To wonder why people are so ill informed about chicken pox?

[knackeredmother]

I have encountered 2 people in the last 2 days who have allowed their infectious chicken pox children to mix with others.
My ds has respiratory problems and is frequently on steroids so needs to avoid contact. We are just waiting for him to be off steroids for a few weeks so he can be vaccinated (on hospital advice). I am also a health professional so have seen first hand the devastating effects the pox can have on cancer patients and pregnant women for example.
I realise therefore that I am more sensitive than most about this topic.
However, last week a new neighbour invited my ds to play , when I picked him up I saw her dd was covered with weeping ( not healed) chicken pox sores. When I asked her if her dd had chicken pox she just replied 'oh has he not had it?'. I explained about his immune system being suppressed with steroids but she did not seem to get it.
Today I have just met another mother in a soft play with her...yes you've guessed it.....chicken pox laden ds. Again not healed over, spots came out yesterday.
This mum is intelligent and lovely and I think I may have just spoiled a potential friendship with my little rant about the risks. She genuinely did not realise and said she thought as chickenpox was so common that people didn't really bother keeping them inside anymore.
So, AIBU to think the majority of people are ignorant of the quarantine advice re chicken pox and if so WHY is this?
Oh and expect a post from me in a week or so with a ds hospitalised with varicella pneumonia (pessimist, me? Never!)

YANBU, my little brother died after catching chickenpox while undergoing chemo.
It can be serious, and it is beyond belief that people will knowingly take a contagious child out and about. My wee one has just had them, we stayed in until she was no longer contagious. It was a bit boring, but rather that than endanger vulnerable people.

If you have had someone in your life with compromised immunity you're fully aware of the impact. I don't think it occurs to other people.

My DS has just started with cp. DD has no symptoms as yet, not sure whether she can still go to nursery tomorrow?

I think if you have ever been on chemo or know someone who has suffered cp complications then you realise the importance of nhs advice to stay away from people until spots are scabbed over. I also think if you know a child who has suffered complications then you are less glib about your own dcs catching it.

I can't remember who asked, but the cp vaccine is usually about £60 per jab (2 are recommended), but it is available on the nhs if you have underlying health conditions.

I never took DS out with it (he was 3 when he had it). I knew it was contagious and to wait until all the spots have scabbed over but never knew the full implications for the vunerable -learnt that from MN and my friends dad who's had a transplant.

I do know it isn't always a mild illness - DS had a high temperature, was extremely lethargic and had a febrile convulsion.

Hope your DS is OK.

When my lot got it we kept them in away from others, fairly obvious what it was so no need to go doctors just used my common sense. When my son was due to go back to his dads via train a couple of days after getting them I told his dad it was not fair to bring him home on public transport and risk others health and either we would drop him off in my DP's car or he would have to get someone to pick him up from the house. He then promptly took him to sit in a doctors waiting room full of sick people for 30minutes to have him checked 'in case I was wrong' and then took him out and about shopping and on trips out and had friends and their young children and babies round at his house whilst keeping my DS off school!! Mind boggles we couldn't believe it the other 3 with us were kept house bound until they started to clear and anyone who was going to come over was forewarned the kids had it so they had the choice not too come.

My nephew had shingles at a very young age and he was very poorly.

I also know several people that have had chicken pox more than once.

YANBU.

My dad has cancer. When his daughters had chicken pox he moved in with his inlaws for a fortnight because he is immunosuppressed. You don't know who you could potentially be infecting. The risk is too great.

Unfortunately, some people are inconsiderate.

DH (40) is currently in bed with very bad case of chicken pox and a fever of 39 which he's had since sunday. The GP has prescribed anti viral drugs which may help stop it getting any worse, he has asthma and we have to make sure he doesn't get chest coplications.
We have no idea where he caught it and I'm now waiting to see if the kids catch it too, ds has specail needs so i'm hoping he doesn't!
We should be on holiday in Dorset until Saturday but had to come home early today because dh was so ill.
GP made a point of telling us to avoid pregnant women, people with chronic illness or imunosupressed.

An earlier poster mentioned that he/she thought that the OP's situation was unusual with regards to the steroids.

Given the high prevalence of asthma and related conditions (many of which are treated with steroids) in this country I would be inclined to disagree.

I'd really like to see a campaign to raise awareness about the potential severity of a number of illnesses and conditions that are all too frequently dismissed as "mild childhood" illnesses including the likes of chickenpox and asthma.

There will still be a number of selfish idiots who ignore it, but I think a large part of the problem is a lack of information/education.

