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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take my baby on holiday with chickenpox

181 replies

MamaMia100 · 20/07/2012 09:55

Before you shoot me down, read on:
It started on monday 16th when I found a big well developed (so must have been there a day or 2 already) blister under his testicles. A day or 2 later, more spots and a temperature (quite mild, he hasn't really been that unwell). Old advice is wait until all spots crusted over (which would prob be a good week away from
now as new spots still appearing) but gp said (and wrote me a note saying) that new guidelines are that they are only infectious for a max of 6 days from first spot (which must have appeared on Sunday at latest as it was already a big fat blister by the time I found it on Monday, and the other spots have taken a few days to reach that stage). Supposed to be going to rural France to stay in a v isolated house which we are unlikely to leave v often (as there's a pool ad massive gardens there) by train tomorrow morning. I am worried about
A) infecting others on train as, despite gp advice, spots are far from crusted over,
B) him getting more ill while away from home (been told they can get a bad cough a week after pox gone - any experience of this???). He has breathing issues which are due tone investigated when we get back from hold (noisy breathing/gasping - suspected floppy larynx or similar. Endoscopy had to be postponed when he developed the pox).
Any opinions? Do I go with gp's advice, or my conscience (and miss out on my hols when he may not even be infectious - don't think travel insurance will work as we bought it after pox
seen by gp). And there's the worry of a bad cough making his breathing worse. We are going with a friend who is a trainee gp and there is a hospital nearby but still a bit worried...

Any thoughts/ opinions greatly appreciated as I've lost the plot somewhat! Sorry for mammoth post! TIA

OP posts:
ValiumQueen · 21/07/2012 07:22

mama have a look at the thread called 'we have the pox' in childrens health. There are a few stories on there about how it progressed.

In relation to your daughters high temp: my child had a high temp, over 40, with no clear cause. The GP said to me at the time to not be surprised if she developed chickenpox in a few weeks. It was 3 weeks to the day when the spots appeared, so it could be the same with yours. The GP did not say I had to keep her isolated in that time, and it did not cross my mind, as CP has been going through the Nursery for months now.

Sorry you missed out on your holiday, and I hope your weans are soon feeling better.

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 21/07/2012 08:38

Mama you are a wonderful person.
I really mean that.
I am so sorry about your holiday an I truly hope you get the fantastic one you deserve very soon.
I hope your babies get better soon.

Sirzy · 21/07/2012 08:39

Hope everyone is better soon so you can get your holiday

Indith · 21/07/2012 08:55

Much sympathy, I hope it passes soon and you can have a lovely holiday.

Maybe your dd was exposed the same time as your ds and they are getting it together? Mine got it off the same child, at least it halved the time spent indoors, they occupied a sofa each, ran fevers, slept and watched cbeebies til my head exploded in a puddle of brightly coloured shapes and songs.

Original poster
MamaMia100 · 21/07/2012 09:45

Thanks all for the sympathy and kind words Smile

I am wondering if her temp could be something to do with mounting an immune response having been exposed to the virus, so that - having had the vaccine - she will have antibodies but they need to 'kick in' as it were, causing the temp. Does that sound plausible? Any medical people out there??? Or is that just wishful thinking?

OP posts:
Bunsouttheoven · 21/07/2012 10:07

How old is your dd? My ds caught cp off his sister at 10 wks old. He had a bit of a fever & 3 spots in total & only one of those blistered & scabbed. No other symptoms other than a bit snotty. Smile

Also well done for not going, I hate it when people put themselves first & disregard the public when they have a contagious illness. We might not all get so many stomach bugs etc if people actually thought the advice applied to THEM. (rant over)

Hope your ds & dd are ok & you get a lovely holiday very soon.

WilsonFrickett · 21/07/2012 10:23

I think the temp usually happens before the spots, quite a bit before IIRC. Certainly when DS got it, he was poorly a good week before the spots came out, and when the spots came it was a sort of 'ah! that's what's been wrong' moment. He had a high temp too. It could be that your DS didn't catch them where you think he did IYSWIM so DD was exposed too and is a few days behind him. The excuse for not giving the vaccine in the UK (from govt) is that it isn't very effective, so unfortunately she could still get them.

Anyway. I just wanted to say well done for not going and I do hope they get well enough soon.

Anti-histimane (sp?) helps with the itching too, and I'd get DS into a cool bath with some bicarb of soda to try and dry out some of the itchy ones.

Big hugs.

ValiumQueen · 21/07/2012 10:42

When she had the vaccine did they advise you she might have a high temp? I was forgetting she had been vaccinated.

