Some children may never get another cold sore, while others may have multiple outbreaks a year. While the virus remains in the body for the rest of your life, the recurrence of cold sores is highly variable. If these occur or if you have any concerns, call your pediatrician.Īfter a child's first cold sore, the virus settles into bundles of nerve cells in the body-causing no symptoms unless it activates and travels back up to the skin's surface. These symptoms can occur 2 to 12 days after HSV exposure. Signs that a baby may have been infected with HSV include low grade fever and one or more small skin blisters. Parents or relatives with cold sores should be especially careful not to kiss babies-their immune systems are not well developed until after about 6 months old. HSV is especially dangerous to babies under 6 months of age. HSV keratitis is a major cause of blindness worldwide. The infection usually heals without damaging the eye, but more severe infections can lead to scarring of the cornea or blindness. The virus from cold sores can spread to the eyes, which can lead to HSV keratitis, an infection of the cornea-the clear dome that covers the colored part of the eye. Sometimes symptoms are so mild, though, parents may not even notice any of them. A child may also have a fever, swollen and tender lymph glands, sore throat, irritability and drooling. When a child develops a cold sore for the first time (also called primary HSV), the blisters often spread beyond the lips to the mouth and gums. They can spread through saliva, skin-to-skin contact, or by touching an object handled by someone infected with the virus. How Do Cold Sores Spread?Ĭold sores are highly contagious. Beyond the uncomfortable sores that the virus can cause, HSV is usually harmless. Most people are first exposed to HSV between ages 1 and 5 years of age, and more than half of people in the United States are infected with it by the time they become adults. Genital herpes is usually caused by a different strain, herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), although both virus strains can cause sores in any part of the body. In children, cold sores are usually caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). After a few days, the blisters usually begin to ooze, then form a crust and heal completely in one to two weeks.ĭespite their name, cold sores actually have nothing to do with colds. They sometimes appear on the chin, cheeks, and nose, too. What are Cold Sores?Ĭold sores (also called fever blisters or oral herpes) start as small blisters that form around the lips and mouth. Often by around age 5, however, a less-than-fun first also may pop up: a child's first cold sore. A child's toddler and preschool-age years are filled with new experiences, like a first playdate or first tricycle.
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