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Original poster

Does this look like the shingles rash?

41 replies

VioletPetals · 04/11/2021 19:43

DS has developed a rash on his chest today.

A close friend is pregnant and I’m supposed to be looking after her DCs tomorrow so I’m panicking it may be shingles as I don’t want to risk infecting her if it is, her dcs have not had chickenpox,
but she has no other childcare so if I let her down she’ll have to cancel her hospital apt.

Can anyone with knowledge tell me if this looks like it is shingles.

Extra info…..

DS has has chickenpox.

He doesn’t think any of his friends currently have chickenpox, and he’s texted everyone and asked.

He said the rash is sore but isn’t itchy, it feels tender and stingy like a burn,
but otherwise he feels fine in himself, no temperature.

Thanks.

Does this look like the shingles rash?
Does this look like the shingles rash?
OP posts:
dementedpixie · 04/11/2021 21:47

They only need excluding from school if the rash is oozing and can't be covered. Maybe the nurse is thinking of chicken pox rather than shingles as they don't transmit in the same manner

AwkwardPaws27 · 04/11/2021 21:47

It's usually on one side of the abdomen or chest, but DH had an abnormal presentation in that it was on his arm. The doctor actually initially said it wasn't shingles due to the location, but after examining DH concluded it was shingles.

eternalopt · 04/11/2021 21:50

My 8 yr old has shingles the other month. Anti virals took it right down. The advice we had from the doctor was that he could only pass on chicken pox to those who hadn't already had it (ie, your friends children) if they had contact with the rash whilst it was "oozing" (and even then, they'd have to really rub up on it) so if the rash could be covered, he could still go to school. As it was a small patch on his torso he could go to school as clothes covered it and if we needed / wanted to be extra cautious (ie, on pe day when he had to change) we covered the spots with melamine patches to be sure, but they never really "oozed" anyway so never really "scabbed" like chicken pox does

dementedpixie · 04/11/2021 21:50

They will not get chicken pox from him if they don't have contact with the blisters. If they are covered and he stays away from them then they won't get anything

Original poster
VioletPetals · 04/11/2021 21:51

@reallifegetsintheway2

Has he had Covid? Google Covid rash. I had a small patch that looked very similar when I had Covid.
He has not had covid and we’ve done 3 LFTs since he got home from school and they’ve all been negative.
Does this look like the shingles rash?
OP posts:
troppibambini6 · 04/11/2021 21:53

This was ds rash when he got it. Lots of little blisters close together which didn't cross the midline of his body. It's definitely sore rather than itchy.

TheLastLonelyBakedBean · 04/11/2021 21:53

That's where my DC's shingles was and what it looked like

Original poster
VioletPetals · 04/11/2021 21:53

I’ve tried to show the location on that stick person.

OP posts:
bedtimealready · 04/11/2021 21:53

From your excellent diagram and description- yes, it probably is shingles. Poor boy. I'd get him some anti viral meds.

dementedpixie · 04/11/2021 21:54

Has the friend had chickenpox?

Original poster
VioletPetals · 04/11/2021 21:55

Thank you everyone, I feel less panicked now.

Still waiting to 111 to call me back.

I’ll tell my friend everything you’ve all said and let her decide.

OP posts:
Original poster
VioletPetals · 04/11/2021 21:57

@dementedpixie

Has the friend had chickenpox?
She doesn’t know.

She said “I know there was one of the main childhood illnesses I didn’t have but I don’t know if it was chickenpox”

So we aren’t sure.
It’s rare not to have had it though isn’t it?

OP posts:
Original poster
VioletPetals · 04/11/2021 21:59

@bedtimealready

From your excellent diagram and description- yes, it probably is shingles. Poor boy. I'd get him some anti viral meds.
Thanks.

He’s feeling fine in himself at the moment, hopefully that doesn’t change too much, I took his temp again a little while ago and it was still normal but he took some more paracetamol before he went to sleep just ease the soreness so if his temp does go up hopefully that will ease it.

OP posts:
reallifegetsintheway2 · 04/11/2021 22:01

That's a no to Covid then! Hoep he gets well soon x

Ldmk2 · 04/11/2021 22:08

My 6 year old son had a similar rash. GP diagnosed as guttate psoriasis and he was given a course of antibiotics.

Original poster
VioletPetals · 05/11/2021 12:43

I just wanted to update.

I didn’t get a call back from 111 until 3.14am, (I did the referral at 7.45 for a call back within two hours)
All she did was make a phone appointment with my gp for this morning.

Anyway I sent gp the photos and he said it doesn’t present with all the usual symptoms of shingles, but he’s over 50% sure it is and they prefer to go with a better safe than sorry approach with shingles, especially with children, as it can cause long term permanent nerve pain in the area of the rash.
So he prescribed the antiviral medication, five tablets a day for a week.

Thank you all so much for your help and advice last night.

OP posts:
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