QuestionMy four year old son has just started experiencing what he calling itching in his in his right should blade area. He cries out in pain but his says it itches, it only lasts a couple of seconds and has happened about 8 times today. Last Saturday I took him to the doctor for a severe rash on his legs, which never bothered him, just looked terrible. The Dr. said it could be allergies, he could have come in contact with something or it was viral. Could this painful itching be part of this virus? There are no visible signs of skin irritation on his back.
AnswerHi Lynn and thanks for writing,
Has your son had or recently been exposed to Chicken Pox? I ask because the itchy rash you describe sounds a lot like Herpes Zoster which usually shows in children as Chicken Pox [CP] but can also appear as Shingles in older people or people who had a mild case of CP and did not build up sufficient immunity and develop Shingles when exposed to the virus again.
My advice is to get your son seen and assessed by a Dermatologist asap and ask if it might be childhood Shingles.
I hope this helped answer your question, and I hope your son is feeling better soon. Shingles is itchy and extremely painful but it is also easily treated with medication if caught early enough.
All my best,
Margot
