Hi,
My son got herpes 1 when he was very young. He is now five and everytime he gets sick the virus comes out. He gets in around his right eye and also in his eye. Usually on his nose too. We use zovirax(acyclovir) for the skin and drops for his eye but I'm trying to find out if there is something better. His outbreaks are really bad when it happens and he looks just like rocky did after his boxing match when they had to slice his eye open. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Jean

Poor little guy. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif Have you talked to his doctor about whether he's at a safe age for any of the antiviral drugs? If he is able to go on a preventive, daily dosage at times when you know he's likely to get an OB, it might either prevent it entirely or at least make it milder and heal faster. Just a thought.

There are also some alternative remedies out there you might want to try, but I'd be careful about them because of his age. His system is likely to be more sensitive to things and I doubt much is known that's concrete about alternative remdies regarding age considerations. A qualified naturopath with a thriving full-family practice might be able to advise you about that based on their training and experience.

Good luck!

TheOneInFour

I know EXACTLY what you are dealing with, my son got the virus very young,4 months old,he to has it in his right eye.He is now 11 years old.Dr.'s almost did the same procedure on him ,rolling the eye ball inside to let it heal.Tell me is he on an oral ancyclor(liquid?)
and what type of doctors treat his herpes?It took years to finally get the right compination of specalist and meds to gain control of the 30 plus out breaks a year.I have a pedeatric infectous disease specialist who admits him into the hospital any time the ob is to close to the eye or if the ob is really severe.this is to get him on the iv ancycloir asap
it is faster and much more effective.the damage had already been done cause he has 20/400 vision in that eye and needs a corneal transplant someday.Its too bad you are so far away were in ca cause my son thinks he's the only kid on the plant that has this awful problem.they both might feel better knowing their not alone.glad to be of help anytime

Hi dquist,

Wow, I can't believe I found someone with the same problem. I could imagine how an 11 year old would feel with the virus. My son gets a little embarrased and he's 5. He is not on the liquid acyclovir, its a cream in a tube and I put it on his skin. For inside the eye my doctor gives me viroptic drops which I use every 2 hours till its under control. We have been to 3 different specialist and they haven't said anything different to use. I have been researching but I need to go farther. I'm hoping that he gets less outbreaks the older he gets. How has it been for you. Does your son seem to get less as he gets older? Do you know how he got it. I believe my son got it when he was a few months old and my friend that gets them on the lips kissed him under his eye with one on her lip. My mom was holding him at the time she kissed him and she swears thats how it began and now she "hates" my friend for it. I never said anything to the friend but I can't help but be alittle angry inside everytime he gets an outbreak. That was a life sentence she gave him. Well I'd love it if you e-mailed me and filled me in on the liquid acyclovir and other things that you tried. I'm sorry your son lost some of his vision. So far my sons vision is ok. We go to wills eye hospital when he gets an outbreak and they keep a close watch on it. My son is the middle child. I have a 12 year old Daughter, and an 18 month old son. Hope to hear from you soon.
Jean

[This message has been edited by jeanej1 (edited 11-26-2002).]

wow is right,your starting to scare me cause I also have a 12 year old daughter and a 16 month old baby
mines a girl though.Listen as much info and experiences I can share with you and given the amount of space provided on this site I'll e-mail you with my phone number anyone else reading this can e-mail for needed herpes of the eye related questions cause Ive been through it all with my son and still dealing withit daily cause he also has adhd and anxeity attacks
making it a very vicious cycle anyway its

I'm so sorry about your boys. I am now 43 years old and I was infected as a child also as your son's. Also at the age of about 4 or 5 in the same area only in my case it was the left eye. I know what you mean about the "Rocky" appearance. There is an old post on here I wrote titled "I must be the only one......." if you would like to read it. I also felt alone. In my post you will read also that as bad as it was it does get better. Only wish some one could have told me then because at the time I thought my life was doomed to the constant outbreaks and the pain. Today
I'm happy, own my own business, and although the virus is still there ( occasional tingling in the area won't let me forget ) I haven't had a severe breakout or the terrible pain and pressure in my eye since I was 20. It will get better for them also.

From some one that's been there

thank you for the support.did you have alot of problems at school ? boy's are now teasing my son saying none of the girls like him because he's diseased
he gets very depressed. he will be going to junior high next year.should i change school districts? are you willing to share some secrects to your survival????
cause I worry that one day he might get to down......
he also has adhd and anxiety attacks which he now takes paxal ritlin and ancyclovior daily quite a lot for an 11 year old.
Jean my e-mails aways come back un deliveable i did get your last one before x-mas thank you
sorry if you dont want to share your soul if not I understand . thank you

