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Original poster

Shingles

11 replies

mez75 · 31/05/2004 18:23

My sister in law has just rang to say she has shingles! Ds was with her yesterday and now im worried he may get chicken pox. Does anyone know if children can get chicken pox this way?

OP posts:
NancyKominsky · 31/05/2004 18:48

Yes you definitely can! How old is ds? Probably good to get it out of the way. The incubation period is about 14 days. Phenergan is brilliant for stopping itching and making them sleep at night (must be over 2 though). Calamine lotion works a treat too. Good luck!

NancyKominsky · 31/05/2004 18:49

It doesnt work the other way round btw - chicken pox can't bring on an attack of shingles (contrary to popular belief).

noddy5 · 31/05/2004 18:52

I don't know about that.I have had shingles twice after being in contact with chicken pox.I have been told by my doctor to keep away from any person with chicken pox so best to check

survivour · 31/05/2004 19:04

if i remember rightly, shingles can only come up if you have previously had chicken pox. you cannot catch chicken pox from shingles, and then only if you are feeling very run down, then you get shingles. the chicken pox virus stays in your body, I should know, I have had chicken pox 4 times, and my dad came up in singles a little while ago, and the doctor kindly explained it all, dad was not impressed......

NancyKominsky · 31/05/2004 19:05

Sorry noddy5 about the shingles. But you really cannot catch it from chicken pox. You can only catch chicken pox from chicken pox, and then the virus lays dormant until your immune system is weakened. Then it reoccurs. So if you havent had cp, you would catch it from someone with cp. Shingles isnt reactivated by cp, in fact you are immune to cp. It is reactivated by a weakened immune system. They are the same virus and if you have the virus in your system you can't catch it again!

NancyKominsky · 31/05/2004 19:06

survivor - you probably caught cp from your dad rather than the other way around! Its just not scientifically possible to catch shingles from chicken pox. You either get chicken pox or nothing.

survivour · 31/05/2004 19:11

Hi NK, my last and 4th time i caught chichen pox i was 16, a very long time ago, dad has only recently had his bout of shingles, and yes we were told that the virus stays dormont in your body. And 1 of his 14 grandchildren gave it too him. I also has a heart baby he is almost 2, and we are told about all the viruses, just in case, as some can be fatal to him.

lou33 · 31/05/2004 19:12

Hope this helps

NancyKominsky · 31/05/2004 19:30

from the nhs website:
"A person with shingles can pass on the virus (which would cause chickenpox in another person who has not previously had chickenpox). The person is contagious until the last blister has scabbed over. The virus spreads through direct contact with open blisters. A person with chickenpox or shingles cannot give someone shingles as shingles is a re- activation of the virus."

Original poster
mez75 · 31/05/2004 19:31

Thanks, sister in law has had shingles 4 times now. Ds is 17mths old so there is a good possibility he will get chicken pox He has had abad cough and cold for a couple of day's to so he is run down. Looks like i'll have to stock up on the calamine lotion.

OP posts:
lou33 · 31/05/2004 20:08

Dd2 had shingles when she was 5, poor thing was in agony.

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