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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think if your children have chicken pox you should keep them away from the general public?

59 replies

Maryann1975 · 27/06/2013 14:23

Just that really, just seen a friend out in town, buying non essentials (sun cream, it's raining outside, a birthday card and present for someone for next week and other things like that). She had a tesco delivery this morning and said she didn't need any food stuff (which I would understand her having to go out) just fancied getting out and about. I know it's hard staying in with poorly children but really, why does she think non immune people want to catch the illness?? AIBU?

OP posts:
IneedAyoniNickname · 27/06/2013 14:30

My sil took her dc to peppa pig world when the youngest had cp. Apparently it wasn't fair on the older 2 to cancel their day out. (true) But she refuses to leave any of them with her dh.

Some people are just.selfish!

whatsleep · 27/06/2013 14:32

If the child with chicken pox is a toddler in a pushchair then there is very little risk of passing on the virus. If its a slightly older child I suppose the infection risk would be higher and it would be more thoughtful to stay away from highly populated areas such as busy shopping towns. However, the spots can take two weeks to dry up would you really expect them to stay locked indoors all that time? If she were taking the child to a wacky warehouse etc this would be unfair but a walk in the fresh air is no big issue in my opinion.

EssexGurl · 27/06/2013 14:37

I always thought that they were infectious until the spots crusted over. DS was covered in crusty spots for about a month. What was I supposed to do with him for that length of time?

Original poster
Maryann1975 · 27/06/2013 14:39

Child not in buggy, generally allowed to run around shops as they please. A walk in the fresh air, I see as fine, but a walk around the shops among other people, I think is not fair. If children are expected to stay off from school for up to a week, I think it should be accepted that they stay away from the public for that length of time too. It's different if you know everyone who is there (say a family party) and they are all ok with it, but she doesn't know everyone in the shopping arcade, so can't be sure of their medical status.

OP posts:
whatsleep · 27/06/2013 14:42

Ok yes I see your point, running around a shop is a bit unreasonable as you just don't know who you are putting at risk.

Sirzy · 27/06/2013 14:43

If a child has chicken pox which hasn't crusted over they shouldn't be going out. I don't see why some people find that such a hard concept to understand.

Chicken pox can kill. Please don't take the risk of infecting someone who is at risk.

whatsleep · 27/06/2013 14:45

We were at a large indoor pay facility a few months ago with our preschool children and came across two boys aged around 8 totally covered in fresh spots. Clearly off of school due to being contagious but their mum thought it was fine to bring them here! They were eventually asked to leave by the manager.

bbqsummer · 27/06/2013 14:45

Utterly selfish and stupid. For immuno-compromised people, young and old, chicken pox can be life-threatening.

babyhmummy01 · 27/06/2013 14:47

Chicken pox is passed being communicable once there are spots which have dried . It is contagious in the 2 weeks prior to them.

wilkos · 27/06/2013 14:47

YANBU, at some point we all have poxy kids, it's not a great hardship to keep them indoors if it prevents them from passing it onto anyone who may be at risk of a small infection making them seriously ill.

My father died of as a result of a cold virus passed onto him by someone who easily shrugged off the same illness, he was receiving treatment for his cancer that left him with a compromised immune system. It turned out to be more compromised than we thought Sad If you are infectious or in charge of someone who is then stay indoors.

pinkballetflats · 27/06/2013 14:49

Depends on whether child was still in the contagious stage or not.

loveliesbleeding1 · 27/06/2013 14:58

When my little girl was 11 months old we went to school to pick my older ones up and one of the mums was there with her 6 yr old I asked why he was not in school just as he was sticking his head into daughters buggy, she said "oh he has chicken pox" guess what baby had 2 weeks later?..so no yanbu

NeopreneMermaid · 27/06/2013 14:58

YANBU. I had to keep my DD home on her 3rd birthday while the rest of the family went out for lunch to celebrate. I didn't want to risk there being other children, pregnant women, anyone with lowered immunity (and anyone who just didn't want it) there. Friends and family then came to us except SIL with PFB who stayed in the garden even though it was freezing.

We've done walks in the woods but anywhere else would be rude I think.

supergirl123 · 27/06/2013 15:04

Children with CP should be kept at home. I understand how frustrating this can be but chicken pox can be deadly. I dont think alot of people realise how serious it can be to immuno supressed people.

My dad had a transplant and could become seriously ill if he comes in contact with cp.
We cant visit him if there has been an outbreak in dd's class in school. I cant wait until my 2 have had them as we will all finally be able to stop worrying every time a child from their school has had it!

hazeyjane · 27/06/2013 15:05

Chicken pox is passed being communicable once there are spots which have dried

all the spots have to have dried and crusted over, before it is no longer contagious.

chirpchirp · 27/06/2013 15:11

YANBU and I say that as a woman trapped in the house on a rainy day with a pox ridden two year old.

The amount of people who have said just carry on as normal, everyone needs to catch it, best whilst they're little etc. is astonishing.

crazykat · 27/06/2013 17:59

This would have me seeing red especially if it led to one of my 4 DC's getting it as it would mean losing very precious time with my mum who is immuno compromised due to terminal cancer.

It's the same with D&V bugs when parents ignore the 48hour rule.ay seem like no big deal but for us it's a lost week with my mum and we're fast running out of them.

Cravey · 27/06/2013 18:10

I had exactly the same thing in tesco on Monday. Lady with pox ridden shield in trolley comes behind me in checkout. I panicked ( auto immune compromised ) and asked cashier if I could move my goods to another belt or ask lady to move away. Cue lady telling me it's all good only kids get chicken pox. My poor husband looked as if he was going to throttle her. I left him to deal with shopping and he explained what the issue was to lady. Who then proceeded to tell dh she had to get out and about and maybe I should stay in. Not happy.

RazzleDazzleEm · 27/06/2013 18:16

It disgusts me.

Its very fashionable to say yeah...nothing wrong with it.

I do not blame the people saying it - its just ignorance.

HCP need to know about the horrid cases and suffering people have and need to urge caution to parents of those that have it.

There is no joined up thinking though....one GP may know and seen of one nasty case would be urging strict quarantine....another would not know and would be casual about it.

Do not bloody well go out. And tell people if your trying to infect your own DC with it!!! So they have a choice as to whether they want their DC to get it.

Angry
KirjavaTheCat · 27/06/2013 18:16

My friend was sat on a busy morning bus last week with her 8 week old, when a mother got on with her 2yo covered in weeping chicken pox sores, and parked the buggy with said 2yo in (scratching herself raw), right next to my friend's buggy.

Honestly some people just don't give a shit. They see as far as their own little bubble and the rest is a blur.

RazzleDazzleEm · 27/06/2013 18:17

crazycat you poor thing.

Its the wider issues - people with compromised immune systems etc that others do not think about.

I think MN should start a campaign over it really.

RazzleDazzleEm · 27/06/2013 18:18

Kirjava I may have asked bus driver to stop bus and shouted out ( after asking if its CP) to everyone on the bus there is live CP here...

pianodoodle · 27/06/2013 18:20

They are contagious for a day or two (I think) before the spots appear, and until they have crusted over.

I kept DD at home for a week was so bored but would feel guilty of maybe passing it on to a newborn or a pregnant woman.

PeggyCarter · 27/06/2013 18:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

expatinscotland · 27/06/2013 18:32

YANBU.