Handling when children have shingles

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Le Thi Thu Hang - Dermatologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.
Shingles or shingles in children is a very dangerous disease if not treated promptly. The disease often makes parents worry about how to handle shingles for children as quickly as possible without leaving scars.

1. What is shingles in children?

Children with immature immune systems are more susceptible to shingles than adults. Shingles also known as shingles (zoster or herpes zoster) in children is a very dangerous disease, the disease causes blisters, blisters on the skin, if not treated early, can become infected.
Because young children can't speak or describe exactly how they feel when they are sick, parents need to observe the external manifestations so that they can have appropriate treatment for shingles in their children. Shingles is not contagious, but chickenpox can be transmitted to someone who has not had chickenpox or has not been vaccinated against chickenpox.

2. Causes of shingles in children

Due to the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus, weak resistance is a favorable condition for the virus to attack. Because now the activity of the virus is not hindered by antibodies. When the weather is cold, high humidity is favorable conditions for the virus to cause disease. In children who have had chickenpox, what causes the virus to reactivate in the body has not been determined. However, this condition rarely occurs in children under 3 years of age.

3. Symptoms of shingles

From the first 1-3 days on the baby's skin, there are red rashes, blisters in clusters, pain, maybe a little itching. If you pay attention, you will see that the child often scratches or rubs this area of ​​​​the skin more. There are children with mild fever of about 37.5 - 38.5 degrees Celsius, poor appetite, body aches and pains.
Then these red pimples blister up and turn white with pus inside. At this time, the child will be more fussy, tired, uncomfortable and easily stop eating. Due to pain and fatigue, children often do not want to eat as well as always irritable, often cry. If left untreated, it takes about 2-3 weeks for the blisters to burst on their own and leave a scar on the child's skin.
Other symptoms are pain, hearing loss in one ear, loss of taste in the front of the tongue, dizziness, dizziness, tinnitus, and possibly weakness in one side of the face. Sometimes, the hearing loss and facial paralysis are irreversible. Some cases can lead to blood infection if the wounds are not cared for and cleaned properly.

4. How to treat shingles for children safely

Shingles in children will not be too dangerous if detected early and treated promptly and properly. Limit children's contact with siblings in the house to prevent disease transmission. Let children drink more water, especially fruit juices, eat enough nutrients to increase resistance. When treating children at home, parents should consult with their doctor about the cleaning of blisters and blisters on the skin and the use of topical medications. If home treatment does not relieve the pain of shingles, parents should take the child to see a specialist.

5. Instructions for taking good care of skin sores caused by shingles

During the child's illness, parents should still clean the child's body regularly. When the blisters blister and burst, the baby needs to be watched carefully, avoiding the cord to the healthy skin next to it. First of all, parents need to prevent children from scratching or scratching the sores. If left untouched, the blister will scab over and fall off naturally without scarring.
Cold compresses and moist compresses can be used if they make the child more comfortable. After applying cold, parents should apply lotion to help soothe the child's skin if there is no blistering case.
Do not mix salt water yourself to disinfect the skin because the concentration may be too concentrated to cause damage to the baby's skin, so use 0.9% physiological saline to clean the diseased skin twice a day. Need to shower daily to clean the skin, avoid superinfection.

6. Using medicine to treat shingles

If your child has postherpetic neuralgia, which usually appears 30-60 days after the rash or after the scar heals, you need to give your child pain medication. Parents can give their child an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen.
Consult your doctor before using any over-the-counter pain reliever, as over-the-counter pain relievers containing acetaminophen can cause liver damage when taken in excess.
Solution to cool the skin, relieve itching: zinc cream, lake...
Topical antibiotics such as Bactroban, Fucidin... Use these drugs when the skin shows signs of infection.
Apply Methylene blue medicine: Parents should buy with a bottle of physiological saline, medical gauze, cotton wool. Gently clean the child's skin when there is a phenomenon of shingles with physiological saline. Then use a cotton swab to lightly dab green medicine on the acne particles that have not yet become blisters.

7. Note when treating shingles for children

To prevent shingles from spreading to other areas of the child's body and to help the child recover faster, parents should note:
Always keep the child within sight and prevent the child from scratching the injury. Only when left untouched, can the blisters quickly dry out and scab over naturally without causing bad scarring on the skin. In contrast, scratching by children can cause blisters to burst, causing a high risk of superinfection. Applying a cold washcloth to the scarred area that has not yet formed a blister can help your child feel more comfortable. Keep the affected area of ​​your child's skin clean by rinsing it with clean water. Do not use soap to wash the wound, causing irritation and stinging. When applying medicine or washing wounds for children, parents should not use their hands directly. Instead, wear medical gloves to avoid being infected with the virus.

8. When children have shingles, how should they eat?

Foods to eat:
Fresh fruits and vegetables are considered very good products for shingles patients, especially bananas. They contain a lot of vitamin B6 which is beneficial for the nervous system. Give your child foods rich in vitamin C, green vegetables and fruits to supplement the necessary nutrients to help increase the child's resistance. Avoid letting your child eat sweets and canned foods while sick. Fish and poultry are also a food with many essential amino acids for children. Unrefined whole grains can help keep the body functioning properly by providing some healthy vitamins and fiber to optimize a child's digestive system. Let your child drink plenty of water. Add lemon juice, fresh orange juice to increase detoxification and vitamin content for the body. Foods not to eat:
Abstain from eating some foods that can cause bad scars on the child's skin such as: sticky rice, water spinach, hot spicy foods, stimulants... Foods containing Gelatin and Collagen tend to promote shingles virus such as: Wheat, oats, white bread, .. In chocolate contains a lot of Arginine. It's an active ingredient that can cause shingles to flare up and cause pain in children. Refined grains and seeds are quite high in Arginine, which makes shingles symptoms worse. Cashews, pumpkin seeds, and macadamia nuts also have a fairly high percentage of Arginine. Walnuts, sesame seeds, almonds and hazelnuts are equally high in Arginine. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the consumption of these foods. When having shingles, children need to avoid fast food, junk food of all kinds. Drinks with sugar and caffeine should be avoided

9. Prevention of shingles in children

Vaccinate children against chickenpox. Do not share eating utensils, personal items with sick people because it can spread infection. Do not come into direct contact with body fluids of an infected person. Disinfect items that the sick person has used to minimize the risk of infection. Feed children a nutritious diet to increase the body's resistance and prevent the activity of the virus that causes disease. See your doctor right away if you develop symptoms of illness. Eat a lot of green vegetables, meat, fish and fruits to improve resistance, increase the ability to prevent disease from the inside. Do not let other children share personal items with sick children. Children's clothes should choose a type of light, airy material so that the child feels comfortable. Wash your hands often before eating. To prevent shingles, you can go to Vinmec International General Hospital for advice, scheduling and vaccination against chickenpox to prevent the disease in the safest and most effective way. All biological products and vaccines at Vinmec are of clear origin; preserved on the cold chain according to strict standards of the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization. Customers are examined and screened before injection, and their health is monitored after injection to ensure the highest safety and effectiveness of vaccination.
Doctor Thu Hang has over 10 years of experience in the field of dermatology. Especially experienced in the treatment of adult and pediatric skin diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, autoimmune and rare skin diseases. The doctor has obtained certificates and university degrees at home and abroad such as: Degree I - Dermatology, Hanoi Medical University, DFMS Degree - Dermatology, University of Paris XIII, France before becoming a doctor. dermatology at the Department of Internal Medicine, Vinmec Hai Phong Hospital today.

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