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Original poster

WWYD - pox on holiday

128 replies

meladeso · 31/08/2018 10:41

Be very glad of some ideas / advice.

We have a small ish set of blisters since yesterday on DC who is 3. Assume they're chicken pox.

We're in a family resort in the canaries, staying here until Wednesday.

What do I do?

Quarantine in room for the duration?

Keep distance from others but otherwise carry on largely as usual? Including attending breakfast with other guests, play in pool, eat in restaurants in evenings etc?

I feel like if it was only about passing it on to other kids, some people would say just keep distance from others and hope for the best. But what about pregnant women etc? People at risk of more than just a few days of itching / illness?

Also do I tell the resort? Do I tell the travel operator? Airline?

SadConfused

OP posts:
CottonSock · 31/08/2018 19:18

I had my youngest vaccinated after my dd1 had bad pox. I'm pretty sure she caught it at an airport, but that's life. I do wonder why people who are at risk, if they can't get vaccinated?

Cantchooseaname · 31/08/2018 19:31

Could a local taxi pick up some takeaway from local restaurants? Lay a nice table on balcony, enjoy sunset??
It’s really rubbish.

Gazelda · 31/08/2018 19:37

Does the hotel have a kids club?could they lend you some supplies?

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AnchorDownDeepBreath · 31/08/2018 19:57

Thanks OP.

Thanks for staying inside; though. I'm one of those with really poor immunity and I've been hospitalised from CP. I can't form an immunity to it so I've had it a lot; and it scares the life out of me.

Driving round sounds like a good way to get you out of the room for a bit; and I like the balcony paddling pool and meal idea!

Stoutykid · 31/08/2018 20:07

My friend gave me a medicated powder she got in Spain when my two got chicken pox.. I can't remember the name but it was a pink powder similar to a talc and really helped with the crusting over of the pox.. It was magic stuff.

Kidssendingmenuts · 31/08/2018 20:22

Remember heat increases the spots to no sitting in the sun. But what I did as we got pox on holiday is take him down to a quiet part of the beach and let him go in the sea, helps dry them out beautifully! Luckily for us we were in the middle of no where though so barely saw anyone while out on the beach and it was a private one x

Reallybadday · 31/08/2018 20:50

Did I read correctly that your eldest DC hasn't had CP? You might be there longer if they come down with it next. I would also worry about taking them on a plane and then into school if they are likely to be incubating CP. Sorry Flowers

youarenot · 31/08/2018 21:04

All of June was a write off for us. Middle child caught CP just in time for his 4th Birthday. Then he ever so kindly passed it to his brothers. So eldest had it, just in time for his 7th Birthday and my youngest had it. June was well and trully written off and so was the first week of July! Hung around for a full month and eldest had his for over 2 weeks as new ones appeared whilst older ones were crusted

StyleOfTheTimes · 31/08/2018 21:08

Normally with chicken pox you get a cold or feel very run down before then the spots arrive after?

RedNed · 31/08/2018 21:15

I don't get why the UK don't vaccinate against CP. We are in Spain, both mine have been vaccinated.

However we've all had upset stomach with dd1 vomiting on day one and dh has just announced he's not feeling great 🙄

hendricksy · 31/08/2018 21:25

You poor thing , it was one of my worries too. My son is 7 And has swerved it many times so may be immune . I hope you are all ok . Just one thing I would say is get the other one home because he may be brewing it and if it comes out it would come out just as first dc would be clear 😬😬

Rachie1986 · 31/08/2018 21:27

So sorry to hear this OP. Hope the pox improves quickly!

Aragog · 01/09/2018 07:53

Ah poor you; not the way you hoped your holiday would go I'm sure.

Dd wasn't ill at all with CP, and didn't really have that many spots. Many children aren't, so your dc isn't unusual to have had no symptoms beforehand and only the spots and blisters now. In some ways it's harder to have to explain to them why they can't go out in those situations too, as they don't feel poorly.

Like someone else said, maybe you could hire a car and have a tour of the area together, sing some songs, etc. Google
Remote locations - you may get lucky and find a beach with no one else there for a few minutes run around.

You do need to avoid people but a few minutes fresh air every so often on a deserted park or beach might be nice.

Also maybe see if you can find some toys and games suitable for the balcony or terrace if you have one.

Your other Dc can still do things - there is no requirement to keep them in just in case but I'd still be wary of having them mix with lots of people too in case they come down with it.

The trouble is if they do you may find yourself stuck there much longer. It depends on where your child came into contact with it as there's a reasonable delay between contact and coming out with CP. just bear that it mind and keep an eye on your other child.

Good luck.

Original poster
meladeso · 01/09/2018 17:11

Thanks for all the sympathy! It's pretty shit tbh.
Eldest DC starting to go a bit stir crazy now.

Does anyone have any top tips for handling the pox I could try now, please?

