shingles in a 7 year old

[bigsur7]

My 7 year old has shingles. She had the chicken pox vaccine when she was 1 but has never had chickenpox and is a healthy child. She is on an anti-viral med and motrin.  Her right thigh is COVERED in a rash and parts of her right buttocks and lower back.  The doctor doesn't seem worried but I am.

How can this happen?  How will this affect her chances of recurrence?  Any insight would be helpful since my doctor is not very forthcoming.

[Joyce K Lee, MD]

Dear bigsur7,

Thank you for submitting your question, however I believe that you were posted in the wrong forum.
Shingles and chickenpox would be more appropriate for the infectious disease or general pediatrics forum.

We answer purely neurological issues.

Thanks again,
JKL, MD

[buttercup86]

My sister had shingles when she was 7.  Now she is in her 20's and has NEVER had a recurrence.  We have both always believed that her shingles were due to stress.  Is it possible that your daughter suffers from anxiety?   My sister does...we had a great childhood but she has always been a very sensitive and anxious type of person.  Now she takes medication for anxiety, but at the time when she was 7, it seems like she may have been so worried and stressed all the time that her immune system broke out in shingles.  I have read that stress can be a trigger for a breakout.  Sounds a little over simplified, but I hope it helps for you.