Chicken Pox / Shingles Question

[Beauty]

About 4 weeks ago my grandmother found out she has the shingles. Well all last week John-Cole missed school because of a fever and coughing and runny nose. Well today when I got home I noticed that he has little red splotches...tiny tiny all over his stomach and his back. Now none of these have blisters or the white heads. Could this be the beginning of Chicken Pox? To me it looks almost like a heat rash but they are everywhere!! He is also red faced and flushed....any thoughts?

 

[twinz]

I am not a doctor or nurse. I do however work in a child care centre. Chicken Poxs tend to show up first in warmer areas...underarms, back of neck. I would say keep an eye on him and if your in doubt, have him checked out at the doctors.
Twinz

 

[damo]

When my kids got chicken pox it looked at first like they had a few mosquito bites. Sounds like John-Cole has something else. Probably a rash from the virus he has. I'd follow twinz advice and keep an eye on him.

 

[Saffron]

Has John Cole had chicken pox before, Beth? If he has, then it's probably not, he would most likely be immune to chicken pox. If he hasn't, then there is a good possibility. You can get chicken pox from shingles, but you can not get shingles from shingles. But, I don't know what chicken pox look like when they start or how they look as they first progress, just when they are full blown, so listen to the other posters too.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

More than likely it is chicken pox. I had shingles last year and what Saffron said is exactly what the doctor told me. If you've never had chicken pox, you can get them from someone with shingles. Of course, DW Lauri never had chicken pox, so I had to be extra careful around her until it ran its course.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Any parent who has seen chicken pox could look at it and tell you. When my kids had them, they just started as one or two spots that looked like mosquito bites, and itched. They have a small "head" like a blister. I took them to a neighbor with 4 older kids for a diagnosis.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Could be a viral rash following his illness last week or even fifths disease. Could be the beginning of chicken pox! My kids got the shot, so I don't know!

 

[annemariec]

Beauty, I copied the information below from "Ask Jeeves", for you. I was wondering what the incubation period is for chicken pox --- I couldn't remember. (7-21 days)

It's very likely John-Cole got the chicken pox from your grandmother's shingles. When I had shingles I was sent home from work and could not return until it scabbed over. The doctor told me I was highly contagious (for chicken pox).

What are the symptoms?
Chicken pox most often begins with a slight fever, body aches and loss of appetite. Within 1-2 days, the rash appears usually starting on the chest or back. Initially the rash begins as red spots which then rapidly form blisters and spreads to the rest of the body. The blisters open and form a crust or scab within a few days. The rash can continue to break out for 4-5 days as older lesions crust and heal. Itching can accompany the rash along with fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat and general body aches. It is unusual to have chicken pox more than once.

Is chicken pox contagious?
Chicken pox is contagious through direct contact with the fluid in the blisters and by airborne droplets that are inhaled. Incubation period is 7-21 days. A person is contagious from 1-2 days before the rash appears and until all the lesions form crusts.

What is the treatment?
Treatment is focused on relief of symptoms. Antihistamines or baths with colloidal oatmeal may help relieve itching. Tylenol or ibuprofen is used for fever or pain relief. Aspirin should be avoided. Antiviral drugs such as acyclovir may be prescribed. (A vaccine may be released in the near future.)

What is shingles?
Shingles is a painful skin eruption caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chicken pox. The virus remains dormant in a nerve root near the spinal cord after chicken pox. Fatigue,emotional upsets, immune suppressive drugs (such as corticosteriods), radiation therapy or unknown factors cause the virus to reactivate. When it reactivates, it travels down the nerve to the skin. Anyone can get shingles if they have had chicken pox but it is more likely to occur in older people.

Hope the info. helps and that John-Cole is comfortable soon. How's your grandmother??

Annemarie

 

[Mishetta]

Oh my gosh Beth, I hope the poor little guy doesn't have the chicken pox. I was thinking it sounded like a rash. I would take him in, none the less. I hate to fool around with stuff like that. But, I'm a little overboard on stuff like that. One child sneezes & to the doctor they go!

I hope all settles down there soon.

Good luck & let us know how J-C's doing.

Hugs,

Mishetta (Rose)

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Beauty, it could be strep throat turned into scarlet fever. I would get him rechecked if he did have the strep test already.
Or it could be chicken pox.
Or it could be just part of the viral illness he had. Sometimes a rash will follow.
:::D::: for getting well fast!

 

[Michelle]

It sounds like a viral rash to me, my daughter used to get those often after a viral illness. You'll know soon enough if it is chicken pox, it will start to itch. I tend to believe it's not, though.

Hope he's okay!

 

[lulugirl]

I had Shingles a few years ago, 2 weeks after I was diagnosed DH came down w/ chicken pox. How is your son doing now? If he has chicken pox,it will be obvious before long...
How is your grandmother doing? I was fortunate enough to have a mild case of shingles, but I think older people tend to be hit harder. (I was young when I had shingles, only 28). I also took the anti viral meds, which I think contributed to my case being mild.
They also prescribed the anti virals for Dh's chicken pox, but I'm not really sure if they give them to children.

Hope this helps, please let us know how John-Cole is.

 

[bumcat]

My son got shingles after he had chicken pox. The dr. asked for permission to let other drs. "view his body" because she said she had never seen a child with shingles. Poor thing was on display, LOL!

 

[browneyes]

My dd was 1, almost 2 when she had chicken pox. Her's started on her chest. She had a slight fever when she first broke out. It took awhile for the scabby blisters to form.

Red faced and flushed makes me think it's 5th Disease though. I've heard it starts out with a slight cold, low grade fever, and occasionally a rash.

If I were you, I'd call JC's ped and ask him/her what he/she thinks it could be. I'd also keep him away from anyone pregnant or any tiny babies until you find out for sure what the rash is.

 

[Keli]

It really doesn't sound like chicken pox to me. If the rash is still there in the morning I would take him to the dr though just to make sure it's not strep or something else that needs medication. Hope John-Cole feels better soon.

 

[Lezah]

I actually currently have Shingles. I've had the rash since the 3rd of January and it's driving me nuts. I'm sore from the top of my hip (where the first spot came) up to the bottom of my ear (where the last spot is). I've had to keep working during this time, cause I don't get paid if I don't. I'm usually okay during the day, but not by nighttime. I'm not contagious anymore cause I was on the antibiotic and the rash is totally crusty now. Really just looks like little dots now. My doctor tried to tell me that I couldn't give anyone chicken pox (I know that to be wrong of course). My DS8 has never had them, and we were actually hoping that he would, but if he doesn't have them by now, I guess he's not going to get them. I was kind of hoping that he would, cause we leave for our first ever cruise (on Royal Caribbean, not Disney unfortunately) in 69 days and I have visions of him getting them just before we go. The nerve pain, body aches are like a really bad case of the flu constantly. Well I'm gonna go have a nap now. Talk to you all later.