Any Information on HSV - 1 and Kids

HSV1 Herpes Simplex Virus 1 also referred to as cold sores/ fever blisters. The simple treatment is to put Carmex original formula on them- it works great and it's cheap $.99 at walmart. You can also try Abreva, but I didn't care for it much. You may also want to talk to your doc about Valtrex or it's generic form Famvir. It really cuts down on the length of the cold sore breakout. I would also treat the fever with motrin/tylonol. Keep in mind that it is herpes and frequent handwashing and not allowing her to kiss family members or share drinks with them to reduce the risk of spreading it. A lot of people have them, so it's really not anything to get embarrassed about. Best of luck to you.

HSV-1 is the virus that causes cold sores or oral herpes. You can get the sores on the mouth, interior of the mouth, but can also show up on the side of the face or in the nose. It is very common for young children to get exposed to this virus. Once you have it, you have it for life. There is no cure. More people have this virus than don't. If you have ever had a cold sore, then you have it. Some people get one cold sore and never see symptoms of the virus again. Others get frequent break outs. The virus lives in the nerves and sometimes it just reactivates. The outbreak usually lasts 7-10 days.
The virus is very contagious. If your daughter or someone else touches the sore and then touches another mucus membrane it can spread to that area. These are the moist areas of the body such as the nose, eyes, mouth, and vagina. Be very careful to have her wash her hands if she touches her mouth or if others do. She could even get these sores in her private areas if she were to touch her mouth and then use the bathroom and touch down there. Don't allow her to eat or drink after others. Don't pick at, pinch or mess with the sores at all. It will only cause more to crop up and may spread it.
For most people a cold sore is not a serious condition. But if they aren't taken care of properly, cold sores can develop into bacterial skin infections. And they can actually be dangerous for people whose immune systems are weakened (such as infants and people who have cancer or HIV/AIDS) as well as those with eczema. For people with any of these conditions, an infection triggered by a cold sore can actually be life threatening. The fact that your daughter has a fever associated with the cold sore is more concerning. If the fever persists or the cold sore remains past the normal 7-10 day period, I would ask the doctor to reevaluate or ask to see someone else for a second opinion.
As far as treatments go, there really aren't any, just relief of the symptoms. She could be given some Tylenol for the fever and discomfort. Also, ice applies to the sore can feel soothing. Abreva is a product that is supposed to shorten the time of a cold sore and soothe the discomfort of the sore. Unfortunately this product is recommended for adults and children over 12. You might check with your doctor to see if under doctor supervision she could still use this.

Make sure she washes her hands before going to the bathroom. She can transmit it from mouth to genitals by touching her mouth and then wiping when she goes to the bathroom.

I don't know much about how to make her more comfortable, though. Hope you've gotten some good responses.

did she offer to prescribe her valtrex? HSV is usually exposed by the 6th month of life. Each person will react differently. Some people will never experience symptoms (feverblisters) others will at any time in their life. The usual cycle will last 7 10 days. stress, illness , fatigue can make the symptoms recur. Adults can usually tell when they are experiencing an outbreak. It will be harder with kids. Give her tylenol and warm salt water rinses. Most primary outbreaks will occur with fever but not this long. Her fever could be related to a secondary illness and that is the reason she got the outbreak to begin with. Ask about valtrex .

Hi, if you are not happy with what your doctor advised you can always go back, or go to a natural homeopathic doctor. Treatments are more natural and build up the immune system, unlike pharmaceutical drugs. Fever is the body's way of fighting the virus and perhaps you have more than one thing going on at a time, this cold and flu season. I think the virus you speak is the one that people get from the chicken pox and it stays in the body and comes out when the body experiences stress. Rest, vitamins and mom's love always worked for me. Good luck !