I spoke to a friend whose ds had just developed cp and was saying as long as his spots were hidden she thought it woulf be ok to take him to a soft play area as it is not like he was still contagious just that people are funny about the look. I pointed out that he was actually infectious while he had blisters as they cotained the virus. I do believe this was news to her and as far as I.know she did not go.

I agree mrs prednisolone is used a lot. Asthma exacerbation, COPD and arthritis. Also there is other medication that can make you susceptible to CP e.g. sulfasalazine, methotrexate, etanercept and ciclosporin to name a few. There are also conditions that can make you susceptible. A lot of people a moment if selfishness can have really bad consequences for.

My DS came out in CP spots on Wednesday last week. Now they are scabbed over, but I don't fancy taking him out until the spots are gone. Have been out to visit family and a few friends, but only via car and I have made sure to check that everyone has had them already.

I'm pregnant with DC2, went to GP who did blood test to check my immunity. I do remember having CP as a child, but just wanted to be 100%. Luckily the results came back to say I was immune.

I wouldn't even dream of taking DS out to cafes, soft plays or shops when he was spotty, just seems so irresponsible.

I wouldn't take mine to softplay or have kids over to play but I would take them to the supermarket I think.If you are very vulnerable then you are daily running the risk of catching it from someone who is incubating it anyway.

"but I would take them to the supermarket I think"

Or you could just do an online shop.

' running the risk of catching it from someone who is incubating it anyway.'

Of course you do but that doesn't change the fact that KNOWINGLY exposing others to an infectious illness is irresponsible and down right selfish.

I agree with Hecuba, it's one thing to take a child out and about when you don't know they are incubating the virus, but if you do know or you strongly suspect then that's another altogether.

A guy at my secondary school died from rare complications of Chickenpox as an otherwise healthy young adult.

When I had DD1, someone on the maternity ward had Chickenpox; I hadn't had it, so I got a call from the hospital a couple of weeks later saying they were on their way over to give DD1 immunoglobulin -very painful injections in her tiny little legs -she screamed and screamed and went on screaming for the next few months. She got Chickenpox at the age of 1 and Shingles later at about 7. I caught Chickenpox from her and was off work for 4 weeks as an adult in my thirties, I had scabs all over my scalp and as I had long hair they were exceptionally painful.
It is a really nasty disease, apart from the life threatening complications. My effing sister in law took her infected daughter on holiday to France and covered her spots with a T shirt in the pool - I couldn't believe it - especially as she refused to come near our house when I had it and she was pregnant!

I really don't get why people cant be more considerate about stuff like this, is it really so hard to restrict outings for a couple of weeks until no longer contagious? Ds had it a couple of years ago and it was horrible, he was poorly for 3 days before the spots came out and for a week afterwards, he had one particularly nasty little bugger on the end of his willy which made him scream every time he had to pee :0( not that I'm in any way comparing this with the really serious complications that it can cause or the effect on pregnancy or those who are immune surpressed, but it's not always a mild illness like everyone assumes.
It's not that difficult to ring round friends who you know have kids who have already had it and arrange to visit/visit you once they feel up to it, but I can't believe anyone could be so bloody stupid as to think that taking a kid who is contagious with ANYTHING to soft play is ok! Actually, cancel that, I do know people who are that stupid!
I had d&v on Sunday, had a hair appt yesterday which I had to cancel, as whilst I was fine by then, I was pretty sure I was still contagious, and even though I shook the virus off in 24 hrs, the next person might not be so lucky!

Mine weren't ill with chicken pox. Of course I didn't take them out though. Massively irresponsible. Supermarket!

My friends husband died from CP virus 6months after having a bone marrow transplant to treat his luekemia. So sad as he was expected to make a full recovery.

We had to take our 2yo DS to OOH when he had chickenpox due to chest infection. Doctor took one look at him and said "I should take you home and rub you on my daughter, she's eight and still hasn't had it"! I guess he meant that it can be easier to get it over and done with. Still kept him home from nursery though!

I was quite relieved when my DC got it so mildly (DS was 9, and all his friends had already had it) because I didn't want them getting it as an adult. But that's not the same as exposing people whether they choose it or not.

Have not read the ahole thread, so may be repeating what someone has already said, chicken pox is to be avoided at all costs, under no circumstances allow it to spread, because once you have the virus inside you, you can get repeated attcks of shingles for the rest of your life, this can be a vile. evil disease, can be agaonising, debilitating, retuning countless times, and I 've (once) seen it be fatal.

"I was quite relieved when my DC got it so mildly"

Having a mild case of CP doesn't guarantee immunity unfortunately. DD had it mildly the first time - she only had 8 spots. She caught it again four years later and was really poorly with it.