Aromachildhood

Cold Sores (fever Blisters)

Cold sores are caused by the virus, herpes simplex 1. They're caught by kissing someone who is infected, by sharing cups and utensils, or by some other contact. There m ay not be an out break of blisters with the initial infection, and the child may just have flu like symptoms. Once caught, however, the cold sore virus will be with the child for their lifetime.

According to the American Medical Association most affected people had their initial infection when they were between the ages of 6 months and 5 years old.

The virus lives permanently  on the nerve-ending where initial contact was made. It may be dormant for the whole of the child's life, or they may be just one outbreak of blisters, or it could turn into a recurring problem. Certain conditions bring the virus out into the open. An outbreak of blisters is more likely  to occur if the child is feeling nervous, if they are unwell, run down, malnourished, if the weather is hot, or if they have a viral infection such as flu, chickenpox, measles, and the common cold - hence the term "cold sores"

• Signs and Symptoms
  small blisters that come up around the mouth, near the lips, or inside the mouth, on gums, throat, nostrils, or elsewhere on the face.
  the blisters eventually rupture, and crust over
  blisters last 7 to 12 days

If you have a child with cold sores there are two main things to remember Cold sores come up at the same place, and before the blister appears there is a characteristic tingling in the area. If your child can learn to identify this advance signal, treatment can be given right away, and maybe even prevent the cold sore from erupting. At the very least, the outbreak will be less severe. Secondly, the cold sores are very contagious - especially the fluid in the blister.

It's very important that when your child has a cold sore, they don't touch it because the infection could then be spread to other parts of their body that they touch afterward. Your child should only use their own washcloth and towel, and avoid kissing.

Cold Sore Mix

• This is a mix of neat essential oil. It can be used on children over 2 years of age.
  It can be applied to the area when the warning tingle is felt, before the cold sore erupts, or when the cold sore has already appeared. if the sore is open, this will sting, so warn your child before you put it on. Use a fresh cotton swab each time it touches the skin. You will only use a small amount of the following each time.
  2 drops camomile german
  5 drops geranium
  5 drops tea tree 

Reference: Aromatherapy For The Healthy Child