Looking for Flamesparrow (I think) for toddler herpes advice

[DorotheaPlenticlew]

On another old thread I was reading, someone was advised to put a shout out for "Flamey" -- not sure but is that the same person as flamesparrow?

Feel silly looking for someone I don't know, but could do with any advice going. DS (20m) had a primary herpes infection diagnosis this morning. Obv not the end of the world but not much fun for him at the moment -- really in lots of pain

TIA

She isn't around this w/e but hopefully someone else can help ...

Cheers

Calpol annd neurofen - the usual stuff

Was he diagnosed by a doc? I don't know about giving babies anti-viral meds but you should ask about it.

Yes, he had been wrongly diagnosed with impetigo at first and then we got revised diagnosis today by two doctors! Too late for antivirals though.

I guess I mainly want to hear other people's experience of general stuff like whether I should expect frequent recurrence, any ways to minimize it, whether there are any decent alternative thingies that might be helpful (eg essential oils, supplements, homeopathy) -- not that I am very hot on that stuff, but I would consider anything that might help DS. Basically I am looking for someone whose little one has herpes to tell me stuff the doctors may not have mentioned, and help me keep in perspective the fact that DS has a lifetime of potential cold sore annoyance in front of him!

There are worse things, I know, and neither me nor DP has ever had a cold sore so I may be over-worrying about this, I guess. It just sounds like it could be tough on DS at times though.

bump

Please don't waste your money on homeopathy. Just give him a balanced diet, and the potassium in bananas is said to help some lessen an attack. As for recurrence, these will usually come like colds, either when stressed or immunosuppresed, i.e. under the weather. A child suppliment might help, but again, nothing out of the orginary or super souped up!

Also, you actually don't have to actually get coldsores to still be a herpes carrier. DP gets coldsores, I don't yet I can't imagine that I haven't been exposed in the 10 years we've been together. Most people are carriers by the time they are adults, so please don't worry.

Thank you. Bananas are always popular with DS so that's good; although this morning he can't seem to manage anything at all (even yogurt) except milk. The main sore just looks absolutely dreadful and seems to grow each day! I think it's made worse by the fact he is dribbling all over the place, which keeps it very wet despite our best efforts.

Have given him his Abidec, which we don't normally bother with; so at least he might absorb some vitamins.

The first attackis always the worst. It won't be this bad again. Don't forget juice with or fruit after meals to help vitamin absorbsion.

You want slightlymadscientist, or whatever slightly mad object she is at the moment. I had a thread last week on the subject that she popped on to, so you could look for that and see if there's anything useful.

OK, I'll have a look. Do you think it is normal that the sores keep getting bigger and worse each day? This is Day 5 and I just had a good look and it really is quite shocking -- each big sore looks like loads of little ones run together, truly nasty-looking. I don't think it is infected but he is so miserable, it's breaking my heart.

His dad just got up and is playing with him, so hopefully that will distract him from the pain until he can have some more Calpol at 9:00!

Will look at other thread now, cheers.

A primary infection can be nasty. If you are at all worried you should ring NHS direct though.

Might do that. I'm also wondering if it is likely that the eczema on my hands/wrists will get infected somehow, but is that silliness? All the constant cleaning and washing to keep things from infecting DS's sores is making my hands crack even more than their charming usual amount.

(at fecking virus, not at DS obviously)

It's probable that you will already have the virus but just take normal precautions anyway.

Is there any way of saying roughly how long it should be before it turns a corner and starts to get gradually better rather than worse?

Herpes viruses cycle between periods of active disease?presenting as blisters containing infectious virus particles?that last 2?21 days, followed by a remission period, during which the sores disappear.

OK. I can see the older sores are darkening and trying to scab over (despite being coated in a constant wash of dribble), but new ones are emerging all the time too. So is it correct to assume the new ones may well keep on appearing for the whole 21 days? I am trying to keep DS as hygienic as poss but he is too little to understand about not touching his sore, itchy chin at all. Anyway the dribble gets absolutely everywhere. It is actually slightly better when he uses a dummy, as he then forgets to scratch/finger the sores.

We now have diarrhea going on too. Joy!

Ello

I'm not much help on how long they will last for I'm afraid - DS was caught early enough to have the antivirals which were a lifesaver.

Your eczema should be fine - the majority of the population afaik carry the herpes virus anyway, so you could well have it in you already iyswim.

Agree about the first attack being the worst. I panicked so much when DS got a sore the second time, picturing the hell of the first, but it ended up being just the one or two sores that he didn't even notice.

Since then (happened first at 10 months, he is now 3.3) we have had a few sores (just one at a time), normally after a cold, but def not after every illness etc, and he doesn't even notice they are there, he just looks sore iyswim. Nothing you can do to prevent imo - you can use aciclovir creams (zovirax etc) from 2yrs old, but unless you get them at the first tingle, they rarely do much more than keeping it soft, and a small child can't tell you when they tingle iyswim.

It is rough, but lots of cuddles and calpol and he will get through it