Shingles or shingles is a infection caused by the same virus responsible for chickenpox. Vaccination is an effective measure that decreases the risk of contracting this type of virus, which usually It usually occurs among those who have contracted chickenpox sometime.
In healthy children and adolescents, the virus is mild and heals quickly, although it can also cause complications. We tell you how herpes zoster develops and what aspects we should consider for its healing.
Varicella-zoster virus
As we said at the beginning, shingles is caused by the same virus responsible for chickenpox. When a child is infected with chickenpox, the virus passes to the nerve ganglia, where it will remain inactive for a more or less long time until, at a given moment, it is reactivated by spreading through the nerve that starts from the affected node.
Reactivation it can happen at any moment of life, although there are also many people who have contracted chickenpox in childhood who are never reactivated. It is rare to develop a shingles more than once in a lifetime.
The shingles virus has nothing to do with the herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores or genital herpes.
In Babies and more Why they appear and how to treat your child's wartsWhy is the virus reactivated?
The causes by which this virus can be reactivated are not known with certainty, although doctors point out that it is due to a weakening of the immune system because of certain diseases, medications, malnutrition or old age, hence, shingles usually occurs more frequently in adults than in children.
Continued stress can also cause a weakening of the immune system.
What are your symptoms?
Shingles is a rash or rash that begins as a set of red pimples and ends up giving way to a group of small vesicles filled with pus, which after days break and form a scab that breaks off over time.
The symptoms it causes are:
Itchy and itchy skin, before they even appreciate the first granites.
When the blisters appear, they are accompanied by pain and burning.
Other symptoms that may occur are fever, headache, tiredness and widespread muscle aches.
Since the first symptoms of stinging appear until the scabs fall off, it may take two to four weeks.
In rare occasions Shingles may cause pain for weeks or months in the affected area, a bacterial infection of the skin lesions, or involvement of the nervous system, pneumonia, hepatitis, or bleeding disorders.
What part of the body does it appear in?
Shingles may appear in any part of the body, extending along the path of a nerve corresponding to the affected node. But the most frequent location is usually the side and back
In Babies and more He did not vaccinate his son against chickenpox, and after the serious consequences suffered by the disease, he wants to alert other parentsCare and treatment
Usually, shingles in healthy children and adolescents has mild symptoms and usually heals quickly without treatment.But nevertheless, It is important to pay close attention in case the herpes has begun to develop on the face or on the forehead (as the infection could spread to the eyes), and in children with weakened immune system due to some disease.
In most children it is only necessary administer treatment to alleviate symptoms of fever, malaise and itching. In no case should aspirin (could cause a serious illness called Reye's Syndrome) or corticosteroids be administered.
As a home remedy to relieve pain and itching we can apply cold and wet compresses on the blisters several times a day. Oatmeal baths can also relieve.
In Babies and more Atopic dermatitis: all the keys to get to know this skin disease betterThe antiviral treatment helps to reduce symptoms if it starts early, although it must be the doctor who determines its application based on the patient's personal circumstances.
In order to avoid bacterial superinfections it is important to maintain proper hygiene of the lesions, washing the wounds with soap and water.
Can it be prevented?
The chickenpox vaccine is the most effective way to protect the child against this virus, although it is important to keep in mind that no vaccine protects one hundred percent. In any case, if a vaccinated child develops a shingles by reactivation of the vaccine virus (which is the same chickenpox virus but attenuated), its symptoms will be much milder.
In the adult stage there is a specific vaccine against shingles, which is administered from the age of 50 and aims to prevent the appearance of this virus in older people since its sequelae are more serious.
A patient with shingles you should avoid contact with people with weakened immune system, as well as with babies, pregnant women and anyone who has not been vaccinated against chickenpox. Also, it is recommended that the area of the rash be covered until the scabs have completely dried.
In the case of children affected by shingles it is recommended that they do not go to nursery or schools because of the risk of infecting other classmates.
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