Cold Sores / Herpes in a Child : - (

C.,
I started suffering from those as a small child. I tried the L-lysine supplements and they never helped me. I started drinking Shaklee's Energyzing protein 15 years ago. It contains l-lysine. I have rarely had one since then.
Let me know if you are interested. It tastes great and has lots of other health benefits. This week CBS had a story where they had tested 15 protein drinks and they all contained heavy metals. That would never happen with a Shaklee product.
Victoria

HI C.,

Both of these conditions, the herpes cold sore and the angular cheilosis are red flags that your little one is not healthy. Neither will break out without a low immune system. Both are contagious. The herpes is very contagious especially with a little one that doesn't know how to keep her hands off it. It can get in her eyes and cause problems as bad as loss of vision. The angular cheilosis can be bacteria related or fungal and is directly related to nutritional deficiencies. Either or both are contagious.

Topically, for the short term, high grade tea tree oil will heal the sores but that doesn't address the low immune system. Several things can be done. First of all your little one needs nutrition. (Because of the herpes, it is definite that she is missing the L-lysine that is supposed to be present in her body like someone earlier mentioned. You are too if you have constant fever blisters.) If she is actually taking in nutrition then for some reason her body is not absorbing it. When she is able to take a chewable vitamin I can recommend one that is guaranteed to absorb and does not create free radicals like most on the market. (Free radicals create disease.)

Immune issues can be resolved by Upper Cervical Chiropractic care,
detoxing your home and detoxing her body. If you would like to approach this route, I will be glad to walk you through what I did so my family doesn't get sick anymore.

C., this is not the crisis that you think it is. The fact that you see it now at 19 months means you are aware of what she needs NOW and can provide it. Many moms go years and years before a symptom occurs so they can address a potentially long term issue. As far as you are concerned, a good absorbable multivitamin should keep your sores away and if you feel one coming on then tea tree oil and L-Lysine supplementation will stop it in its tracks.

Regards,

M.

Unfortunately I do know... My 3.5 year old son was diagnosed with herpes simplex one in his eye last summer, ughhhhhh.... Boy is that fun....

UNFORTUNATELY he got an outbreak 7 times in a period of 4 months.. And yes it was herpes simplex one and not angular cheilosis.... Have they swabbed it yet and sent it off to a lab to 110% make sure it's herpes simplex 1? The kids can get herpes from ANYWHERE.... school, playgrounds, kids club at the gyms, etc....It lays dormant in our bodies.. Not everyone will EVER get a outbreak (fortunately, I've NEVER had even a cold sore which is herpes as well) but most everyone has it in there body it just doesn't ever come out...

My son has to go to a infectious disease doctor every other month... When he was getting the outbreaks back to back to back, I was sent there to find out "why" he kept getting them... Being that he's so young his body hasn't built up an immunity to it.. Yes, he will have it forever but hopefully he won't continue to break out... He's on a medicine 3x's per day called acyclovir (because he kept getting it).. The specialist wants him to NOT have a break out for 6 months straight before he takes him off the medicine... KNOCK ON WOOD, he's only gotten it 1 time in the last 4 months (and it didn't fully come out because I have cream to put on it as soon as I see it and it speeds up the process)... It's a pain in the butt but otherwise he's healthy, thankfully...

When he was finally diagnosed with this ( it took FOREVER because he was getting misdiagnosed and his eye was getting worse and worse..) I was very upset as well :0( I thought people wouldn't want to hang out with him anymore, I was SOOOOO embarrassed to tell people because I didn't want them to think we were dirty (because I'm actually a clean freak), etc etc..... How I said it to people was "have you EVER had a cold sore?".. 9 out of 10 times the person would say yes, then I say "well you know that's herpes simplex 1 right?" Some of the time people would know that, sometimes they wouldn't. It was a good ice breaker... Then I would say "well my son has that but only he gets it in his eye".. If they are your "real" friends they will be totally cool with it... I even went as far as going online and sending my friends/mommy friends information on it so they wouldn't be freaked out by it..

As far as school I told the director and they were okay with it... IF my son gets a breakout I just don't bring him to school, no biggie~~~ I have the medicine for it so it goes much faster..

when people hear the word "herpes" they get freaked out (I was one of those people before my son got it and I actually became knowledgeable of it)....

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me... I went through a rough few weeks last summer when he was diagnosed and I know how stressful everything can be :0)

Consider finding out how you can supplement her diet with L-Lysine. There is a lot of research showing that outbreaks can be aggravated by and imbalance in arginine and lysine. Arginine rich foods (nuts, coconut, wheat germ) can throw things out of balance.

I've had the cheilosis before...it is often associated with iron and B vitamin deficiency. I'd ask your doctor to do a blood test to check iron levels and consider a supplement or dietary changes for the B vitamins.

As for the other parents...ask the doctor for a note. You don't need to give a copy to the parents, but the provider can assure other parents that everything is fine.

A bazillion people have the herpes virus...but there is still such a stigma. I hope you find something that works.

Is it possible for her pediatrician to prescribe Acyclovir? I get an occasional cold sore (usually if I get a sunburn, or if I am under a huge amount of stress), and the Acyclovir makes it so the cold sore never even happens (as long as I start taking it as soon as I feel a tingle). I just wonder if this might be an option at a young age.

In any case, I'm pretty sure that other parents can't sue you because your child has a medical condition. I think it's over 80% of the adult population who are affected by cold sores at some point in their lives, so it's hardly as if your child is carrying Ebola or the bubonic plague or something. If she is not contagious and the pediatrician has said so, then these people need to get over themselves.

Amanda C. I'm with you!

