My 3-year old has shingles? Need to quaranteene her?

[moonInLion]

My DD (3y 4m) has been diagnosed with shingles today! (She had chickenpox twice as an infant.) She has a terrible rash on her left hip/upper leg/torso, but is otherwise happy as a peach. She says it's not itching, and not causing pain unless she/someone touches it. I didn't have the chance to talk to her school teacher (she's at fulltime Montessori school, as I am working full time), and wonder: would you send her to school? is it safe? Our doctor was not clear about it, only advised to keep her home if she is feeling cranky, and he wrote me a note for the school saying: "not infectious or contagious, but theoretically can cause chicken pox in another person if that person was not immunized or had chicken pox in the past. "
What would you do? What would your child's school do? (we are in Ontario).
I need to know what to prepare for in terms of childcare arrangements for the next 3 weeks until I am scheduled to go on maternity leave. Bad timing!
Thanks for quick feedback.

[chimomma]

According to that note from the doctor it sounds okay as long as your child is feeling well enough to be at school. Or maybe call the school and ask them what they think just so you are clear incase a classmate catches chicken pox from it? Just some ideas.

[mommyto4grits]

No advice here, just wanted to say I hope she is better fast. I had shingles and it is TERRIBLE! I didn't stay away from anyone and wasn't ever told too if that helps. Poor baby, thankfully she is getting this over with young and won't remember the pain.

[PatioGardener]

In Ontario you could call Public Health and see what they say. They have guidelines about most rash causing illnesses.

Me, I'd cover the rash completely with clothes and take the Dr's note to childcare.

[Bea]

I worked (as a nurse) with shingles with the ok of the Occupational Health dept.

You can only catch chicken pox from shingles if you come into direct contact with the fluid in the blisters (and then I imagine transfer it??? to your mouth? and open wound?) anyway, shingles isn't a huge concern for CP so long as the rash is covered by clothing.

[moonInLion]

thanks mamas. this sounds reassuring.
DD is much better already. I've done more reading and it is common that little ones don't experience pain or fever with shingles -- that seems to be the case with her as well.
it seems, we are over the worst if I look how the rash has been progressing, or rather not progressing, over the weekend. Her blisters look pretty dry to me now, not sore at all as they looked on Friday. Just little red bumps.
Hope her school agrees with me/you.