Shingles

[Hamonrye]

My poor 3 year old DS has shingles on one of his bottom cheeks. It's a horrid red rash and very sore. He's actually fine in himself, although was quite tired run down last week - before we realised what it was.

Has anyone got any experience with shingles in a child this young? He was 7 weeks prem and has been hospitalised a few times for chest infections and high temperatures but this is making me very worried for his immune system...

Ds had it at 3 too after chicken pox at 6 months old. It only really lasted as long as chicken pox would. He still had scars from it under his arm

Thanks Pixie. Were you told it was quite rare to have it that young?

My son had it at 18 months (didn't even realise he'd had chicken pox). He weathered it pretty well and didn't get to poorly. Still has a fine silvery rash 8 years later. The medics were concerned at it appearing so young. They reckoned he must have contacted chicken pox at less than 6 months. They did various blood tests but they didn't throw up any concerns.

DD had it around age 5. It wasn’t much fun, but it wasn’t half as bad as I feared - adults have it much worse with shingles, apparently.

I believe it’s relatively rare in small children but if they’ve had chicken pox young (as DD did - a bad dose at four months), shingles is more likely to strike.

DD otherwise seems to have a reasonable immune system though and is rarely unwell (touch wood). I don’t think it’s anything to do with that really. Not a medical person though!

My dd had it age 3 (had chicken pox as an young baby ) she was ok for first few days of the rash appearing then had the runs for about a week and was really washed out with it all .

Thank you all! X

Childhood shingles is more common if they get chickenpox under 1 year (as ds did). He was misdiagnosed at first with having eczema though! He hasnt had it again and is now 11