Shingles and Chicken Pox

[orca]

My husband has shingles. Poor guy. We have a 6 year old, 3 year old and a 16 week old baby in the house. None have any vaccines for chicken pox. From what I've read, the shingles can cause a pox infection in my susceptible children. The two older ones should handle it well. They are healthy and it's a good time for them to get this over with. I have major concerns about my infant, however. He has terrible GERD and is taking medication twice a day to help alleviate his discomfort. He also has pretty bad laryngomalacia, but this has improved over the past month. I'm really worried how he will handle the added stress to his respiratory system with congestion or any added cold/ flu like symptoms. I've totally quarantined my DH from the baby, but it may be too late. We didn't start this until day 5 of the shingles (when he got a diagnosis). The baby is breast fed and I have immunity to the pox.

Has anyone had their children contract the pox from a family member with shingles? Is this a certainty or is there a chance it will pass us by? Also, what can/ should I do for this baby if/ when he starts with the pox? I'm concerned that he is going into this unwell...

Thanks!

[ikesmom]

Just wanted to say last year my dh had shingles and we also questioned if my 4 yr old would catch it in the form of pox. He had eczema as a baby and we have been told that kids who had eczema had a harder time with the chicken pox. He did not show any signs of pox or anything. Dh stayed in our bedroom most of the time because he was really miserable and taking strong pain killers. Good luck and hugs to you for dealing with shingles. I wanted to mention my dh used bee propolis tincture topically and this helped to dry up the shingles. 

[texmati]

I just had a shingles scare-- We ended up goign to the doctor, who said that while chicken pox is highly contaigious, shingles is much less so. You just need to make sure that there is no contact with the actual lesions (wash hands well!). I'd keep all the kiddos away if possible because if the contract cp, it will be much more contagious.

[littlest birds]

My ds had shingles when he was 5yo.  (Yes, this is very unusual)  He and his twin sister had chicken pox when they were about 4mos old (when older dd had them).  His twin sister then caught chicken pox for a second time from him.  And our younger dd caught them too after the shingles--for the first time for her.

We made no effort to avoid contact among them at any point, but yes they were contagious.

[texmati]

Wow! our doctor told us DS could see his grandpa as long as all the lesions were covered-- and that they send kids with shingles to school! I wonder if they just assume that kids will be vaxed?

I really didn't want to risk it as I'm hoping this baby comes any day now.

Originally Posted by littlest birds 

My ds had shingles when he was 5yo.  (Yes, this is very unusual)  He and his twin sister had chicken pox when they were about 4mos old (when older dd had them).  His twin sister then caught chicken pox for a second time from him.  And our younger dd caught them too after the shingles--for the first time for her.

We made no effort to avoid contact among them at any point, but yes they were contagious.

[babymommy2]

shingles is spread from the fluid of the lesions, so if your dh keeos covered, don't share towels, etc, your baby should be okay. If your older kids do catch chicken pox from your dh's shingles, then it will be more likely for your baby to catch it from them as chicken pox is spread via direct contact with vesicle fluid, but also by respiratory secretions, airborne, droplet, so chickenpox is much more easy to spread than shingles is. All  you have to do is cough on someone.