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Passing herpes to child

Hello,

Is it possible to pass genital herpes to a child by showering together? The only contact was helping him wash his ears and shampooing his hair.

Also, are Herpes blood tests accurate after 19 weeks and after 1 year? i.e. if the test is negative for both hsv1 and hsv 2, it is 100% certain that one does not have herpes?

Thanks, Joe
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101028 tn?1419603004
at least you have a plan in place now :)

kids are always getting some sort of rash!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi Grace,

By the time he came back from school, the blisters had scarred so no chance of getting a swab. Got my results back with both HSV 1& 2 negative at 0.1 for IgG. Saw a specialist and he repeated what you said :) mentioned that I should go back if I see any blisters for a swab, just in case.

Guess I will have to calm down and wait to see if vesicles come again to have them tested.

Thanks again!
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101028 tn?1419603004
if this would be herpes on his ear, more likely hsv1 which he can get from an oral herpes infection that travels a nerve tract to the ear or can be obtained from anyone kissing him on the ear who has oral herpes.  is he getting seen today for it?
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Avatar universal
Thanks Grace.

I am a male. wouldn't be so concerned, but my son is again getting the blisters on the same place on his left ear. He says it is very itchy. I have asked him not to scratch, but you know how kids are.

Last time the doctor said it could be external ear infection. we'll see what he says this time.

I got myself tested again. Will see what the results are. I know that the probability I have it is very low and if I had, that passing it to my child by non-sexual contact is close to zero... still the possibility of it being the case is affecting me badly.

Thanks

Helpful - 0
101028 tn?1419603004
are you male or female?

you wouldn't have multiple blisters with herpes recurrences regularly. really no reason to doubt your herpes test results.

grace
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Avatar universal
Thanks a lot ehbeedub. First part is very clear and quite relieving.

Second part is where things get tricky. I do "feel" some of the symptoms, but I have OCD... very hard to know if those feelings are real or not... Tingling, itchiness, etc. I do get a few very small blisters, but by the time I see a Dr, a day or two later, are usually very diminished and they have always said not worth sending for a culture. Never had a cluster, always single blisters in the inside of the thigh.
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Avatar universal
No, showering with your child is not a risk for genital herpes, which can only be contracted through skin-to-skin contact of a sexual nature (heavy kissing, oral sex, genital sex).

No test is 100% accurate, but if you have tested negative after one year and have not shown any symptoms, you have no reason not to believe the test.
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