Can teenagers get Shingles?

[HeadFairy]

We’re on holiday in Italy at the moment and I think my 16 year old DD has shingles. It started just before we left with sharp burning pain in her back, she’s now developed a rash that is from one side of her back round to the front following the line of her bra. She says the rash is burning and itching. It’s not allergic, as we haven’t changed any deodorants/laundry things. Also, the rash fades under a glass. No temp, but headachy and lethargic. The pharmacy here gave me aciclovir cream which we started using yesterday. But I thought people her age didn’t get shingles. She’s had chicken pox as a toddler.

🤞you find something to help.

My son had shingles on his back and side when he was 14. He described the same burning/itching pain. The antivirals worked but took about 48 hours to kick in.

He scratched/rubbed the rash a lot on the meantime as it was driving him bonkers and he's still got some scarring from that so please tell your daughter not to do the same.

If you've had chicken pox you can get shingles at any age. My DS had chicken pox at 6 months and shingles at 2. I recognised the shingles straightaway as his father had had it the year before. I took him to the GP and said I thought he had shingles. The youngish GP said it couldn't be because he was too young. After examining him though she called in a much older colleague for a second opinion. He took one look and said yes, it was definitely shingles.

Yep! If you’ve had chicken pox.

I’ve also got shingles right now and the GP gave me some oral anti virals.

So similar to my experience, right down to the GP!

Ouch, poor DD. Oral acyclovir best, but if I couldn't get it, I would use the highest strength topical cream I could get.

Tablet dosing recommendations for the UK here https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/aciclovir/

My ds had shingles when he was 16.

See if they do lidocaine patches for the rash.

My son had it at 18 months, so yes, teens can get it.

I'd also recommend lidocaine, Eurax cream or another numbing cream for the rash. It's often quiet painful as well as itchy. Calamine only really helps with dryness and itching. Capsaicin cream is also useful but not often prescribed here but you may be able to purchase it depending on where you are.

Ds had it at 11 so definitely possible. Do you have a ghic and insurance if needs be?

Yes. You need to get her onto the specific treatment as soon as possible. Haste makes a difference as to long it takes to be free of Shingles and pain.

There is a very good vaccine now, usually for people older than 50.

My ds had it age 3 after chickenpox at 6 months old. In the UK poxclin and and virasoothe are often used on the spots and an antihistamine can help with itching. Oats in a bath can also help soothe the spots

Poxclin might be available there. It seems to show on Italian websites

Yes DS had it at 16. Have you asked the pharmacy what they do have that can help. When my other DS had chicken pox in Spain we were given a pink powder to put on the spots no idea what it was but it works like magic.

Edited to say it's called Talquistina