5madthings · 21/07/2012 12:15

good call mama hope you are all well and get your holida soon.

re your dd and her having a temp i suppose that could make sense actually, a temp is the bodies way of fighting off infection so yes perhaps it is the antibodies from the vaccine kicking in? no idea tho! but it sounds plausible, you will just have to wait and see i guess, fingers crossed for you xx

FutTheShuckUp · 21/07/2012 12:26

To all those so flippant about catching cp and it not being serious- tell that to the mother of the two year old boy I looked after last week who has permanent brain damage from a stroke due to chickenpox. And yes I do know it was directly due to chickenpox before anyone asks

ValiumQueen · 21/07/2012 13:16

How sad fut hopefully being so young his little brain will have a chance to compensate a bit? Thankfully such complications are rare Sad

GhostShip · 21/07/2012 13:22

Good for you Mamamia making such an unselfish decision. I really hope your baby gets better and you get to have a holiday soon. Keep us updated. Xxx

griphook · 21/07/2012 13:32

My two ds's have just finished with pox, I would say the the whole thing lasted about 12 days from the first spot to the last one getting is scab.

Try putting them in oar meal baths with bi carbonate of soda, seemed to stop the itch

OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere · 21/07/2012 14:08

DS got CP after the vaccine but it was years after and he didn't get a temp. He got a couple of spots.

DC5 came out in a couple of spots last night. I can't be sure what they are yet. I frontlined all the animals so they may be flea bites as they make a last dying bit for freedom (ewww)
But I am keeping him in till I am sure.
He missed the fire station open day Sad
Luckily we have a garden so he can play out.

5madthings · 21/07/2012 14:25

yes i have had a few times with ds4 and dd where they had a few spots and thought is this it and kept them in for 24-48hrs to see and then it turned out not to be chickenpox. its a pain but a fairly small inconvenience in the big scheme of things so has to be done.

mrsdevere dont know what your firestations are like but at ours you can ring up and ask for a tour! some people have done it for bdays etc, its not the same as an open day but they do make a fuss of the kids and they get a good look around, obviously if they are called out you have to go but worth a try maybe? :)

TheEternalOptimist · 22/07/2012 18:30

Good on you, MamaMia. I hope your DD is ok, and you are off on your well earned holiday soon.

CamperFan · 22/07/2012 19:05

You have some sun today at least OP??

Original poster
MamaMia100 · 15/08/2012 15:35

Update: friends DD did not get pox after bathing, playing etc with DS despite fact pox were not all crusted, supporting (tho not proving, obviously) the new guidelines that they are not contagious 6 days after spots appear irrespective of crustiness! Thought you might like to know Smile

OP posts:
onceuponamum59 · 17/04/2014 11:15

Hi there, i know I'm really late to the discussion, but got some info that may be of use. I've checked with first great western and cross country and neither of them have any restrictions to people with infectious chickenpox travelling on their trains. My 19 month daughter has it and i am planning to travel by train later today. My aim is not to make vulnerable people ill, i am simply trying to get from a-b. If i see pregnant or elderlypeople i will move to another area of the train when possible. I am a single parent so have nno one i can leave my daughter with atm when i do food shopping etc, so this means that i have no choice but to take her with me into public places. Even going to pop out later to chemist to buy some chamomile lotion may cause a stir for some people but for me and for many others(i imagine) we are just keeping ours and the childrens lives going. And as I'm aware sheay may have already come in to contact with people who are vulnerable already as they are infectious before the spots appear. Hope my take on this may help others in making their choice, and maybe help people think before they start having a go :-)

rumbleinthrjungle · 17/04/2014 20:10

Onceuponamum as an immunosuppressed adult that post took my breath away.

I'm not visibly pregnant or elderly but you'd leave my life fairly well messed up and my job at risk in your wake. Do have a lovely time just keeping your and the children's lives going.

Stinkyfeet · 17/04/2014 20:19

My son has cancer. I can guarantee you would not know by looking at him. Your actions could kill him. But, hey, you keep your child's life going.

NurseyWursey · 17/04/2014 20:20

Not just a bit late, you're two years late. Why bring this back?

And no I'm sorry you're selfish.

MoominsAreScary · 17/04/2014 20:35

If you need yo go food shopping you pick up the phone and have it delivered, you dont go out infecting people on a train

hazeyjane · 17/04/2014 20:40

Onceuponamum - stunned by the selfishness of your post - all sorts of people have suppressed immunity for one reason or another, and all sorts of people are at risk of serious complications if they contract chicken pox.

When your child has chicken pox it is an inconvenience for roughly a week. Your actions are dangerous to some of the people you could come into contact with.

coldwater1 · 17/04/2014 20:55

If your child has chicken pox you stay at home until the last spot has cleared up. Need food? We have home delivery for that and you can also get calamine lotion with the food shop.

I recently had 4 children with chicken pox, one after the other, the children did not leave the house. I had shopping delivered, ordered their lotions and potions from Boots, didn't even take them on the school run. It would never have crossed my mind to take them out. Apart from that dragging an ill child out is pretty selfish. I'd hate to be carted here there and everywhere if i were ill.