Backpacker or someone with kids help please - Herpes Message Board

smiles515 · 03-22-2005, 11:52 AM

Hello. About six months ago I found out I had genital herpes I got from my boyfriend who gets cold sores. We went on a vacation with my family this past week and he had an active cold sore which happens once or twice a year. My neice started getting sick the second day we were there (the same day he got cold sores) and she was dehyrated and had sores in the back of her throat. She was throwing up about 4 times a day and slept through most of the two days. She is three years old. We called the doctor twice and they said she may have steph (sp?) throat and then they took her to ER because she wouldn't drink anything because it hurt her. She complained about her tummy hurting and kept saying "my belly hurts". My question is, could she somehow have gotten infected from my boyfriends cold sores? She did grab his hand a couple times but he never kissed her. They know what we have so it is no secret, but the ER said it was a virus because we were at a park and she probably picked something up from one of the millions of kids around. But they didn't say what type of virus. I'm scared to even mention this to them (I don't even think they are thinking of that) but I'm also scared because if my boyfriend or I infected this little girl I will go crazy. Please shed some light on what to do. I checked on some websites and she had most of the sypmtoms (dehyration, sores in throat) but she also complained of stomach problems and she was throwing up. Please help me.

hsvmom · 03-22-2005, 06:58 PM

It sounds like you are talking about strep throat. You get little white pus pockets in your throat and it makes you feel pretty dang awful. Young kids with strep get dehydrated b/c it makes eating and swallowing a real booger! They can test for this easily with a swab. Did they swab her? It's a bacterial infection, not a viral infection and is pretty easily identified. Did anyone prescribe antibiotics?

Honestly, it doesn't sound likely to me that either of you infected her. if someone with an outbreak had even kissed her, it most likely wouldn't have infected her throat...especially JUST her throat. That really does sound more like strep.

They probably didn't say what type of virus b/c when it comes to kiddos you really just never know! Our pedi likes to call it "the local crud." It is usually just a bug that goes around town making kids and adults alike feel crummy for a few days and then it's gone. Also, ERs around here are notorious for misdiagnosing people b/c they have to make a fast diagnosis.

My two cents says it sounds like regular ole' kid illness and I wouldn't worry at all about it being herpes. Of course, i'm no doc, but tehre's my thoughts for what it's worth!