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Chickenpox and shingles

1 reply

Effingcars · 25/11/2025 19:39

My daughter's high school has a case of shingles. Nothing I was concerned about at all, I don't know if she knows the girl or what year she is in. The school said the girl will still attend, as the clothes are covering the rash, so the risk of infection is negligible.

We've now been informed there is chickenpox in the school. I know it probably didn't transmit from the first girl, but it seems strange, as chickenpox is more common in primary age.

It got me wondering though, as nephew caught chickenpox a week or so after my dad got shingles. DN was young at the time and didn't socialise with other children.

My DS ended up getting it too, just over a week after DN got it. DS had managed to avoid it throughout his younger years, despite me taking him round to friends houses when their kids had CP.

DS was quite ill with it, as he was a teenager and now has hearing problems.

DD has had it, so I'm not worried about her getting it (though she is ill with a virus right now and I'm pretty sure she's also got a sinus infection), but I am wondering if shingles is as benign as everyone says, in regards to transmission.

I know it's the time of year for viruses, but IME CP seems more common in the spring than winter.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 25/11/2025 21:22

Shingles can only spread chickenpox with direct contact with fluid from the blisters so not likely to spread if the rash is covered.

The person with shingles may have had chickenpox quite young as having it under the age of 1 makes it more likely to get childhood shingles. (My ds had CP at 6months and shingles age 3)

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