Shingles and babies

[Melanie]

I've just been talking to my nan on the phone and she is really upset. She has shingles and is gutted because the doctor has said to keep away from babies incase she passes on chicken pox to them We go home for a week tomorrow so now she cant see Thea.

The doctor didnt tell her how long to stay away from babies and she was too upset to ask. I found something on the net that says the shingles virus can only pass chickenpox on to some via direct contact with the rash but that wasnt the impression the doc gave my nan.

Can anyone tell me anything???

 

[kellie80]

Well my kids have just had chicken pox so we have looked into it a bit as my dad is really ill with cancer and we wanted to know if it was safe. We were told that it can only be passed on through the fluid in the blisters. Its not like chicken pox which is air borne. By the way Nathan caught chicken pox at 4 months and he was fine. He got it the mildest of the 3 so she would probally be fine anyway.

 

[budge]

I've just been talking to my nan on the phone and she is really upset. She has shingles and is gutted because the doctor has said to keep away from babies incase she passes on chicken pox to them We go home for a week tomorrow so now she cant see Thea.

The doctor didnt tell her how long to stay away from babies and she was too upset to ask. I found something on the net that says the shingles virus can only pass chickenpox on to some via direct contact with the rash but that wasnt the impression the doc gave my nan.

Can anyone tell me anything???

how is your nan now melanie?

 

[Becky&Willow]

my mum had shingles when willow was 2 months and she was fine to hold and see her as long as baby doesnt touch them then it should be fine as soon as the spots dry out i beleive they become non contagious (SP)

 

[nicki]

My Dad had shingles about 2 - 3 weeks beofre he died. We were round there & my Mum & I were talking about it & it dawned on us Jamie could catch it so I researched it. I would quite have liked (in the nicest way possible!) Jamie to have gotten it, to get it over & done with but we were due on holiday so didn't want to risk it.

'Shingles is not infectious in the same way as chickenpox, where the virus can be passed on in coughs and sneezes. However, shingles is contagious. This means it can be passed on by direct contact. Fluid from shingles blisters can cause chickenpox in people who are not already immune. People with shingles should avoid those with a lowered immunity' (taken from a medical website)

Jamie never caught it & we were with my Dad all day but once we twigged there was a chance we didn't let Jamie cuddle my Dad etc

 

[Kylie1007]

Someone with shingles can give you chickenpox. if you have chicken pox you can't give someone shingles. Shingles is the chickenpox virus but lies dormant until you are run down etc then you get shingles.