Can Children Get Shingles?

By HelloLife

Although possible, it is rare for children to get shingles.

Shingles is caused by the chickenpox virus reactivating. The chickenpox virus lies dormant in the spinal nerves after the outbreak clears up. For reasons unknown, sometimes the virus comes back, resulting in shingles.
Usually only older people or people with suppressed immune systems get shingles.
Children who get shingles are usually over the age of 3.
A person can only get shingles after they have had chickenpox.
Usually, people only get shingles once. Only 5% of people experience a second outbreak of shingles.

What Does Shingles Look Like in Children?

Shingles presents as a rash in one area of the body, usually the torso. Most children will not experience pain and itching, although it is possible.

What Should I Do to Treat Shingles?

Do not give your child aspirin because it may cause a condition called Reye's syndrome.
You may apply aloe vera gel or calamine lotion to soothe itching.
Cold compresses also help relieve discomfort.
Discourage your child from scratching or picking at the blisters.
Do not bandage the blisters.
Keep your child home from school for a week.

Contagiousness

Your child can transmit the chickenpox virus during a shingles outbreak, so keep him or her away from children who have not had chickenpox. Shingles itself is not contagious.

When to Contact Your Health Practitioner

Call your health practitioner immediately if the rash is near the eyes or nose. Eye infections of shingles can result in blindness.

Call your health practitioner if:

The rash is extremely itchy or painful
The rash lasts for two weeks
The blisters become infected (look for pus or yellow scabs)

Signs and Symptoms

The following are things to watch for that may indicate shingles.

Pain in the nerves where the virus hides (near the spine).
Pain on the skin.
Spots in one area of the body, usually a band around the torso, but can occur in other places too.
Spots become blisters full of clear liquid.

Long Term Effects

Sometimes shingles can leave behind a condition called postherpetic neuralgia. This is pain on the skin that occurs because of nerve damage caused by the outbreak. Usually it goes away after a few months as the nerves heal, but sometimes it doesn't. You should see your health practitioner if your child is complaining of pain after a shingles outbreak.

Sources:

http://www.fda.gov/FDAC/features/2001/301_pox.html

http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=285&id=1489

http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/pa/pa_shingles_hhg.htm

16 Comments

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HelloLife Guest
I had shingles once; some roofers took care of it though :-)
Commented on HelloLife March 12 2009 at 8:37 am
HelloLife
We had no choice but to approve this comment. :)
Commented on HelloLife March 12 2009 at 12:17 pm
HelloLife Guest
I agree with almost everything in this article. Except that you do not have to have had chicken pox to get shingles. My 6 year old has never had them and she has shingles. And she is in alot of pain and she says they are extremely itchy. But I absolutely agree with everything else.
Commented on HelloLife July 31 2009 at 2:28 pm
HelloLife Guest
Has your daughter ever had the chicken pox vaccine? The chicken pox vaccine allows for small doses of the virus to get into your system so that your body can build up immunities to it. So if she has had the vaccine but has not had full blown chicken pox than the shingles would have to have come from the vaccine. It is impossible to get shingles without having the viral strain of chicken pox dormant in your system. Shingle formation after chickenpox vaccination has a low percent of occurrence, but it does happen. http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4202.pdf
Commented on HelloLife September 11 2009 at 3:30 pm
HelloLife Guest
Can you spread the shingles rash on your body by washing, or touching, the rash, and then washing or touching other areas?
Is the outbreak always limited to one side (left or right) of the body?
Commented on HelloLife September 14 2009 at 4:59 pm
HelloLife Guest
My Daughter has shingles also. She is 8. She has never had chicken pox. it sucks!
Commented on HelloLife September 28 2009 at 12:43 pm
HelloLife Guest
My son got it when he was 3 years old and he has never had chicken pox either, he gets it at least once a year though each year is less and less but he still gets it though. Does any one know why kids get it? and will it ever go away?
Commented on HelloLife November 09 2009 at 4:48 pm
HelloLife Guest
My son is 6 and has been diagnosed with shingles. It has started on his lower back area and moved down the nerve root all the way to his foot. It was caught early and he HAS NEVER had chicken pox only the vaccine. Not something I would wish on anyone.
Commented on HelloLife November 15 2009 at 6:28 pm
HelloLife Guest
I had shingles when I was 11 or 12. I had never had chicken pox. I beleive there was no chicken pox vaccine when I was 11 or 12 which would have been 1950 or 1951. And at any rate I was not vaccinated against chicken pox.
Commented on HelloLife May 01 2010 at 11:32 pm
HelloLife Guest
From the comments here - it looks like it is NOT NECESSARY to have had chicken pox or the chicken pox vaccine to get shingles.
Commented on HelloLife May 01 2010 at 11:37 pm
HelloLife
Mary,
My son got a nasty case of shingles at age 3. He was the youngest case on record in the state of New Hampshire. When chicken pox went through our house most of the children (5) at the time got very strong cases except the baby. He got only one or two spots and we were not convinced that he actually caught chicken pox. At age 3 years he came down with a case of shingles - most of the nerves in his body were affected. They did not last long but it was definitely shingles. I believe that you need that chicken pox virus in the body to get shingles.
Commented on HelloLife May 03 2010 at 2:58 pm
HelloLife Guest
I had shingles when I was 6 for months!! They were incredibly itchy!
And I had them in two different places
Commented on HelloLife November 15 2010 at 9:21 pm
HelloLife Guest
My daughter has been diagnosed with shingles, today, she is 9 and never had chicken pox.
Commented on HelloLife March 15 2011 at 9:09 am
HelloLife Guest
My Daughter is 9 now, she has had shingles 6 times since the age of 3! She also as many others of you have stated did not have chicken pox prior to shingles but her MD did say more and more children are getting shingles versus Chicken Pox now that we are giving the Varicella vac.! Hers usually starts on her back or under her arms!! I have an immune def. which my immuno doc. says is related to me having chicken pox 2 times (both bad cases) as a child which then was a lil rare!! So definitly a lil concerned this may be an issue we will be facing in the near future!! :(
Commented on HelloLife June 06 2011 at 5:05 am
HelloLife Guest
My very healthy and extremely active breast fead 11 year old now has a mild case of shingles.....he has never had chicken pox and was immunized for it. He mentioned a pain in his arm, that coupled with what we thought was contact dermatitis prompted us to seek out our family doctor. He played 7 games of road hockey this weekend and enjoyed 2 hours of golf, and 2 soccer games....he seems no worse for ware...hope this helps.....he would fall into the healthy but got the very freakish chance of contracting the virus from the vaccine.
Commented on HelloLife June 21 2011 at 9:09 pm
Charli
My 10 yr old daughter developed a rash under her arm, more on her back and her school nurse said it looks like shingles, she doesn't have health insurance because of the stupid medicaid laws here and I thought it was just a rash, I have to take her to the er when she gets home from school and I feel bad because I didn't realize it could be something this serious, I didn't think kids could get it, and she also HAS NOT had chickenpox... What is the point of the vaccine if they get something worse!
Commented on HelloLife January 19 at 12:04 pm