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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Chicken pox and school run?

81 replies

annalovesmrbates · 11/01/2012 13:07

A parent always drops her DS1 at school and takes Her DS2 in a pushchair. Today she said that DS2 has chickenpox whilst as usual he was sitting in the buggy without raimcover.

I am not sure what she could do differently but AIBU to be surprised that she is doing this, given the potential dangers of chickenpox?

OP posts:
Kayano · 11/01/2012 13:08
Hmm
Kayano · 11/01/2012 13:09

Is chickenpox really that dangerous? I might have thought
Leaving the toddler at home would be rather worse?

seventieschick · 11/01/2012 13:09

Mine haven't had it yet but when they do I'd have to take ds on the school runs etc - what else would I do with him? I couldn't keep dd of school if she didn't have it. I wouldn't take him to watch swimming or anything tho she'd have to miss those.

scuzy · 11/01/2012 13:10

the child was in a push chair strapped in and the parent dropped off the older child. all of 2 mins. she prob had no choice but to bring him.

Sirzy · 11/01/2012 13:10

As long as she isn't hanging around chatting for ages then what's the problem?

aldiwhore · 11/01/2012 13:12

She's doing nothing wrong. I have had to do the same. I also kept well away from the pregnant mums (by arriving a little early/late) and well, everyone really... if anyone came close, I'd yell "stop, he has the pox!" a couple of parents encouraged their children to hug my youngest pox ridden child, others backed away quick sharp.

Indith · 11/01/2012 13:14

Yes CP is contagious and yes it can be very dangerous for those with immune problems, the pregnant, tiny babies etc but what do you expect her to do? She can't keep the elder child off school for 2 weeks can she? Not everyone has someone who can look after their child at the drop of a hat to avoid such problems. I am glad my 2 both had it before school age as I certainly would not have had anyone to come and look after one while I took the other to school or someone I could ask to do the school run for me every day.

Original poster
annalovesmrbates · 11/01/2012 13:14

Hmmmm, she always gets there early and is big on standing around chattering. I thought CP could be very dangerous in immuno-compromised people. Maybe I am wrong.

OP posts:
Original poster
annalovesmrbates · 11/01/2012 13:14

Hmmmm, she always gets there early and is big on standing around chattering. I thought CP could be very dangerous in immuno-compromised people. Maybe I am wrong.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 11/01/2012 13:15

Well as long as she tells anyone who's just about to lean into the buggy and give the child a kiss, I don't see the problem?

IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll · 11/01/2012 13:17

Yabu if the child was strapped in the buggy, I'm not sure what else you could expect her to do.

We drive to school and I used to get there early and stand by the car then wait for someone else to come along so I could grab them and get them to take the non poxy child in for me. But if we walked to school, I would probably do the same as the Mum you talk of and just make sure I warned people, kept teh child in the buggy and didn't hang around for too long.

spottyscarf · 11/01/2012 13:17

I did exactly the same last week dropping DD1 at preschool. Difference being it was pouring with rain so I had to drive there and carried DD2 in my arms (18 months) into the preschool entrance, told the teacher I couldn't stay for circle time as DD2 had chicken pox then legged it back to the car.

It seems a bit harsh to keep an older sibling off preschool/school because the younger one has chicken pox. Especially as that's probably where she picked it up in the first place!

spottyscarf · 11/01/2012 13:17

I did exactly the same last week dropping DD1 at preschool. Difference being it was pouring with rain so I had to drive there and carried DD2 in my arms (18 months) into the preschool entrance, told the teacher I couldn't stay for circle time as DD2 had chicken pox then legged it back to the car.

It seems a bit harsh to keep an older sibling off preschool/school because the younger one has chicken pox. Especially as that's probably where she picked it up in the first place!

DeWe · 11/01/2012 13:19

If she usually stands arround chattering there's a not unreasonable chance that she would have mentioned it to the people there giving them the chance to move away.

trixie123 · 11/01/2012 13:19

CP is communicated physically, so unless people make a real effort to get very close to the infected child its really not an issue. Also CP is most contagious BEFORE you know they've got it, once they have the spots they are only contagious for a few more days. Mine had it recently and I left DD in the car whilst dropping DS into pre-school which raised a few eyebrows but really there aren't many options.

pooka · 11/01/2012 13:23

I've been wondering about this lately as ds2 will no doubt get chicken pox in the next couple of years and ds1 and dd still need to be taken to school.

If DH cannot take the older children, I may be able to get them picked up by other parents. Alternatively, I will drive and park and pass the older 2 to friends going into school.

Or I will put ds2 in the buggy with the rain cover on.

An alternative (and one I know the school is happy with) is to deliver the older children to the office 10 minutes after the bell goes for children to line up on the playground, so still before registration, which means that wouldn't have to take ds2 into the crowded playground.

I thought that was actually passed by coughs/sneezes as well as physical contact.

The parent at your school should have put the rain cover on.

redskyatnight · 11/01/2012 13:24

You see I know all about lack of family support. But for the odd few days that a younger sibling is ill, how many people genuinely can't find a neighbour/friend's parent/random other parent who walks in the same direction to take their older child to school? I'd certainly be happy to take a child, in this situation, to school if I was going there anyway (even if it meant going slightly out of my way) ... and I can't think of a single parent I know who also wouldn't oblige.

I think parents either don't like to ask, or just don't think (or care) about how contagious CP can be.

startail · 11/01/2012 13:28

I didn't catch CP playing with the girl next door or helping with the Brownies when it was rife and someone must have been incubating it. I has a young-leader and they climbed all over me one day in the swimming pool.
No I got CP in the middle of my final year project and I haven't the faintest idea how. No one else had it.Angry

Kayano · 11/01/2012 13:29

But what if the people you could find we're
Immuno suppressed. Surely there is MORE risk of
Cp being passed in if someone is physically looking after younger child rather than him being strapped in a pushchair.

Maybe the spots were scanned over?

Kayano · 11/01/2012 13:30

People have cp parties, it's MORE contagious before the spots appear

hazeyjane · 11/01/2012 13:30

Cp is an airborne infection, so she should have kept the raincover on and made a swift exit.

redskyatnight · 11/01/2012 13:30

Kayano the "other" person is to take your older child to school - not to look after the younger (who you would keep well out of contact).

hazeyjane · 11/01/2012 13:31

Why would someone who is immunosuppressed volunteer to look after a child with chicken pox!?

IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll · 11/01/2012 13:32

Kayano, they would be able to say no to looking after the child wouldn't they?

startail · 11/01/2012 13:32

Redsky, sadly often I couldn't find this kind of baby-sitting. DH commutes, no family and a rural area where lots of people drive.
You have to time it just right to meet someone walking up to school.
Yes I know people now I could ring, but not at preschool.