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
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I completely agree with your doctor that this was a coincidence. I don't see any problem with sharing a bath with your child. Your HSV 1 genital infection recurs and shed infrequently. HSV is not spread through water. There is a huge dilution factor in a bathtub that would keep that from happening.
Two questions:
1) how was your child diagnosed with oral herpes?
2) how were you diagnosed with a recurrence of HSV 1 genitally?
Terri
Two questions:
1) how was your child diagnosed with oral herpes?
2) how were you diagnosed with a recurrence of HSV 1 genitally?
Terri
A related discussion, Accidental Herpes Transmission to a Child was started.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your question to me was was it safe to bathe with your child when you had a genital outbreak with concerns about transmitting this to him through water. This is a slightly different question. I don't know how much contact your children would have in the bathtub and of what kind, so I don't know exactly how to answer your question. The virus won't be transferred via the water in a bath but if there is skin to skin contact between the children, virus could be transferred.
This will absolutely be my last respond on this thread, no matter what else you ask me.
Terri
This will absolutely be my last respond on this thread, no matter what else you ask me.
Terri
hi terri,
sorry i absolutely promise this will be my final question :)
i just have to find out, as my older child has been getting a few cold sores on his lower lip recently:
1. is it zero risk for me to bath the 2 kids together, even when he has an obvious cold sore on his lip? i am assuming it is zero risk but just wanted to hear it from you to be 100% sure.
sorry i absolutely promise this will be my final question :)
i just have to find out, as my older child has been getting a few cold sores on his lower lip recently:
1. is it zero risk for me to bath the 2 kids together, even when he has an obvious cold sore on his lip? i am assuming it is zero risk but just wanted to hear it from you to be 100% sure.
zero risk is very reassuring. thank you.
one more thing, i am assuming its still ok to bath the 2 kids together (or shower them together) when child 1 has an obvious cold sore?
one more thing, i am assuming its still ok to bath the 2 kids together (or shower them together) when child 1 has an obvious cold sore?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
1. I would say zero risk.
2. Yes, you can shower with your children
Terri
2. Yes, you can shower with your children
Terri
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.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
First, you don't know if your child has oral herpes. I feel you don't need to be worried at all.
Terri
Terri
Hi Terri, am i allowed to ask you a few more questions on here or have i used up my quota? thanks
sorry, I've calmed down a little now. i was just upset after i read that advice. the psychologist seems to think that my subconscious mind thinks that i have given them genital herpes because i felt so bad for so long about my son breaking out with oral herpes after my outbreak. he thinks that we can do some work on fixing this and calming down my anxiety.
in the meantime, I've decided to do no more internet searches (probably just my subconscious mind looking for definite answers).
Terri, do you think i have any reason to be worried at all? i mean, is there any chance they could've caught this off me? i just feel awful.
in the meantime, I've decided to do no more internet searches (probably just my subconscious mind looking for definite answers).
Terri, do you think i have any reason to be worried at all? i mean, is there any chance they could've caught this off me? i just feel awful.
maybe i should just leave this thread here, as i feel that it is adding to me anxiety. might be time to wrap this thread up and for me to leave it alone here. bye
i am feeling really worried and anxious now :(
Hi terri, i had an appointment with the psychologist and i am feeling a little better about it all. he said that he can definitely help me with this.
one thing that has been on my mind is that i (stupidly) did a search on bathing with children and herpes and i saw that Grace had advised a parent not to bath with their child when they had active lesions. this set of my anxiety a lot (as you could imagine) and i wish i had never done the search :( i am assuming she was worried that there might be some skin to skin contact in the bathtub (as herpes can not be spread through water, right?).
do you think i have any reason to worry here or is this all just in my head?
one thing that has been on my mind is that i (stupidly) did a search on bathing with children and herpes and i saw that Grace had advised a parent not to bath with their child when they had active lesions. this set of my anxiety a lot (as you could imagine) and i wish i had never done the search :( i am assuming she was worried that there might be some skin to skin contact in the bathtub (as herpes can not be spread through water, right?).
do you think i have any reason to worry here or is this all just in my head?
I am right there with you when you said that the internet is adding to your anxiety. It seems like the internet states that everything in the world is possible when it comes to herpes. Every red mark and bump is apparently herpes these days.
ok. my appointment is on january 11th. just in case i try to post before then. i really do want to fix this and move on.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
see above
ok Terri. i understand.
one more question i need to have clear before i speak to the psychologist:
do i have a reason to be worried about sharing a bath with my kids when i had an outbreak or is this all just in my head?
one more question i need to have clear before i speak to the psychologist:
do i have a reason to be worried about sharing a bath with my kids when i had an outbreak or is this all just in my head?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You are correct.
Now we are going to stop posting here until you've had an opportunity to speak with the psychologist. Research show the continually seeking reassurance and getting a response prolongs the time to acceptance.
Enjoy your family!
Terri
Now we are going to stop posting here until you've had an opportunity to speak with the psychologist. Research show the continually seeking reassurance and getting a response prolongs the time to acceptance.
Enjoy your family!
Terri
thanks for your advice Terri. i will try the tactic of setting aside a specific time to worry. it will be hard but i'll try!
i just wanted to say thank you to you for helping me out with this. i hope that someone else out there is reading this thread as well and getting some help out of it. i know I'm probably annoying you now, with my need for constant reassurance, but i just wanted to check over my understanding to give me some reassurances over this christmas period before i can talk to someone in real life about it all. as i understand:
1) the virus would've been diluted millions of times over in a bath tub full of water so there would not have been enough virus to transmit another person
2) even if there was virus available in the water, it would have needed to be rubbed in or applied with firm pressure (ie. sexual type contact) which would not have happened in this situation
am i correct? are there any other medical or scientific reasons behind this?
sorry to be such a pain seeking reassurances from you here! you have helped me out so much though.
i hope you have a merry xmas and new years. i am looking forward to a new year with less worry!
i just wanted to say thank you to you for helping me out with this. i hope that someone else out there is reading this thread as well and getting some help out of it. i know I'm probably annoying you now, with my need for constant reassurance, but i just wanted to check over my understanding to give me some reassurances over this christmas period before i can talk to someone in real life about it all. as i understand:
1) the virus would've been diluted millions of times over in a bath tub full of water so there would not have been enough virus to transmit another person
2) even if there was virus available in the water, it would have needed to be rubbed in or applied with firm pressure (ie. sexual type contact) which would not have happened in this situation
am i correct? are there any other medical or scientific reasons behind this?
sorry to be such a pain seeking reassurances from you here! you have helped me out so much though.
i hope you have a merry xmas and new years. i am looking forward to a new year with less worry!
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.
