Doctors think my 1 year old has type 2 herpes. I’m at a loss

[inlitenme]

@martinaidung Our daughter has had persistent diaper rashes, some serious. At one point, I was in near tears at the pediatrician because I was so certain of it being HSV.

It was not. The ulcers can look so similar, and it’s still incredibly painful, but thankfully it wasn’t. I agree with everyone here that the ped majorly jumped the gun. It seems like the intentions were decent, but it was handled very poorly and I’m so sorry you’re in such a hellish purgatory right now.

OP, if it is a severe diaper rash, I have a baller routine for it that I’m happy to share.

HSV is not Type 1 or 2 because if it’s locations - a Type 1 infection is not quite ideal to happen genitally, but it happens (as does Type 2 on the lips).

Also. There is a severe atypical strain of hand foot and mouth going around much of the US, and the blisters can extend far beyond the typical strain, ours did indeed get them in her diaper area).

 

[keepcalmandagree2disagree]

@hakoa I know some comments alluded to it already, but OP, just to be clear:

1. The possibility that your baby may have been abused is horrifying to think about, 100%. HOWEVER. Please see the below points.
2. HSV can be acquired by any fluid contact, and even without fluid contact in some cases. NOT just sexual acts. Kisses are the primary transmission vector to kids.
3. HSV 1 and HSV 2 are indistinguishable by visual inspection, so it is clear your Dr. is ignorant about HSV.
4. HSV 1 or 2 can be present anywhere on the body, they are not location-specific. That is outdated thinking that has been debunked.
5. Between ⅔ and ¾ of the population has HSV. Most of those have no idea they have it. That means, you and your spouse likely carry HSV. As do your parents, cousins, aunts and uncles, neighbors, etc.
6. HSV is virtually harmless. It’s pretty safe to just forget about it, even if you have it. Most carriers are asymptomatic for most of their life. And if you do get outbreaks, they’re pretty easily treatable. There’s nothing to worry about.
7. “Cold sores” are HSV. Just in case you didn’t know that.

The Herpes family of viruses (yes, there are many variants) are fascinating, some of the most sophisticated we encounter in modern life. There’s even some emerging thought that there could be some advantages of being a host. HSV in particular is a highly advanced set of viruses that have no interest in weakening or harming its host.

Point is, don’t panic. Wait for the test results, and even if they are positive - still don’t panic.

You may also want to change pediatricians, because I would struggle to trust that Dr. after this.

However, always do be diligent about trying to protect your little ones from any kind of abuse, sexual or otherwise. And do keep in mind, family ≠ automatic safe space. Most cases of abuse do occur between family members, unfortunately. But again, don’t panic! You can’t control the world, and you can’t prevent every bad thing from happening. Do your best, but remind yourself that bad things will still happen sometimes, and that’s ok. That doesn’t mean you failed, that means life is hard and complicated. Keep moving forward and doing your best.

 

[christ_inme93]

@keepcalmandagree2disagree I felt this comment was very helpful. Good job using your knowledge for good.

 

[cclun]

@christ_inme93 This is a very tactful and informative comment. Well said.

 

[the_chris]

@keepcalmandagree2disagree I am so grateful for your rad and patient, point by point made here. As a person who has HSV 2 it’s so frustrating to see all the wild and misinformation out there. Thank you for your good work!!

ETA: sorry it’s only sliver; you deserve platinum

 

[onlybygrace3]

@keepcalmandagree2disagree All of this is absolutely correct. I think it’s important to add that While HSV is virtually harmless to adults, it is dangerous to infants.
Infants do not have the immune system to fight the virus, and there are way too many cases of infants getting HSV from an over touchy relative and ended up hospitalized (TW link to news article about a baby hospitalized due to HSV)..

Note: this isn’t meant to scare OP or any parents, but rather ensure that it’s clear that HSV can be dangerous to babies.

 

[reuben144]

@onlybygrace3 I have a question: If someone has either of those two strains, are they only contagious during breakouts? Such as if a family member has a cold sore and kisses baby, Vs if they are asymptomatic

 

[keepcalmandagree2disagree]

@reuben144 Great question! No, a person can have viral shedding (I.E. be contagious) at any time, even when asymptomatic.

However, transmission rates are quite low when asymptomatic. Viral shedding is considerably higher during a breakout, and Herpes is significantly more likely to be transmitted shortly before and during an active lesion.

Basically - it’s possible but not worth worrying about!

 

[trancespirit]

@reuben144 Not necessarily. My husband gets cold sores and so we have had to be super careful around our baby. If he has one, he doesn't kiss her at all or let her near his mouth or share food, but even when he's clear, we are super careful anyway. The most common way is through saliva and so it doesn't have to be during a breakout, but it easier to catch during a breakout when the blisters have burst.

It's likely he gave the virus to me after being together for 7 years but I don't present any symptoms ever.

 

[onlybygrace3]

@reuben144 Excellent question! As others have pointed out the virus can be spread even if there isn’t an active outbreak, but it’s less risky for asymptomatic spreading to occurs. That being said, an outbreak is much more contagious, from the first “tingle” symptom until after healing as totally finished (scabs and flaking skin is 100% gone). How easy germs like HSV can spread are a big reason you hear about parents banning anyone from kissing their young babies.

 

[boxnes]

@keepcalmandagree2disagree Respect for offering an objective perspective to what otherwise seems like a very troubling experience for op.

 

[bvilla619]

@keepcalmandagree2disagree This was perhaps one of the best brake downs I’ve read

 

[rochellebelle]

@hakoa A quick herpes fact - herpes below the belt can be type 1 or type 2. So your doctor already misspoke by saying that it’s type 2 which, to me, proves your doctor is not educated about herpes and that they should’ve gotten the swab results back before saying anything so serious and absolute.

Please try to stay as calm as possible until the swab comes back - easier said than done, I know - because it’s more than likely not herpes. Some yeast infections can get sores like that as well.

 

[soewministry]

@hakoa Please please go see a pediatric dermatologist in the area if you can. The amount of times we get BS referrals for this, especially for kids under 5 is crazy.

 

[valerie86]

@soewministry Better safe than sorry, no?

 

[soewministry]

@valerie86 HSV 2 in children under 5 is very very rarely from abuse. Putting parents and families through the mental trauma before even having a positive swab is not best practice at all for this pediatrician. So no, if there are no other reasons to believe this was abuse, we typically see more harm from these kind of early assumptions before a diagnosis has even been made.

 

[valerie86]

@soewministry Very helpful and interesting, thank you!

 

[noname2]

@soewministry What is another cause of HSV2

 

[man_in_pain]

@noname2 Birth.

 

[lwyer2013]

@hakoa My daughter gets this sometimes, definitely not herpes, just a yeast infection usually brought on by eating too much fruit or having lots of poops in a short time frame. Our pediatrician has never taken a swab like that or anything. An antifungal cream is what clears it up.

I'm so sorry this is happening to you. It's probably a false alarm, and you have every right to complain if it is. If it's not, hopefully you can get connected to resources that help you and your family heal. Keep us updated when you get the results! Hoping the doctor is wrong for your peace of mind