Uninvited Houseguest......ie Another Bout Of Shingles

[Mosaic]

Not really a question, just a 'why me' and an 'oh no' and the whiling away the time till the GP opens. Also worried as I was cuddling 11-week old grandchild till yesterday teatime. It's all my fault now if he gets chicken pox :(

[Sqad]

Tough luck Mosaic.
It is extremely unlikely that your 11 week old grandchild will get chickenpox especially if his mother has had the disease.

[Mosaic]

Thank you Sqad - available to bear your children once shingles has subsided.

[Sqad]

LOL.....watch it......I may take you up on that..;-)

[Mosaic]

I'll sort out appropriate undies, must have summat that hasn't been used as a duster.....

[slaney]

If you are one of the unfortunate 7% who get recurrent shingles Mosaic, it may be worth asking your GP about Zoster vaccination.

As sqad says your grandson is unlikely to get chickenpox - the reason being with shingles one is only infectious when the blisters appear, and I presume they weren't there yesterday.
Passive immunity with antibodies from the mother would be on the wane at 11 weeks. My own daughter got it at 4 weeks old, but mildly with only a handful of spots.

[Mick-the-Miller]

Quite subtle this - you can get shingles only if you have already had chickenpox.

The virus that causes chickenpox retreats to nerves located near the spine, where the virus remains dormant until it re-emerges as shingles, often during a period of stress or weakened immunity.

You cannot give shingles to someone else, and you cannot catch shingles from someone with shingles.

However, if you have an active attack of shingles, you can give someone chickenpox if that person makes direct contact with the sores and has never been exposed to chickenpox. Keeping the sores covered under clothing or by plasters will help prevent the spreading of the virus - and chickenpox - to others.

A vaccine, called Zostavax can help prevent an attack of shingles or help prevent a recurrence. Shingles is a nasty and uncomfortable condition, particularly if you get on your head - it would be definitely a good idea to get vaccinated with Zostavax to prevent any recurrence.

[pixie373]

If your daughter is still breastfeeding and she has had chicken pox, the baby's immunity will be excellent. My daughter got two chicken pox spots when i was still feeding her.

[Mosaic]

Thanks Pixie - very reassuring