Has anyone's child had shingles?

[Lizzylou]

DS1 (6) had a rash under his armpit, we thought it was a sweat rash, but it didn't clear up and then he got another rash on his back. Not huge, just a few red raised spots.

Took him to the GP who has said it is shingle and he is not to go to school/activities/near other children until it clears up, which could be 10 days.

He feels totally fine, rash isn't even itchy, no temperature, nothing.

So, has anyone's DC had shingles so young and how long did it take to clear up?
He will be climbing the walls soon!

It's usually a painful rash. Is he run down at all?

My dh apparently had it as a child.

Usually as long as the rash is kept covered, I didn't think it was contagious.

No Belgo, he is totally fine in himself and the rash doesn't hurt him at all.
Have just had a look and it appears to be getting a bit smaller under his arm.
The GP said he wasn't to go to school or mix with other children at all, nor go to MIL's birthday meal tomorrow (SIL has a new baby).
We are back at GPs this afternoon as she wanted to check on him.
He is just gutted that he is missing school.

I had shingles but at abit older. It didn't take too long to clear up, but from time to time I get bad pains in the area. Mine was on my head though and leaving my hair wet and going outside seems to set it off. It may get painful so really believe that he is in pain and give painkillers. It may not get painful, but when mine did it was the worst pain I had ever felt.

It isn't contagious as such but I think it can cause chicken pox so would obviously be bad for a baby etc.

Agree keep him away from a new born baby.

Do you think it's shingles?

Oh no, ASecret,the GP rang the Paed at the hospital as there are no anti-virals suitable for his age. So nothing he can take.
I keep asking him if he is OK/in pain, he is getting sick of me now!

I am not sure it is Shingles, but can see that there is a definite start and end point which shingles has (under arm and then on his back).
I am just confused that he is so well iyswim.

I am definitely keeping him away from nephew, no fear.

just see what the doctor says this afternoon then.

It would be a shame if he missed so much school if it's not necessary.

ds had shingles recently at the age of 3 although it was misdiagnosed as eczema by the first doctor!! It was too late for anti-virals when it was finally worked out what it was and afaik he didnt give anyone chicken pox even though he was at nursery when he was most contagious. Chicken pox can only be passed on from shingles through direct contact with fluid from the blisters so as long as they are covered he shouldnt pass anything on. My ds was fine too and didnt have a temperature or anything.

NHS says this:

Should I keep my child off school?

If your child has shingles, you should only keep them away from school if the rash is weeping (oozing fluid) and cannot be covered or if they are feeling unwell. If the rash is only on their body and can be covered by clothing, there is little risk of your child passing on the infection.

Adults can also return to work as soon as they feel well enough, provided that the rash can either be covered or the blisters have dried up.

I should say I wasn't ill with it, like fluey or anything. It was just painful. I was run down, but that prob. caused the shingles rather than the other way around

My ds had this when he was 10,he was fine to start with but had pain when the blisters started to crust over,I dont think he was actually ill with it but remember using lots of calamine.
A result of this was ds3 got chicken pox which came on whilst we were on holiday,I had to visit a gp as the chicken pox went into his eye and this gp told me that there were anti virals for shingles but not often prescribed unless other underlying health reasons,

I had to keep ds of school because there was a child in his class in remission from lulaemia,so could have been very serious if he had passed it on to this child.The head actually contacted the lea to see when it was allright for my ds to return to school.

I hope you manage to keep your ds occupied,its the only time I van remember my ds actually being desperate to go to school.

Ahhh, Seona, thank you.
The GP seemed confused, when I said we were going to his Grandmothers she gasped and said he could give her shingles (which we read later he couldn't, as you say) she has had shingles anyway. It is obviously newborn nephew that we would be avoiding, he has been poorly anyway, so would take no chance at all.

Hmm, will quiz her further today, hopefully he will be back at school on tuesday.

OK, now I am wondering if the GP thinks she'd made a mistake. She just rang and asked how DS1 was then asked us to come in this morning rather than this afternoon.
Very wierd.
Oh well, she is being thorough I suppose!

let us know what she says!

DS had shingles when he was 5. TBH he was very poorly with it for a fortnight - high fever, terrible pain from the rash, which was awful, I've never seen anything like it. It looked as though someone had burnt hot oil onto his back - he still has a lot of scarring, a year on. He was given antivirals and is usually perfectly healthy. I am surprised that you can get such a mild version of shingles.

My DS2 had SHingles like you describe. Has your GP given any antibiotics? DS2 had ABs and they knocked him out. The rash itself had completly cleared within around 4 days but the lethargy lingered for a while.

It can get pretty nasty quite quickly.

Anti Virals i mean

DS2 is slightly scarred where his shingles were.

OK GP has confirmed shingles (she got another GP to come in and give a second opinion), he has some anti-virals and sudocrem to stop the sores spreading.

He is still completely well and bored.

Will keep an eye on him though as from what you've said he could get worse.

This week I have mainly learned that children can get shingles, I never knew.

Thanks all, by the way, I have been really worried