There is nothing you could have done to prevent this infection. Even children who have had the chicken pox vaccine are not absolutely protected against later developing shingles. Shingles is unusual in children (occurring in approximately 1 per 1,000 children) and usually occurs in children who have low immunity. Especially if the shingles recurs, it would be wise to have your doctor thoroughly evaluate your child's immune status.

Yes, stress can bring on shingles. Many of the herpes viruses lie dormant beneath the skin and reactivate when a person's immune system is compromised, as occurs with stress. Consider your child contagious for 1 to 2 days before the rash appears and a week after the rash appears. If your child gets shingles again, consult your doctor about giving him an anti-viral medication, such as acyclovir, which sometimes lessens the severity and duration of the breakouts. To minimize infection from scratching, cut his fingernails short. Soak the infected area with warm baking soda compresses (or a baking soda bath half a cup of baking soda to a tub of water). Most likely the shingles is a one-time occurrence, but if it does occur again, it would be wise to have your child’s immunity checked.