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Children's health

chickenpox, flights, travel insurance, sigh...

21 replies

leafinthewind · 31/03/2011 13:36

Pretty sure DD has chickenpox. She had a spot on Sunday, two more on Monday, then nothing. Today she's come out in a load more. We're supposed to fly next Wednesday...

What are our chances, do you think, oh wise people? Should I be phoning our travel insurer for advice? Making a doctor's appointment for Tuesday (so she can get a fit-to-fly note, if she is indeed fit to fly)?

Help!

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Report

donnie · 31/03/2011 13:40

you will most likely have to cancel. You should check with the airline but I'm pretty sure they will not allow you to fly, and if you try and get away with it and are caught you will be chucked off the plane with no recompense!

Get a Dr's letter then cancel. At least you will get it back on insurance. Don't leave it until Tues - too risky.

leafinthewind · 31/03/2011 13:46

No chance she'll be clear in five days (i.e. by Tuesday) then? Sigh...

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foxinsocks · 31/03/2011 13:46

I'm sure by next Wednesday it would have scabbed over and be non contagious. But you'll probably need a letter from the doctor if she's still looking spotty.

foxinsocks · 31/03/2011 13:46

'Chickenpox is most infectious from one to two days before the rash starts until all the blisters have crusted over (which is usually five to six days after the start of the rash).'

from NHS direct

leafinthewind · 31/03/2011 13:48

Oh fox, that's what I was hoping!

I worry that travel insurance only covers you for illness cancellation (i.e. might not let us cancel if she is, in fact, fit to fly)... Why couldn't she get chickenpox LAST week?

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leafinthewind · 31/03/2011 13:49

Right. So, with fingers firmly crossed, I shall phone the doctor's and throw myself on the mercy of the receptionist!

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donnie · 31/03/2011 13:54

no no no! you need to check with the airline -- they have different rules. Some will not take anyone who has had new spots within 7 to 10 days. How do I know this? it happened to us. The airlines have different rules from the NHS info so please check. As I say, if you chance it and get chucked off you will get no recompense at all.

leafinthewind · 31/03/2011 14:06

We're flying BA. BA say: ?Information from British Airways Health Services states you cannot travel until six days after the last spot has appeared, and then at that point you will also need a letter from your GP/Doctor stating that you are no longer infectious.?

So if she gets no more spots tomorrow and all the existing spots are scabbed on Tuesday so she can get a letter, we're OK. Couple of biggish ifs there, I admit, but hope remains. I hate hope. In some ways it would be way easier if I knew for sure she wouldn't be fit to fly. Sigh again...

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leafinthewind · 31/03/2011 14:07

Donnie, you didn't fly BA, did you...?

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donnie · 31/03/2011 14:09

no leaf - it was Thomas cook airlines. However, some friends of ours were chucked off a BA flight a couple of years ago. Sorry to be alarmist but I just think you ought to check; it's awful to have to cancel a holiday but it's better to cancel and get refunded than get no refund at all!

HTH - keep us posted

donnie

leafinthewind · 31/03/2011 14:14

I certainly wouldn't leave the house without a doctor's note, donnie! Thanks for the warning!

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nowwearefour · 31/03/2011 14:14

We had to cancel a flight due to chicken pox and we did get most of our money back on the insurance, just to put your mind at rest should the worst occur....

mosschops30 · 31/03/2011 14:16

Ive had to cancel a trip due to chickenpox, we did get a full refund from insurers

leafinthewind · 31/03/2011 14:25

Moss, nowwe - did you have to show that the child did actually have chickenpox? I mean, do I need to talk to the doc sooner rather than later?

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mosschops30 · 31/03/2011 14:28

Yes see the doctor so its on record, my doctor actually said dd was not fit to travel. Then when the insurance form came he filled in the doctor bit

LadyWellian · 31/03/2011 14:29

This happened to us with DD, though it was 7 years ago so the advice may have changed. We had a letter from the doctor (I think - we'd certainly been in touch with them) and a printout from the Health Protection Agency that basically said there had never been a case of transmission more than 5 days after the last spot, but we weren't challenged (think we were flying BA).

I can't find the exact reference now, so perhaps in the last seven years there has been transmission after 5 days!

leafinthewind · 31/03/2011 19:39

Somehow managed to get fobbed off by the doc who phoned and said if they're not on her face just take her on the plane. Sigh... Will try again next week with an actual appointment. Thankfully the poor wee mite is not even remotely ill.

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Pkam · 31/03/2011 21:00

We did this in Feb half term. DD came out with first spots on Friday a week before our ski holiday and was covered by the Monday. Scabbed by Thursday so went to see GP who pronounced her fit to fly. Took note with us to airport on Saturday morning (very, very early flight); and no-one noticed her spots and therefore we weren't asked! And she was absolutely covered with scabs so very obvious. Glad I had Dr's note though as gave me peace of mind. One less thing to worry about.

Do check airline rules though as some say 'fit to fly when fully scabbed' some say 'no spots for 6 days'. My GP was very helpful and put 'fully scabbed & no spots for 6 days' on her note to cover all bases.

LadyWellian · 31/03/2011 23:40

Oh, and put her in long trousers and a long-sleeved top! Worked for us - we weren't even challenged.

leafinthewind · 01/04/2011 16:19

I'm so worried. She doesn't have any really, really obvious spots but she does have a big flappy mouth (v loud 2 year old)! She got all her spots on Thursday (i.e. six days before a Wednesday flight) but some of them have definitely grown since yesterday - and to be fair I can't be entirely sure that she didn't get some new ones overnight. I guess I'll just have to talk to the doc.

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Clibbens1972 · 04/03/2013 18:37

My children 3 & 4 do not have chicken pot yet. But i am really worried that they could catch them as a couple of children have had them last month. We are going on a cruise and wondered what Travel insurance pay out for Chicken Pox.

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