Aa
transmission question
Hi Terri, i was just wondering if i could ask you a few questions about genital herpes type 1. i contracted it quite a few years ago from an ex boyfriend. i had a primary outbreak with flu like systems, swollen glands etc. it was awful! since then i never had another outbreak. i have gone on to have 2 children. earlier this year, i took some steroidal asthma treatment, not knowing that this is a common trigger for reoccurrence. i had what i thought was thrush- and during that time shared a bath with my 2 young children, as i had done with them since birth. i later discovered that it was actually a herpes outbreak that i was having. a couple of weeks later my older child developed oral herpes. as you can imagine, this has been extremely upsetting for me. i feel like i gave it to him and i carry a lot of guilt. my doctor has convinced me that it was a coincidence and he more likely got it from his pre-school or other children. i came on the internet and i just can't seem to get a straight answer about sharing a bath during an outbreak. is there any chance at all that i have now given my other child genital herpes from sharing the bath with me? i am so anxious and worried. do children ever get genital herpes? am i being irrational? there was definitely no skin to skin contact in the bath, we were well away from each other but can it spread through the water. please help me. i have ordered your book and am waiting for it to arrive. thank you
sorry terri could i please just bump those last two questions and that will be the last of this thread. thanks so much
Hi Terri, sorry can i squeeze in 2 more questions please? I'm going to see the psych today and i read your book last night again in preparation.
i like the way in the book you describe things as zero risk
1. would you say the bathing with outbreak incident was a low risk or a zero risk of transmission?
2. can i shower with my children? they love to get in the shower with me but i am scared that some virus will be washed onto their skin.
i like the way in the book you describe things as zero risk
1. would you say the bathing with outbreak incident was a low risk or a zero risk of transmission?
2. can i shower with my children? they love to get in the shower with me but i am scared that some virus will be washed onto their skin.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You're welcome
Terri
Terri
ok, thanks Terri. I'm feeling a lot better and am happy to leave the thread here. many thanks for your help.
i suspect that child no.2 probably just experienced his first outbreak of oral herpes and i'm ok about it, as it means that he doesn't have it genitally which has always been my number one concern.
thanks again Terri for all your help on the matter, and goodbye :)
i suspect that child no.2 probably just experienced his first outbreak of oral herpes and i'm ok about it, as it means that he doesn't have it genitally which has always been my number one concern.
thanks again Terri for all your help on the matter, and goodbye :)
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
1. No
2. It varies.
You've got to stop worrying about this, honestly.
Terri
2. It varies.
You've got to stop worrying about this, honestly.
Terri
thanks Terri
over the time when i wasn't posting (before i saw the psychologist) a couple of things happened that i just wanted to clarify with you.
child no. 1 (the one who we suspected that the primary outbreak of oral herpes back in march 2011) had 3 small blisters on his lower lip. these looked a lot like cold sores. they were small and did not bother him too much.
6 days later child no. 2 had a red spot below his lower lip (where the lip meets the facial skin) and it turned into one very small blister and he also had fine paper cut looking things across his lower lip. he still has these now. the blister seemed to pop in a day or so and now he just has a small red spot. it is very mild. i am not too fussed at all about them having oral herpes. from reading on this forum - lots of yours and grace's comments- i have accepted that it is very common and most people have it. its actually not a big deal! my biggest concern is that they could've somehow contracted genital herpes from me, as this i believe would've made their childhood and young adult years very difficult :(
1) do you believe it is possible that they could come out with genital herpes from me bathing with them during an outbreak? do you think i have anything to worry about in this regard?
2) does oral herpes always present itself with a huge primary outbreak (like my child no. 1 had) with swollen lymph nodes and blisters all over the mouth, tonsils, lips etc. or could it just show up with a single small blister on the lower lip (in a 2 year old child)? other than the single blister he is not unwell at all.
over the time when i wasn't posting (before i saw the psychologist) a couple of things happened that i just wanted to clarify with you.
child no. 1 (the one who we suspected that the primary outbreak of oral herpes back in march 2011) had 3 small blisters on his lower lip. these looked a lot like cold sores. they were small and did not bother him too much.
6 days later child no. 2 had a red spot below his lower lip (where the lip meets the facial skin) and it turned into one very small blister and he also had fine paper cut looking things across his lower lip. he still has these now. the blister seemed to pop in a day or so and now he just has a small red spot. it is very mild. i am not too fussed at all about them having oral herpes. from reading on this forum - lots of yours and grace's comments- i have accepted that it is very common and most people have it. its actually not a big deal! my biggest concern is that they could've somehow contracted genital herpes from me, as this i believe would've made their childhood and young adult years very difficult :(
1) do you believe it is possible that they could come out with genital herpes from me bathing with them during an outbreak? do you think i have anything to worry about in this regard?
2) does oral herpes always present itself with a huge primary outbreak (like my child no. 1 had) with swollen lymph nodes and blisters all over the mouth, tonsils, lips etc. or could it just show up with a single small blister on the lower lip (in a 2 year old child)? other than the single blister he is not unwell at all.
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
