Living in Constant Fear

[worriedparent2]

Good morning,
I wrote to you around six years ago concerning my daughter and once again my anxiety is through the roof over a new concern. Background info: I was first tested for HSV during routine pregnancy bloodwork. I have never had any clearly, definable outbreaks, but I am pretty sure I have it since all three of my pregnancies I was tested and came out positive. My daughter has always had sensitive skin. She was diagnosed with asthma and eczema when she was little. When she was 8 she had a series of single bumps on both legs, which I had emailed you about at the time and you said it did not sound like herpes. Nothing much had occurred since then.

This brings me to the current situation. She is now almost 15 and yesterday she showed me what looked like a hive right above her knee, almost on her kneecap of her right leg. She also has three single itchy bumps on her left leg (two below the knee and one right above the knee). This morning the spot on her right leg oozed clear liquid. They started very itchy and now she says after the liquid came out it is sore. They look very similar to bug bites, but I we live in a dry environment so I am not sure what bug this could have been. She went bike riding with jog pants on the heat, not sure if this could create a dermatitis. Does this sound like herpes to you?

She is in high school, and I live in constant fear that if I somehow have given this to her, she might give it to someone else. Should I get her tested to know either way? I wouldn’t even know how to go about telling her she has to get tested for this. I am just horrified.

Does herpes appear on both the left and right side of the body at the same time?

Thank you for your time.

[Terri Warren]

It does not sound like herpes to me. is she sexually active, do you know? Would you feel better if her pediatrician took a look at it?
Herpes would not show up on the back of both legs at the same time, no, not in a healthy teenager.
You are letting your fears get the best of your reason here. You did not infect your daughter. I’ve never ever seen this happen though I have seen so many parents who worry about this.
It isn’t appropriate for her to be tested at this point and I would not recommend that you do that.

Terri

[worriedparent2]

Thank you for the information. No, she is not sexually active. I am overprotective of her to the point that it probably is stifling because of my fears. I want to enjoy this age, but I always think of the “what if’s”.
So, you have never heard of a parent inadvertently giving this to their children outside of sexual abuse?
Would HSV2 ever present itself on both legs at the same time in an adult?
Thank you

[Terri Warren]

No, I never ever have. And no, I’ve never seen herpes show up on both legs near the knee at the same time

Terri

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