Lysine, Vitamin B2 and K will help the cold sores.
B-2 is in cheese, egg yolks, fish, legumes, meat, milk, poultry, spinach, whole grains and yogurt. Also in asparagus, avocados, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, currents, leafy greens, mushrooms, molasses, nuts and a host of herbs and Vitamin K in dark leafy greens such as kale, collards, spinach and beet greens.

That said she might be getting this because her Lysine pathway might be blocked (often corn allergy), so something you might want to check with your doctor.

As for the more law oriented questions you can also ask on Avvo.com, it's free.

Hi!

The daycare can't kick you out and you don't have to show any proof to any parent. If they're uncomfortable with it, they should go to another provider. But what you can do, is either leave a doctor's note with the provider so if any parents "feel" uncomofortable about it, the provider has something to show them. You can also keep your daughter home when she does have a break out....but if it's not contageous, I wouldn't do this. It's about the parents, not your daughter....the parents need to get a grip on it and not discriminate! I'm not a lawyer, but they can't sue you...it would be like trying to take someone to court for giving you the chickenpox or a cold.

Remember, you can choose to be kind, or choose to be angry....but you do not have to worry if the other parents choose to leave....not do you have to worry if the provider kicks you out....you could sue the provider if they did so.

S.

Angular cheilosis can also be caused by nutritional deficiencies, specifically B2 (riboflavin) and iron. It is not contagious technically itself, but it can often become infected with pathogens because it is on opening in the skin and very close to the mouth. Talk to your doctor about the possible causes and how to try to prevent outbreaks through diet and treat them with antiseptic/antifungal cream. Also, keep your child's lips very well moisturized because she will likely lick her lips quite a bit to soothe the chapped feeling but that will just make it worse. A classmate in junior high had this, and she used a really thick lip balm. Ask the doctor to provide a doctor's note explaining that this condition is NOT herpes, and then the day care provider can explain it to the parents.

This is not Herpes. Herpes is usually spread by kissing a person with an outbreak (skin to infected skin contact). Angular Cheilosis is a fungal or bacterial infection, non-contagious and quiet painful. It occurs from severe chapped lips, nutritional or hygienically reasons. here is a web site which you can offer to the other mothers and your daycare provider. Maybe they might have some sympathy as this is can be quiet painful. Here is the addresse http://www.angular-cheilitis-center.com/cheilosis.htm. Knowledge is power.

Good luck!!!

Have you had your doctor give you a written explanation about her cold sores for your provider? If not, do get one! That will help your provider deal with the other parents when they complain because she can tell them she has something in the file from the doctor and that it is perfectly fine for your child to be in her care with their children. It's unfortunate that she has to deal with parents who are 'freaking out' about this, but I don't think there is anything they can do to her or to you in this regard. Of course, we know that anyone who decides they want to go to the trouble of suing someone, and can get a lawyer to do it for them can bring a lawsuit. That would be a big inconvenience for you, but I don't see how they would win the case as long as you've done what you can to show that your daughter being in the daycare is not a problem. I doubt anyone would go to that trouble, and if they did your provider would know they aren't parents whose children she needs to have in her care. The worst case scenario I see here is that parents who are concerned may take their children out of her care and she will need to find new clients. Being a provider myself, I see that as an inconvenience, but perhaps a blessing too. Parents who 'freak out' over things such as this usually aren't the type of people who make a provider's life very pleasant.

I too am a sufferer of the nasty cold sore. That said, I have to take my L-Lysine religously, manage my stress, and ALWAYS wear a chapstick with SPF 30+ since sun and stress are my big triggers. After 4 years without a cold sore, I had an outbreak recently and went into major sanitation mode: washed all sheet, towels, sanitized the entire kitchen and bathrooms, changed my toothbrush and most of all, washed my hands almost constantly with soap and the hottest water I could stand. I don't want my daughter or husband to get this and I will do everything I can to keep it to myself. It is soooo highly contagious that I will not work in the preschool, go to play groups, or do anything social while I have it and I carry hand sanitizer with me constantly. I keep my hands away from my face and if I do touch my face for anything, it's straight to the sink to wash them.

Your 19 month old is not able to do these things yet. She is probably not even able to notice when she is touching her mouth, or putting something in her mouth. Therefore, everything she touches is potentially infected. I believe that it should be treated like any other infectious disease - when it is contagious we stay home. I would not let my daughter go to preschool or daycare if a child there was having an outbreak, and I find it really frustrating when people send there kids to school with green or yellow slimy boogers running down their faces.

Children this age just don't get it yet and they wipe their nose on their hand or sleeve and then go right on playing....infecting everything in their path, but at least you can get rid of a cold or the flu. You can't get rid of Herpes! So, I am sorry to be harsh, but I would say this to anyone: I don't believe that you have a right to expose other children to this painful, ugly, incurable, highly contagious disease. When she is having an outbreak - keep her home. Check her lips daily so that you are on top of it. And the rest of the time should be normal.

Are you sure she actually has herpes? Or has she just had an out break of angular cheilosis twice? Because angular cheilosis is not the herpes virus it is something totally different. I was an orthodontic assistant and we saw it on lots of our patients. It is usually a type of fungal infection but can also be brought on from low iron levels or a lack certain vitamins. If I were you I would get a note from her doc. explaining that she doesn't have an outbreak of herpes.....that what she has isn't contagious and that there is no reason for alarm. Then her daycare provider won't be worried and she can show that doc. note to anyone else who may be concerned.

I have suffered with cold sores ever since I was a kid , usually get them 2x per year , although not so often in recent years. I can't believe other parents have threatened to pull their kids becasue of this , it is only contagious if touched by a kiss for example. Don't really have any advice for you as your little one cannot tell you when she feels the tale tale tingle of one coming up , just wanted to wish you luck with getting it sorted.