Chickenpox

[verite]

My 10 month dd came into contact with a child that subsequently developed chicken pox. The contact was only for 5 mins so she may get it but chances are she won't. If she does, I will obviously quarantine her til safe. However AIBU to continue going out, including to baby groups at the moment? It seems a bit unnecessary to quarantine ourselves for 3 weeks if we don't know she is going to catch it but I don't want to be irresponsible. Genuinely not sure what to do. Thanks.

[NisekoWhistler]

I wouldn't quarantine yourselves totally but would avoid pregnant friends (anyone you suspect could be pregnant) and those under 6 months

[HallowedMimic]

It's fine to go to groups, nursery, school etc. unless your child is symptomatic.

You'd never go anywhere otherwise.

Can you imagine explaining that you couldn't attend something as there was a small chance you might develop chickenpox over the next three weeks?

[dementedpixie]

I would go about your business. Unless contact was direct and face to face then it's unlikely she has contracted it if you only saw them for 5 minutes

[welshweasel]

Kids are exposed to stuff all the time. Unless there's spots, carry on as usual!

[peneleope82]

I would carry on as normal but probably wouldn't purposely visit any newborns.

There's really minimal risk to pregnant women as the vast majority will have had chickenpox which renders exposure to it harmless.

[shamoffour]

My goodness my kids have been exposed so many times if I did what you're doing I would never leave the house!
They've shared drinks with kids that have come out in spots that afternoon and still not got it.
Go out, unless there's spots it's fine.

[verite]

Oh that's reassuring. I have cancelled seeing a 2 month old as I would feel awful if I passed it on but will go about my business otherwise. To be honest - I wish I hadn't been told the other child had come down with chickenpox!

[GardeningWithDynamite]

Your child isn't contagious now even if she's going to get chicken pox. You're not contagious until a day or two before the spots come out.

[ExPresidents]

Gardening but how do you know when the spots will come out? Maybe this IS a day or two before that happens.

Anyway OP I agree with the other posters that you should carry on as normal with exceptions for pregnant people and newborns where possible.

[MyPatronusIsAUnicorn]

Carry on. Even if she gets it she won't be contagious now. Incubation period is about 2 weeks, contagious from a few days before spots until they have all crusted over. I think you have to be innthe same room as someone for 15 minutes or direct contact with bodily fluids so she probably won't get it anyway unless she was coughed and sneezed all over.

[GardeningWithDynamite]

Incubation period is about 2-3 weeks isn't it? So from this exposure they've got a while before it's a problem. Of course, they could have been exposed at any time so by that logic you should never go anywhere.

[ExPresidents]

She doesn't say when the exposure was though Gardening unless I missed it (I think incubation is 1-3 weeks)