Dr. Lynn Cates
Specializing in pediatric infectious diseases and childhood immunizations.
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 Ask Dr. Cates
Young Infant Exposed to Shingles | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Cates,
My sister just came down with shingles, which I understand is a form of the chickenpox. My son who is two months old has been held, kissed, and changed by her. Will he get the chickenpox? If so, what danger is he in? I heard of some cases that the child became retarded because of how they handled the situation. Thank you.— Very Worried Mom | | | ANSWER |
July 23, 2002 | | | Dear Very Worried Mom,
You are absolutely right that shingles is related to chickenpox.
Shingles is caused by reactivation of the chickenpox virus many years after the original chickenpox episode. It is not thought to be as contagious as chickenpox (possibly because it often is located on a part of the body that is covered with clothes), but sometimes a person can come down with chickenpox after exposure to someone who has shingles. This means that it is possible that your son could get chickenpox from your sister.
The good news is that, in general, otherwise healthy children who get chickenpox in the first year of life sometimes have milder disease than older children and adults because they may still have some protection from antibodies they got from their mother during pregnancy (that is, of course, if the mother had chickenpox earlier).
However, to be on the safe side, if your son has any health problems, is on any medications, or if he looks like he may be getting chickenpox (e.g., gets a fever or rash), you should discuss this exposure with his healthcare provider to see if he needs any special treatment. Also, remember that when he reaches his first birthday, you can protect him from chickenpox by having him immunized with the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine.
— by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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