It is not right for the baby to have been taken off the breast. Shingles is
caused by chicken pox virus, but in this case is infectious only by touch.
Chicken pox in an 8 month old is almost always a very mild illness, hardly
noticeable in the majority. Furthermore, breastmilk will have antibodies
and antiviral factors in it. The drug is not contraindicated during
breastfeeding.
Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC