To hunt down these bastards who exposed my son to chicken pox

Years ago .when there was no vaccine .My DD was about 3 ,my friend asked quite seriously if she would like to attend a "chicken pox party"! Errr NO. Oh she said then she can get it out of the way. Hope your DS soon feels better .Logic of some people!

Because it can lead to serious problems, such as pneumonia and septic shock. Can also infect pregnant women and kids with compromised immune systems, who (incidentally) can’t always be vaccinated.

With any infectious disease, the best way to prevent spread is for people with suspected symptoms to keep well away from others, which is why you’d have to be a selfish idiot to take an infected kid to a caravan park. I’m not surprised you’re angry OP! They could’ve made someone seriously ill.

And right before the start of a school term too. As kids can be infectious for a day or two before the spots appear, if OP’s DS’s spots had appeared slightly later, he could have inadvertently spread it to half his school, including teachers. The other kids in the caravan park (including any siblings of the spotty boy) may well have done so at their schools.

After COVID, I thought people would have a basic grasp of infectious diseases. Clearly not. Yes, most people have only mild symptoms, but there are vulnerable people in our society, some of whom can’t be vaccinated, who shouldn’t have no life because selfish idiots can’t take basic precautions. Even vaccinated people can spread infections.

OP, I expect your son’s feeling extra emotional because he’s ill. He’ll soon make friends. In fact, sometimes people who come a little later stand out from the crowd and make more friends. I’m sure he’ll be telling this story when he’s older!

They absolutely haven't. They are selfish twats.

Cp can kill or people be left with life altering disabilities.

The people who have been deliberately exposed have not consented to this risk.

I had no idea either! It is definitely unusual to get the vaccine though. I have not heard of anyone getting it, certainly not for small children

Such a selfish thing for those parents to do.
Anyone who has had a loved one with childhood cancer knows how important it is to avoid other children with chickenpox, and that sort of arsehole behaviour is ignorant and dangerous.

Ironically I spent hours searching for somewhere that did the chicken pox vaccination near me yesterday - not a sausage. Closest boots/Superdrug appointments require a train trip to London - twice. I'd very much like to have my son vaccinated but it's not like you can pop down to the GP and have it done for free, is it.

That's true - some people just don't develop anti bodies - I know there is one vaccine I had pre IVF because they found I had no antibodies even though I'd already been vaccinated - and when they re-tested I still didn't have antibodies. That's why a high level of community vaccination is good - herd immunity!

This.

That's so upsetting, really sorry. As for vaccinating, I had no idea there was a vaccine and in my experience the uk culture is generally to assume that the NHS will provide what we need- I've never paid for a vaccine I don't think. Maybe those days are going. Hope he recovers fast, op.

When dgs was just a few months old the ndn’s ds got chicken pox and they asked dd if she wanted to take dgs round so he could get it over with.
A tiny baby!
Of course dd said no.

Honestly, so long as he's coping well, I'd be grateful he's getting it now, as you know it's worse the older they get and a few days of Y7 is preferable to GCSEs or adulthood. I don't mean being grateful to the other parent of course...but it would be a relief to me to know he's now had it.

In the UK it’s only just come onto the vaccine schedule for babies - we don’t get it otherwise. You have to pay privately and it’s not readily available. I tried for a year to get my youngest booked in but in the end he caught it at school.

I had 2 doses and caught CP the following year.

The vaccine didn't work for me.

Dare you to name change and post an AIBU "DD has chickenpox, we're due to go away and don't want to cancel. AIBU to just go anyway? The distraction will do her good!" and see what response you get.

OP's son will of course be fine but it's not the start to secondary school that any of us would want for our DC, and it's not just one of those things, that family knowingly took a decision that directly caused it.

You can only get shingles if you have had cp . Your husband must of had cp .

Whilst it’s not ideal timing I think you and son need to stop being so dramatic. It’s chicken pox!!!! Missing 1 week, though I’d have thought only a few days would need to be missed, he will very quickly make friends.

Nit read the whole thread but this reply sums up my thoughts perfectly!!!

Better to get it now than as an adult. They've done him a favour, have you never heard of chicken pox parties

Totally agree with you OP, selfish fuckers with no regards for others. This happened in my daughters class where kids mum sent her in with shingles, so as to not miss out on the attendance award!.

Having a chickenpox party at your house with everyone's consent is one thing. Turning strangers' holidays into a chickenpox party without their knowledge is something else entirely.

The more well off people on here are showing how out of touch they are. £150 is a lot of money for some people. And then if you have more than 1 kid, it's even more.

I think because it can be terrible for some children. We, as a nation, seem to be incredibly risk averse nowadays.

It's terrible timing and I can understand why he would now be upset and anxious about missing the first week at a new school.

If it helps at all, neither of my children started secondary school with close friends. They started from scratch and none of their close friendship groups formed in the first few weeks. My daughter (who has now left school and is starting all over yet again at sixth form college today) went through several friendship groups before she found her tribe. My son starts y8 this week and found a new best mate and wider group of friends last year but that was a while into his y7 journey.

Exactly!

The timing is shit OP but at least he’s had it now! My DH never ever had it and ended up with bloody shingles as an adult he was in a terrible state. At least he’s finally had it now, and I bet he’ll catch up in school so fast (I had to swap forms halfway through year 7 in high school and it felt like the end of the world at the time but I made lots of wonderful friends)