Shingles and young baby

[BlackKittyKat]

Sorry - posting for traffic.

I have just been diagnosed with shingles. I am breastfeeding my 4 month old and also have a 3 year old.

AIBU to ask, if you had shingles when you had babies/young children did they get chickenpox?

Just wondering what the chances are...

(I know iabu - no-one can predict if my children will get chickenpox)

No, mine didn’t get shingles but I did stop breastfeeding when the rash got close to my breasts.

I’m so sorry - shingles is horrid. I hope you can get enough rest and recover swiftly

Be careful- my daughter caught chickenpox from my dad who had shingles

Your 4 month old is unlikely to catch it if you keep breastfeeding. Your 3 year old might get chicken pox.

It depends where the rash is and whether it is covered. Shingles causes chickenpox by direct contact with fluid from the blisters so if the rash is in a place that can be kept covered then you can reduce chances of any transmission

I had shingles really badly when my DC were exactly the same age. Neither of them caught chicken pox. I carried on feeding the baby.

dementedpixie - the rash is on my breast and along my side next to armpit.

I think both children will have been in contact before I got diagnosed. I had the rash for two days prior to calling doctor.

Really don't want two children in lockdown with chicken pox

You can privately get a chickenpox vaccine. Your 3 year old would be eligible - not sure about your younger one. Even if they have been exposed, it would dramatically reduce symptoms. I've given it to my kids and it stopped them getting chickenpox when I got shingles!

justanothergeneric - do you know if can get the vaccine at the moment during lockdown?

Ironically, I was planning on getting my three year old vaccinated once we had returned to "normal". I think you have to be 12 months so cant get my little one vaccinated yet.

Has the rash blistered yet? Could you tape gauze over it when feeding? Did you get antivirals?

Your 4 month old is unlikely to catch it if you keep breastfeeding
Breastfeeding doesnt stop a baby getting chickenpox

I've been at my parents for the entire lockdown period, my mother developed shingles 2.5 year old DS has not got chicken pox and there's no way he wasn't in contact before it was realised it was shingles. It is apparently hard to get chicken pox from shingles. I hope you feel better soon.

Yes, I've got a prescription for antivirals. DH is picking them up on his way home from work this afternoon.

I think some the blisters have burst. I'm lucky that the rash isn't too bad and I don't feel too ill so far, just a bit more tired.

My best friends son had shingle and her baby daughter caught chicken pox from it, so it’s definitely a big possibility!
I hope you feel better soon though OP, my mum had shingles at the same time and she said the rash was horrible!

fedupandlookingforchange - that's reassuring. Fingers crossed we will be lucky.

Really want to get DC vaccinated and am kicking myself that I haven't sorted it for the eldest already.

Hopefully the baby will be ok as you will have passed on some antibodies during pregnancy and through breastfeeding

dementedpixie - I hope so!

I'm keeping everything crossed that they don't get it.

I'm going to be on paranoid spot watch for the next two weeks or so

Ilovescats23 - thank you. Luckily I don't feel too bad. The rash is itchy and a bit prickily but not as troublesome as a lot of people experience by the sounds of things.
Hopefully I am lucky and just have mild symptoms.

I had shingles when I was breastfeeding my baby, the baby didn't get chicken pox from my shingles but my little boy did.

DD2 was about 6m when I got shingles. They were on my face, so even with the best will in the world, I couldn't stop her touching my face. She was ebf too and I was on antivirals due to where they were

She didnt get chicken pox and neither did DD1 who was 3 at the time. They did however get chicken pox about 8 months later.

I think I come from an earlier generation when one expected children to get chicken pox, mumps etc. I seem to remember my little boy wasn't really very ill at all when he had chicken pox.

Had shingles brought on by stress. My DS caught chickenpox , it was inevitable really, as we are very close including breastfeeding and Co sleeping.

However - given that you can't get chickenpox twice I'm sort of happy that DS has now had it and I don't need to worry about his contact with other chicken poxers in future.
Assuming you have the correct medication for yourself, and some soothing cream for your DC, I'd say having it during lockdown means you can all rest and recuperate without feeling like you have to miss out on days out/ nursery/ parties which you would if we weren't in lockdown.

If a baby gets chicken pox under 1 year they have a higher chance of getting childhood shingles so its not really a great idea to get get chicken pox too young. It can also be dangerous for a small proportion of children. Mumps caused permanent deafness in my brother as he hadnt been given the MMR injection

My 3 year old has chicken pox, and my 5 month old baby caught them off her. I personally think it's impossible to stop the spread as you are infectious before you realise you have it. And shingles does cause chicken pox in children.

My 3 year old was really well with them, you wouldn't of even know she was ill. But my baby was very sick, they became infected. However, antibiotics sorted it out in no time and he is good as knew.

Chicken pox isnt caught from shingles by an airborne route like chicken pox to chicken pox transmission. It is through direct contact with fluid from the blisters which makes a bit harder to transmit. Fingers crossed you all get through it ok.

(My ds had CP at 6 months old after his 3 year old sister gave him it. He had shingles when he was 3!)

Yes, our local private GP is still doing it even in lockdown. Where are you based? Might be worth a google/ring around.