Shingles In Toddlers – 3 Causes & 11 Symptoms You Should Be Aware Of

Written by Ria Saha
Last Updated on
Shingles In Toddlers

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Is your toddler suffering from an onset of shingles? Do you notice rashes all over his face? Are you worried about your toddler’s health condition? If you nodded along solemnly, you might want to read our post. Here we talk about shingles in toddlers.

The typical skin infection gives rise to painful skin rashes. Though it is a curable disease, it is very important to seek medical guidance, during the disease’s early stage. Read more on whether is shingles contagious to toddlers or not.

What Is Shingles?

The harmful virus-varicella-zoster virus is responsible for shingles in toddlers. On recovering from chicken pox, the virus can often trigger shingles in toddlers. The painful skin rashes appear on your child’s face and other surrounding skin regions of the body. (1)

Symptoms Of Shingles In Toddlers:

Shingles have many symptoms, and some shingles in toddlers symptoms include:

  1. Painful rashes develop on a certain area of the skin including face, mouth, hand and legs.
  1. Skin irritation or excessive itching in a specific skin region.
  1. Red blotches appear that further develop into itchy fluid-filled blisters.
  1. Shingles can affect your toddler’s eyes, and he may predominantly suffer from optical shingles. The virus attacks the ophthalmic nerve and causes painful eye inflammation, to cause temporary loss of vision.
  1. Fever with intense chilling.
  1. Nausea.
  1. Stomach upset.
  1. Swollen Glands.
  1. Joint pain.
  1. Headache.
  1. Sensitivity to touch. (2)

[ Read: Hives In Toddlers ]

Causes Of Shingles In Toddlers:

Here we look at some of the probable causes of shingles:

  1. Toddlers who have already suffered from chicken pox are more prone to shingles. The virus responsible for chicken pox is the the varicella-zoster virus. Some traces of the virus present in the body, harshly affect the central nervous system. The condition can trigger shingles.
  1. Toddlers with a weak immune system are more likely to contract the disease-producing virus. Toddler suffering from leukemia or HIV have lower immunity. These toddlers are more prone to viral attacks.
  1. Toddlers, whose mothers suffer from chicken pox during pregnancy or breastfeeding phase, are at an increased risk of contracting shingles. (3)

[ Read: Symptoms Of Chicken Pox In Toddlers ]

Diagnosing Shingles In Toddlers:

  • To diagnose shingles, doctors may inquire about your toddler’s history and examine the skin rashes and blisters.
  • The doctors may take a tissue scraping test to ascertain the disease. (4)

Side Effects Of Shingles:

Individuals with shingles suffer from complicated health conditions, like:

  • Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN)
  • Transverse myelitis (inflammation of the spinal cord)
  • Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)
  • White patches due to loss of pigment in the rash area
  • Peripheral motor neuropathy
  • Eye problems (ophthalmic shingles) (5)

[ Read: German Measles In Toddlers ]

Treating Shingles In Toddlers:

There are many methods to treat shingles in toddlers, which include:

  • Calamine lotion on the skin surface can induce a cooling and soothing effect on the itching sensation.
  • Antihistamines can prevent itching.
  • Painkilling medication- Acetaminophen, Opioids and Tricyclic antidepressants.
  • Antiviral medicine- Aciclovir (Zovirax), Valaciclovir (Valtrex) and Famciclovir(Famvir). (6)

[ Read: Symptoms Of Molluscum Contagiosum In Toddlers ]

Preventing Shingles In Toddlers:

Here are some prevention tips to ensure your toddler does not contract shingles:

  1. Try to keep the skin clean and dry. With proper hygienic habits, the infection would not spread to other skin areas.
  1. Get your toddler to wear loose and comfortable cotton clothes, to prevent skin irritation.
  1. Avoid excessive scratching.
  1. Keep the skin rashes covered and not exposed to the atmosphere.

With proper curative measures and effective medications, you can treat your toddler shingles. But if your toddler fails to respond to medications, consult a pediatrician immediately.

Has your toddler suffered from shingles? What medications and treatments did the doctor suggest? Share your experiences, with other mommies here! Leave a comment below.

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