Chicken pox question

[Taler]

DD (20 months) may have chicken pox. She has one (I think it is any way?!) on her elbow and there've been some confirmed cases of it in her nursery class this week. So I'm thinking it's probably inevitable that she'll get it.

Any way, I know I'm supposed to keep her in until the spots scab over but does that also mean I can't take her for a walk in her stroller?

We'll both go stir crazy being stuck in. We are always out, rarely in.

Would appreciate your thoughts.

Thank you.

[Blazing88]

Depends how ill she gets.

My son was very very poorly with them. No chance of getting out in the pram!

But, if she's ok, I don't think there's any harm in taking her out and about in the fresh air. So long as you keep away from other people!!

[lexyloub]

I think once the spots are out she's less contagious so maybe if she's at the start of it now she'll be more contagious. By all means take her out in the pram to get some fresh air but I'd avoid nursery play groups or any soft play areas for now

[Wolfiefan]

It doesn't depend on how ill she gets. Chickenpox is life threatening to anyone with a weakened immune system. I took my DD out in her pushchair once or twice with chickenpox. We live in a rural area though avoided people easily!

[Taler]

I know it's highly contagious but are you saying that even in her stroller, with no possibility of touching anyone, she could still pass it on??

[LuckyLopez]

It's airborne so she won't need to physically touch a person to pass it on.

[Taler]

Yes I understand that but surely if all we're doing is just passing people on the street it couldn't be passed on?? Don't misunderstand me, I'd feel awful if someone caught it, especially someone with a low immune system but just sounds odd that it could be caught by simply passing someone outside in the street

[LuckyLopez]

It's approx 5 days of your life, we've all had to do it. It's not the end of the world to have to stay in. We've just had it for the 3rd time in our house and dd and I just stayed in and found other things to do.

[CorporeSarnie]

I went for walks on quiet rural footpaths with DS in an enclosed running buggy, but it was cooler weather then. Rain cover? When DD had it we went to playground, but only if no one else was there, but we're lucky to live a very short walk from a park, and it wasn't holiday season. Get some new books & DVDs in, wet play out in the garden if you have one, with a hat and long sleeves on, picnic lunches and lots of nice oaty baths? Is but a few days really.

[Taler]

Thanks for the tips :)
Why long sleeves though? Is the sun not good for the spots? X

[LuckyLopez]

Presumably it's so no one else sees the spots and realises they should avoid you

[Taler]

The comment though was for when she's in the garden which was why I'm confused

[Starlightbright1]

My Ds was very tired when he had it aged 4..He has no desire to move off the sofa... I gained a lot of weight as nothing else to do but eat to drwon out Cbeebies

[HJBeans]

I walked along quiet roads and avoided enclosed places and areas where he'd want to touch things other people used (ie play parks).

Until I went to the GPs when the spots got infected and she said it was perfectly fine to take him into shops, etc, because you can't catch it by standing next to someone in a queue. The week got easier then!

Good luck with it. :-)

[thatsn0tmyname]

We went out as normal, stayed away from crowds, chose quiet playgrounds, played with children we knew had chickenpox already. In shops the baby will be fine in the buggy. I was OK to give blood at the time as I was immune and not deemed a carrier.

[CorporeSarnie]

Just to keep the sun off. FFS lucky, I was advocating spending time in her own garden, not setting up camp in the local park and getting immunosuppressed passers-by to lick the spots.

[hazeyjane]

I would stay away from shops. it is an airborne virus, and highly contagious, were I immunosuppressed I would be very pissed off to be stood next to someone with chickenpox in a queue in a shop. There is a very good reason why all the advice say to stay at home, away fro people. It is 5-7 days, it really isn't very long!

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

There are times when you do have to go out such as doing the school run.I opted for poxy child in push chair with rain cover on and not hanging around.
I think we visited pox friendly homes too (everyone immune and aware) and possibly any deserted playing field. Days 1& 2 were when they felt OK. Then a few days of cbeebies when they felt poorly.Couple of days of OK with uncrusted spots and then all crusted over.

[Blazing88]

thatsn0tmyname Sigh. That's how it spreads. Idiots going out as normal to shopping centres. Seriously. How hard is it to stay in for 5 days??

[gallicgirl]

My baby has the pox at the moment. He had a gp appointment for another issue which was sufficiently serious that he shouldn't wait a week. When I called to check, the surgery wasn't concerned about me taking him in. They just advised me not to sit next to anyone pregnant.

I was a bit dubious so made sure to sit away from other patients.

[MajesticWhine]

I think that walking outside, away from crowded places, with DD in the buggy is fine. Going into shops is not.

[hazeyjane]

I have found gps to be amongst the most blasé about chicken pox, with one gp even telling a mum at preschool that it would be better to take a poxy child into preschool as they are all going to get it anyway!

[HJBeans]

'Idiots' a bit harsh, Blazing. I diligently stayed home until (5 days in) my GP told me it wasn't necessary. She's very knowledgeable and I'm happy to accept that she knows more about disease transmission than I do.

'How it spreads' is partly down to irresponsible people carrying on exactly as normal and sending kids to nursery, etc., but - to large degree - also down to the fact you are contagious before you show any symptoms. Clever bug, it is.