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Children's health

Should we cancel Easter celebrations because of impetigo?

11 replies

devotion · 02/04/2010 12:48

Hello

My partner and I do not know what to do and would appreciate your views. We have three girls age 7, 4 yrs old and 9 weeks old.

We are visiting our family who have two boys, one of the boys got impetigo this Monday gone and he started treatment on Tuesday. The nhs direct website said to stay away from people for 48 hours from the start of the antibiotic treatment or until its crusted over.

Its has now cleared up on his face but i am worried about his brother as the nhs direct webiste also states:

"Impetigo does not cause any symptoms until four to ten days after the initial exposure to the bacteria, so it is easy for people to spread the condition as they do not realise they are infected."

Therefore his brother could be carrying it now and pass it onto my girls or even worse the baby.

Before we decide to not go I was wondering if anyone had any experience of this and how contagious it really is. If one of your children got it did the others too?

My sil has been taking precautions to risk the other child getting it but there was the period before the rash came.

The nhs website said to avoid sharing towels and close physical contact. Do you think that means standing next to each other or actually touching? We could not expect the children to not play and interact so could they catch it by touching toys the boys had just touched?

Am I being over the top?

The reason I am in a quandry in because the site also says:
"Impetigo is normally not serious, though it is important to take precautions to avoid spreading it to other people, especially newborn babies." My baby is 9 weeks old and I dont want to put her at any risks?

What would you do?

Its such a shame as they girls will be devastated, as they only see their cousins a few times a year.

also I dont know for certain the other brother will get it, i am just assuming he has but its not come out yet.

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devotion · 02/04/2010 12:57

bump

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beammeupscotty · 02/04/2010 12:59

Unfortunately no one has a crystal ball.
Ask yourself how you will feel if your DC catch it (it is very easy to catch). If you can cope with the outcome (its also easily treatable, tho not pleasant) go ahead. Bit of a nightmare for you, dammed if you do and dammed if you dont

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devotion · 02/04/2010 13:01

i am just worried about baby getting it and if she did i would terrible that u took the risk for a fun family day...

i guess we should just rearrange for another time.

what would you do?

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SingleMum01 · 02/04/2010 13:15

My DS had it when he was a baby (6mths old)from nursery - he only had it mild and it didn't cause him any harm, just unpleasant. It was a case of constantly washing clothes/towels/bedding etc and not sharing anything. I never got it from him and I was obviously picking him up/cuddling him etc. I thought you could only get it from touching the spots before they scabbed over but I maybe wrong.

Another close friend of my DS had it last year and we'd arranged for them to play together. I didn't cancel the play but her mum was careful and covered up the scabs, my DS didn't get it then. Entirely up to you, but if you're worried ....

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traceybath · 02/04/2010 13:17

Personally I'd re-arrange seeing them.

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devotion · 02/04/2010 13:19

its the brother who may have it that i'm worres about. you can have it 4-10 days before and you are contagious.

so you think my girls could not catch it by the boys touching things that they then touch after.

what about holding hands? if its not on your body before it comes out but is contagious then how is it spread? its not like my sil could cover it up.

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devotion · 02/04/2010 13:22

excuse bad typing

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foxinsocks · 02/04/2010 13:23

I'd go but just keep the baby out of reach of the boys if you are worried

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devotion · 02/04/2010 13:27

i was thinking that but then if the girls got it then they could give it to their baby sister and i could not keep them away from her for 10 days to make sure they didnt have it.

i am sounding over the top now, it all sounds quite harmless so why does the nhs website say its importnat for new born babies not to get it?

it would be good to hear from people who only had one child who got it to show its not that contagious.

i wonder whta the chances are of getting it from someone before their rash blisters appear.. oops baby needing feeding...

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SingleMum01 · 02/04/2010 13:29

Devotion - you're obviously very concerned about your baby catching it. If you're that concerned don't go, I'm sure you're family will understand.