I just found out my 7 year old has shingles. She had the chicken pox vaccine when she was 1. That has been her only exposure. The doctor doesn't seem worried but I am. How can this happen and how will this affect her chances of recurrence? Any insight??
Shingles is a second form of chicken pox. You can not control the chances of having it happen again, although we want to. Shingles is a outbreak of rashes/blisters on skin caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. With shingles, you need to understand everyone has the chicken pox virus inside us, and shingles is the same virus. It just hides in the body and sometimes just blooms on its own. It can also be passed on, if a person has it, it can spread to someone else. Since shingles is the same virus as the chicken pox, you need to realize the only true way to not get shingles is to have an complete and full outbreak of chicken pox (on skin, in mouth, on head, in hair, everywhere). I asked all those questions when I got shingles for my first time too. Your child will be fine. Make sure she takes off of their antibiotics.
The doctor says it's a reactivation of the chickenpox vaccine she got when she was one. This is upsetting to me! I wish, now, I hadn't had her vaccinated, then she could just build up that natural immunity. Too late, now!@
I also wish I didn't let my daughter get the chicken pox vaccination. I know that I had a full blown chicken pox outbreak when I was young, and it was pretty bad. I also got shingles when I was 16. Mine was isolated to a perfectly round spot on my lower back that left a good scar. At the time I remember my mom took me to the doctor and I took prednizone, I think...? I may be mistaken though. Anytime antibiotics are taken you need to make sure that you are getting probiotics. The doctor don't mention this, but antibiotics are not selective and they kill all bacteria, good and bad in your body. Your NEED good bacteria so drinking, or taking probiotics will promote regrowth of the good bacteria again.
Shingles is NOT contagous in that one cannot catch it from someone. However IF someone has never had chicken pox and exposed to someone with shingles they can get chicken pox but not shingles.
shingles in 7 year old 
