had to have chicken pox first?
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@birdofafeather: I don't know if this is true, but I heard that the vaccine is linked to shingles cases in younger people, whereas previously it was more of an elderly person's illness. Again, not sure that's true-- I don't have any medical journals to site or anything.
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@MusicaV: I'm curious what the symptoms were and what made him think shingles over chicken pox? I've never known a kid to have shingles but DH and fil did. They were both in a good amount of pain. For DH his one side of his torso was basically numb and the whole side of the body, opposite to the rash side was in pain for a long time. Like weeks.
DH has a weak immune system to begin with. DD1 had just had HFM and then DH got it and it then manifested into shingles. -
They have to have pox first and shingles follow nerve lines.... I would get a second opinion. I've had shingles and that's when I found all that out.
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@erinpye: maybe linked but not the sole cause. I've had shingles and it comes from a lowered immune system. The pox virus never leaves your system (which is how you develop an immunity after you have it) and can happen at any age. Older people are just more prone since their immune system is naturally lower.
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@birdofafeather: he got the chicken pox vaccine at 12 months. The vaccine is the live, weakened virus, so anybody who gets the vaccine has the virus in their body forever. It usually just stays dormant.
@regberadaisy: The bumps are only on one hand and in mostly a tight cluster. They're not itchy, just painful. The ped thinks that it's probably 2 nerves in his hand that are affected. Also, he's acting fine otherwise - no fever, loss of appetite, tiredness.
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Update: the bumps on his hand got redder over the weekend. He also developed a cluster on his wrist, then some red, but less raised, clusters on the inside of his arm, up to his elbow. However, the clusters on his arm are less red today and appear to be scabbing over. His finger still looks pretty bad, although some of the other spots on his hand are shrinking.
We saw another dr at the practice for a re-check. She agrees with the original diagnosis. She said it does appear to be getting better, but it will probably be another week before it's all gone.
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