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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take DS out when he has chicken pox?

109 replies

ElphabaTheGreen · 13/04/2013 07:44

He's 10mo and not at all unwell with it, but definitely still infectious. We normally go to a baby swimming class on a Saturday, so obviously we're staying away from that. As it's a nice day, though, and there's a food festival on in the city, we'd like to go to that with him in his pram, not really coming close to anyone. The only other thing is we may go to lunch and stick him in a highchair.

AIBU to want to do this?

OP posts:
MrsHoarder · 13/04/2013 07:46

Yabu. Maybe a country walk from your car occurring other people but a food festival and out for lunch is vvvu.

Backtobedlam · 13/04/2013 07:49

YABU-its really frustrating being stuck in but you just can't risk infecting other people. You don't know who will be there, they may be pregnant or have low immunity, and CP can have major complications in that group. Also, although your ds may seem fine in himself being stuck in a pram won't be very comfortable on blistered spots.

featherbag · 13/04/2013 07:49

YABincrediblyU. It's only a few days, surely you can entertain him at home til he's not infectious any more? Being unable to wait to go out could have serious consequences for others, particularly pregnant women (who may not look pregnant!).

80QuidYoniJob · 13/04/2013 07:50

YABU. Don't be so ridiculous.

HootShoot · 13/04/2013 07:51

YABU, chicken pox can be dangerous to pregnant women I wouldn't take the risk.

knackeredmother · 13/04/2013 07:56

Of course YABU. If I saw you out I would challenge you too. My ds has a compromised immune system and it really pisses me off to see this. Your sticking your son in a high chair for lunch could kill mine.

hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 13/04/2013 07:57

DD has been immuno-suppressed because of steroids, she was told you have to be within spitting distance for 15 minutes of a person infected with CP to be at risk so a walk in the fresh air, yes. Any area where you are going to be in prolonged contact with others? No.

MissLurkalot · 13/04/2013 07:57

Take him out, by all means, it'll be good for him. But not to a busy town with lots of people! Very selfish if you did and you would encounter tuts and disapproving looks as you are knowingly taking an infected child out into public... Pregnant women, the elderly and people with low immunity can get 'seriously' ill with your child's chicken pox and it could cause shingles... One if the most painful ailments!
Take him out to the country somewhere, but just make sure you steer clear of anyone.

QOD · 13/04/2013 07:58

I'm on my phone so can't link. Can someone link to clutching pearls link above her little ds almost dying

My niece was intentionally exposed to chicken pox

She's now 21 and unable to live alone, mentally she is under 10

Bunnyjo · 13/04/2013 08:00

I miscarried at 12wk due to contracting chicken pox, I then got secondary pneumonia and was very ill for some time. YABVVVU!

ArabellaBeaumaris · 13/04/2013 08:01

Yabu. You know he is still infectious!

HDEE · 13/04/2013 08:03

It's when I read threads like this that I realise why CP still spreads so quickly and easily.

The OP can't possibly think its okay to sit her child in a public eating area in a highchair? No-one could possibly seriously contemplate that that might be an okay thing to do.

sparkle12mar08 · 13/04/2013 08:03

I got chicken pox at 36 weeks pregnant and I strongly suspect it triggered my early (and precipitous) labour at 37 weeks. YABU. Suck it up for a few more days.

Kveta · 13/04/2013 08:04

of course YABU, what a stupid question!

Miss the food festival, and stay in, and most definitely don't go to a restaurant - it's only one week of quarantine maximum, you will survive it.

We did a lot of circuits of the garden when the DC had chicken pox recently - so we all still got fresh air, but didn't expose anyone to the virus. Can't you do that until your DS is scabbed over?

Original poster
ElphabaTheGreen · 13/04/2013 08:06

Fine. Didn't think of the pregnant women/immuno compromised, sorry. We'll stay home. Thanks! Smile

OP posts:
Roshbegosh · 13/04/2013 08:07

This has to be some kind of wind up. Unreasonable doesn't come close. Utterly selfish or utterly ignorant, you have to be one of them.

Gigondas · 13/04/2013 08:10

Yabu- I am immuno compromised so this would be a massive issue for me

What part of quarantine don't you understand?

At times like this I wish if there was any sort of justice it was people like you who got to deal with immune issues .Might be a good lesson in knowing what risk meant and how hard life can be. Staying inside or away from other people for at Most a couple of weeks is nothing in scheme of things.

HootShoot · 13/04/2013 08:12

I agree HDEE one of our anti natal groups baby got cp last year and I was shocked when first of all she suggestex a cp party and was then doubly shocked when people considered going.

Sirzy · 13/04/2013 08:13

Glad you have decided to stay at home.

DS has had chicken pox recently, thankfully it was long enough after his last course of steroids it wasn't a problem but while his immune system was weakened another chest infection has got in meaning he has needed more steroids and has been to hospital twice in the last week with breathing problems.

Thats a minor thing compared to some of the complications which can be caused for people who have problems with their immune system.

LadyintheRadiator · 13/04/2013 08:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HaplessHousewife · 13/04/2013 08:15

So, (sorry slight hijack) WWYD in my position.

DD's chicken pox came out two weeks ago so she's over it now, spots clearing up but I think she caught it from her best friend and it took the full three weeks to come out.

So, DS could well have it but we've got another week for it to possibly come out ? it's been easy so far as it's the Easter holidays so we've not really been anywhere indoors but his swimming and music classes start up again next week.

Should I stay away from them all just in case or is this a bit OTT as he may not even get it?

LadyintheRadiator · 13/04/2013 08:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CouthySaysEatChoccyEggs · 13/04/2013 08:32

I'm not going to tell my story yet again, tbh it's too early in the day for such upset, but PLEASE do not go out when you have CP.

For pregnant women, it can leave them having a MC, a SB, going into prem labour or making their unborn baby blind and with LD's. (google varicella syndrome).

For those undergoing cancer treatment, it can cause severe complications and even death.

For someone immune compromised, for whatever reason, it has a far higher risk of serious complications or even death.

It's selfish to put other people at risk of all these things simply because you don't want to stay indoors.

However - if you are waiting for the possibility of CP, you are not 'knowingly' doing this - you can't stop your life for something that hasn't happened yet.

HaplessHousewife · 13/04/2013 08:34

I guess so, it's just one of my friends had a baby on Tuesday and her DD also goes to the classes on Monday and Wednesday. I suppose I'll have to warn her I'm going and it's up to her whether she takes the baby or not (MIL is staying and DD is vaccinated).

kungfupannda · 13/04/2013 08:37

Even if you didn't think about pregnant women or immuno-compromised people, why would you possibly think it was ok to just go about your business as normal? Out in the pram, lunch in a restaurant - that's what you do when you don't have a child with chickenpox, not when you have a clearly contagious child.

People sometimes post on here asking if it would be ok to do the school run with the baby under a rain cover, or a walk in a deserted park or similar - but you're not even proposing any sort of precautions. You're just asking "hey, is it okay to pretty much carry on as normal?"

It would be spectacularly unreasonable - anyone could catch it - and I'm surprised you have to even think about this.