Louisville health experts say monkeypox risk for children is low

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Is your child at risk of contracting monkeypox? Health officials said the risk is low.

With kids heading back to school, there is some worry that the monkeypox outbreak could impact those children, but Norton Health officials said it's pretty rare.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there haven't been any cases of pediatric monkeypox in Kentucky. Indiana has recorded two cases.

There are a little more than 31,000 confirmed monkeypox cases in the US. Norton said only 102 of those cases are in kids 17 and under.

While infection is possible, doctors said not to worry right now. However, it's up to parents to stay healthy to protect their children.

"The most important thing parents can do to protect their children is protect themselves, because the small numbers of children who have been affected in this outbreak have actually been exposed to an adult with monkeypox, often an adult in the home," said Dr. Kris Bryant, an infectious diseases specialist at Norton Children's Hospital in Louisville.

Some monkeypox rashes can resemble other skin conditions. Doctors said if those rashes don't get worse or start to scab over, it's probably not monkeypox.

Children under 18 are not eligible for the monkeypox vaccine at this time.