Hi....I never told anyone what I had. I got very creative with explaining to anyone that asked what it was. But for the most part I never used the word "Herpes" because remember this was the late 60's early 70's and I had only heard it referred to as "my condition". Only when I was a teenager did I learn what "my condition" actually was. Up until I was in the 4th grade I stayed home for the worst of it and wouldn't attend school until it had run most of its course. My mom would pick up any school work I needed to do and I stayed mostly to myself in my room wishing I was dead. If it hadn't been for my mother I would have never made it. She was my rock. I lost hope all the time. She never did, or at least she never lead me to believe she had. Whenever I got the signs another outbreak was coming, the anxiety I also suffered was horrible and panic over what I knew was going to happen to me again and I couldn't stop it or the pain and changes it was going to make to my appearance all out of my hands only it decided. It was the monster under my bed and I could never make it go away. But there would be mom calmly she would begin the routine of care talking to me and it would calm me. When I was in the forth grade I was blessed and lucky enough to get a teacher that explained to the class I was suffering and in a lot of pain because I had a "condition " that temporarily disfigured me and although I could and wanted to return to school I wouldn't because of my classmates. She taught them how to be understanding and not make it worse for me upon my return. Whatever it was she said, worked and I was fortunate to have her again for 5th and 6th grade. Junior high was not so good for the most part because we moved and I had to start at a new school where the kids didn't know me and of course that first week I had an outbreak and felt like a freak. I got a lot of stares and kids pointing and whispering. I just decided it was time I take hold of the Herpes and not cower to it so much. When asked I would say "It's something that happens to me and it will go away" and try to act like nothing was different. This wasn't full proof but got some kids to except and include me. The parents were sometimes worse than the kids. But I guess what I'm saying is I can't say your son won't have it bad a lot but that the good will be more memorable later and the bad that happened to me as a kid made me stronger and more skillful at picking friends from foe. Your son will not have an ideal childhood but it will not be filled with horrid memories of Herpes either. It's difficult but if he tries to except it as a part of his life and know every outbreak is one less he will have to endure as he matures and they become less severe and more tolerable until one day they will be gone. He can be sure of it because I was there and I know. Except it for now as a part of your life. He will get through it better and with less stress, not easier, or he still wont hate it, or wish he didn't have it. But to... for now, except it as a part of his life. This also doesn't mean stop fighting it. Just to try not to let it run his life. Go on with daily activity difficult as it can be during it. Most important never feel shame for having herpes. It didn't help me. He will have to make efforts but they will be worth it in the long run. Hold your head normal...it doesn't have to be high....but never hung in shame.
Hope I have helped,

From someone that's been there

[This message has been edited by headman076 (edited 01-04-2003).]

Wow, Headman, what an inspirational story! I really appreciate you sharing it. Your mother sounds like a gem and you sound like you've gained a lot of strength of spirit and depth of empathy from it all. I don't know what you do in your life but I hope you're in a position to share some of that with the people you come in contact with. Great gifts can come from adversity and struggle, and I think you've shown yours. Thanks again, and keep it coming. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

TheOneInFour

Thank you....OneInFour your very kind. Yes my mom was a gem of a woman and with her passing we miss her and the wisdom in her words.

I have such empathy for that child and the aloneness he feels and want him to know that there is a man out there that was once a boy like him and I want him to know that the darkest day he may have now wont compare to the great ones that lay ahead.

Hi headman,
Thank you for your post about your experience. I'm sorry that you had to deal with the virus for all that time but I'm so glad that it finally stopped. My son is in preschool and he reaaly doesn't seem to get to down from it and the ob's seem to be slowing down so I can only help that he outgrows it soon. He maybe gets 4-5 outbreaks a year and dquist gave me good info because her son gets it also which I'm looking into. Dquist if you read this I don't know why I'm not getting your messages but I see what the problem is and e-mail you in the next few days. I appreciate all the info and would like to keep eachother updated with our boys. Well headman I'm sure that your mom is proudly smiling down at you and I will try to be as supportive to my son as she was to you if he needs me to be. Thanks again. Please read my next post, I'm out of room

I can't seem to find out to much info on children with herpes so I started a group on yahoo called children_herpesgroup.yahoogroups.com. If anyone would like to post please do to help me get started and maybe we can find out more for our children.
Jean

Tomorrow I plan on starting a group for children with herpes on healthboards also. There has got to be more of us out there.

Hi jean........excellent http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/idea.gif I know it would have been very helpful for me if there had been a means of support and information.

OH wait http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/bang.gif There weren't home computers way back then http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/eek.gif I'm old!!!!!!!!! LOL

warmest regards

headman076, I've got a brother about your age and when he was about four he had a really bad case of "shingles". This is different Herpes virus: Herpes Zoster. Shingles is the result of the Chicken Pox virus and generally attacks adults 50+ during times of extreme stress or low immunity. Anyway, as a baby, my brother had a really mild case of Chicken Pox and then a few years later, it came back as shingles. It covered half (and only half) his head. Mom took him to one doctor who thought it was exposure to some kind of a chemical, and told her to OPEN the blisters. That, of course, didn't help. Then she took him to another doctor, who was quite puzzled until he heard my mom tell him about how odd it was that it was only on one side of his head. Then the lightbulb went off and he said "welll, it must be shingles, then". She made him a soft cotton cap to wear so he wouldn't scratch his head bloody. Eventually, it went away and fortunately he hasn't had it again. I'm sitting here today, because I've got a patch of shingles started on my face, the result of stress over some other health issues. But, fortunately, due to finding posts like your original one on a yahoo search of "tingle blisters", and some information in a Mayo clinic book, I'm on the drugs I need to keep it from becoming a full blown case. (I hope.)