shingles, chickenpox and PMR

My father, a doctor, would have known if I'd had it and told me, unless like my son I had a subclinical case.  My son hopes he'll have the test results by Friday.  I guess I should call my own GP and see if I might be a candidate for chickenpox vaccination, but of course they'll have to check my immunity anyway.  Sigh.  Just when I was beginning to think things were finally turning around for the better.  I hope it is dermatitis.  He was in contact with so many people at a family gathering this weekend, including six month old twins....  And it's on his arm, which is a bit unusual.

There is an antiviral medication for shingles best taken at the beginning of the illness- in the US it's called

Valtrex. It is very effective and helps prevent post shingles complications.

Thanks Karenjaninaz.  My son has been given the antiviral medication already just in case it is shingles.  I, meanwhile, am starting to feel creepy all over.   

You probably have a very good record of your health as a child due to your father being a doctor.  Since chickenpox is such a highly contagious disease, it is amazing that you didnt' get them as a child or when your kids had them.  I had four children, one came home with chickenpox, and about ten days later, the first day of spring break, the other three all came down with it.  They were so annoyed as it took their entire vacation away from them.  I hope your son feels better soon, it is good that he does have the med just in case.  Have a good day.

My older son caught chickenpox at Beavers, we think.  He and the younnger boy were still young enough to be bathing together.  The younger one (the son now with the mystery rash) never showed any signs of chicken pox and believe me we were very aware!  Big brother only had a few spots and recovered very quickly, almost as soon as he was diagnosed, actually.  Big sister didn't get sick at this time, waited about six years and came down with them when she was fifteen.  She was much more miserable but from all I've heard still not nearly as sick as some kids get, and a fairly speedy recovery.  Still no evidence of chickenpox in youngest child, nor myself of course.

And, no, I have absolutely no records of early medical treatment.  Only hearsay - german measles as a baby, and experience - tonsils out, frequent colds, sore throats, etc. really until middle age.

I think it is a myth that doctors families had better care and records - especially in our childhoods, CP was regarded as banal and mums had parties to make sure the kids got it. No knowledge of the damage the virus can do, especially to pregnant women and newborns.

A lady on another PMR forum has just been looking after her 2 year old grandson - and pop, pop, pop, there was this rash all of a sudden! They called mum and dad - who were at the GP with the 8 week old baby who wasn't well. The GP sent them straight to A&E where a lumbar puncture confirmed viral meningitis - not uncommon in newborns exposed to CP. 

I remember hearing of CP parties.  Oh, my goodness, sounds totally crazy now.  

I thought that was a recent phenomenon.  Heard about anti-vaxxers getting together whenever one of the kids comes down with any of the childhood diseases, including the ones we should be vaccinating against, like measles.  Nuts.

I think you are correct, totally crazy and irresponsible.

They have never seen shildren struggling to breathe with whooping cough, or really really ill with measles - as far as they know they are banal childhood illnesses, like common colds. And when you tell them the truth - you are accused of scaremongering. In our childhood the parties made some sense, there was no alternative and the younger you got them the less severe they tended to be. CP and measles  in adults can be really nasty. These days there is no excuse and yes - irresponsible and thoughtless with regard to the many immunosuppressed children (and adults) who can't have the shots and so they are put at risk.

Nearly all doctors had debunked the vaccine/autism connection, but these parents lstened to one study that was late found to not be accurate.  That was all it took and these crazies would not vaccinate.  I had whooping cough as a child and certainly not fun.  I remember how horrible the thought of getting polio was, we were so grateful that we coiuld protect our kids from such a dread disease.  It is totally crazy.  I also am amazed at friends of mine who will not get the flu vaccine because it gave them the flu one time.  The truth is that it takes about two weeks for full protection, obvioulsy these people contracted the virus just before getting the vaccine or shortly thereafter.  It was a coincidence, but they refuse to listen to logic - it is a "dead" virus and cannot give a person the flu!!!  Crazy for sure!!!

I think to say it was inaccurate is being too kind - the man lied through his teeth! I remember my brother having whooping cough at about 6 months of age - someone was with him day and night to sit him up if he coughed. 

I know - the number of people who believe the flu vaccine gave them flu is unbelievable. Usually it wasn't even flu but a bad cold. You know when you get flu!  And you can't get out of bed, never mind go to work as so many claim...

My brother-in-law did get polio as child and went into remission or as they believed he survived it. But now that he's elderly it's come back on him and that's something that they're seeing more and more of as these people who had Polio as children it is now coming back to them in their old age.