Can Shingles in Child Patients Occur?

Most of us have heard of kids getting sick of chicken pox but it is new for some of us to hear of shingles in child patients. Is it possible for shingles to occur in children?

Chicken Pox in Children

Chicken pox and shingles in child cases are caused by the exact same virus. These days, children are supposed to be vaccinated against chicken pox. In some cases though, chicken pox can occur in kids before they got vaccinated. Some can even develop some form of chicken pox after getting immunized. Kids who get chicken pox naturally get lifetime immunity against contracting the virus again from an external source.
Shingles in child patients is not expected because the virus is supposed to lie dormant for several decades. Shingles often erupts in adults when it is awakened or triggered by a weak immune system.

Shingles in Children

Shingles in child patients seems improbable and even some doctors tend to initially attribute the signs of shingles to some other condition or disease. It has been clearly observed and documented however that shingles can appear in kids as young as five years old. It is believed that children below 3 years who were born perfectly healthy rarely ever develop shingles.
Just like adult shingles, shingles in child patients is more painful and bothersome than chicken pox. Belt like rashes on one side of the body may appear and develop into fluid filled blisters. Shingles in child patients may also be accompanied by flu like symptoms. It is possible for the rashes to crust after 7 to 10 days even without medication.

Risk Factors

Different reasons have been put forth to explain why shingles in child patients appear. It is possible that pregnant women who catch chicken pox near the conclusion of the final term of pregnancy may cause early shingles in kids. Babies born of these mothers may also get sick of chicken pox after being born and then later develop shingles at an early age. Even healthy mothers however may not always be able to prevent shingles in their children. Babies who get chicken pox before they turn one have higher risks of getting shingles early. Of course, immunocompromised children who have had chicken pox may also suffer from an early shingles outbreak.

Spreading the Virus

It is possible for other kids to get chicken pox from direct contact with the fresh blisters of a child who has shingles. You should therefore keep you child at home until the blisters heal. Your child however may be able to go around as long as the blisters are completely covered.

When You Should Rush to the Doctor

Even though shingles in child patients can heal without medication, it is almost always advisable to see the doctor. Medication can speed up healing and relieve pain. You should also be extra concerned if your child’s blisters do not dry up after 10 days, if the blisters are located in the face area and if the blisters cause extreme pain. Blisters on the face in particular could lead to blindness, hearing impairment and facial paralysis.