Obviously don't have British range of meds, but have a script for (and using) Zovirax oral liquid, an antihistamine and a spray thing meant to ease the itch.

We're also bathing DC every few hours in a cool bath of just water which seems to help for a time.

OP posts:
PurpleCrazyHorse · 01/09/2018 18:31

Might be worth chatting to the hotel to see if they have a DVD player they can pop in your room and any DVDs you could borrow. If they have a holiday club, they might have some, or some kind hearted staff might well have some too. Or maybe some board games? The rep or hotel might be able to help get you or DH out to a shopping centre for supplies (craft stuff, pack of cards?)

A paddling pool on the patio/balcony might also help with eldest DC, or if you have a tablet, one of you head off to find some wifi and download some new games if you can.

Feel for you. We were cooped up in bad weather with a 3yo and it wasn't fun. Luckily in the UK with some notice so had an Amazon Prime delivery but it only took the edge off.

CherryPavlova · 01/09/2018 18:38

Just keep we’ll away from others. There is no need to be in a hotel room for a week. Chicken pox doesn’t leap through the air. The risk is to immunocompromised people - unlikely someone with a low white cell count would choose a package holiday. Try not to spread it but they will have been infectious a few days already.

Heat might make him more itchy though.

CottonSock · 01/09/2018 19:32

When mine got it really bad, we were told to avoid baths as it irritates from drying etc.

Ollivander84 · 01/09/2018 20:06

Cherry - I have a low neutrophil count and could be likely to be on a package holiday! There's no reason why someone wouldn't be

EwItsAHooman · 01/09/2018 20:37

Chicken pox doesn’t leap through the air. The risk is to immunocompromised people

  1. Chicken Pox is an airborne disease so while it doesn't "leap" through the air, it is spread through the air.
  1. The risk is to anyone who is not immune, that doesn't mean solely immuno-compromised people. My DS is not immuno-compromised but was still seriously ill when he caught Chicken Pox which is why it's best not to go around blithely infecting people as it's a bit of a gamble as to which of those people will contract a mild case, which will get a normal case, and which will have a severe case leaving them at risk of long term complications and/or death.
Dumbledoresgirl · 01/09/2018 20:42

Can you buy some porridge oats and a pair of tights? Put the oats in the tights and put them in the bath. It helps ease the itching.

RomaineCalm · 01/09/2018 21:18

Is there a FB page for the hotel/resort that you are staying in? I wonder whether somebody coming out from the UK in the next few days might be able to bring you anything that you need?

So sorry that you are quarantined, it's rubbish. I second the idea of hiring a car and getting out - depending where you are people might be able to suggested more secluded beaches where you can at least let the DC run around for a bit.

It does sound like one of those scenarios where you are all in it together and probably need each other's support. It's not ideal if DC miss school but I would try to contact them now and explain the situation, ditto your work.

OddestSock · 01/09/2018 21:24

There’s no reason your eldest DC can’t go out & play & to the pool. If they’ve caught it from your youngest, they won’t have spots for a couple of weeks & they’re not infectious until just before the spots come out. Obviously if both kids caught it at the same time, then your eldest might come out in spots too, but I’d tag team with the kids & take turns inside the room with the littlest xx

CherryPavlova · 01/09/2018 22:00

Chicken pox may indeed be airborne but you need to be within breathing/ coughing distance. The usual method of cross infection is from blister fluid.

If a child has chicken pox they do not need to remain in their hotel room but should be kept at a safe distance from other people. This means an area of beach away from others where the risk of coughing and spluttering on others is minimised. It means not eating in crowded restaurants but asking for a table away from others. It means fetching the child’s food not letting them go to the buffet. It means a walk along a promenade not going to a mall.
And yes, flying might be an issue if it’s before the spots have dried.

EwItsAHooman · 01/09/2018 22:14

You can catch it from being in the same room as someone who is contagious, roughly 15 minutes is long enough to transmit it.

You can also catch it from touching contaminated surfaces such as door handles, table tops, cloth such as napkins, etc.

I'd go to a quiet beach or other area where I was unlikely to encounter people at close range but I certainly wouldn't go to a restaurant, quiet table or not.

CherryPavlova · 01/09/2018 23:29

EwitsAHooman, that simply isn’t true. Being in a tiny box room maybe at a push but a large room, no. Clearly you wouldn’t share napkins but then I wouldn’t anyway.
Door handles are fine unless a child has palm blisters, which is quite unusual. The other person would have to touch the door handle very quickly and then put their hand in their mouth or similar. Quite a low risk.

The virus cannot survive more than an hour or two outside of the host. Table tops are very, very low risk. Cutlery is higher risk but should be dishwasher and that would be sufficient to destroy the virus.
A crowded restaurant is not fine a table on a balcony two tables away from other families is fine ( unless the tables are squashed in like sardines).

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