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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to get DS chicken pox on purpose

90 replies

blowsygirl · 07/03/2014 15:10

DS is 4.6 in a small nursery. All the other kids have had it earlier. I know it's going round at the moment, so would I be wise and reasonable to take him to a large soft play place and hope he catches it?

OP posts:
Forgettable · 07/03/2014 15:14

ummm no

chicken pox can be devastating to a child's health

please don't

it's not just one of those silly childhood things that children ''ought'' to get

so, in a nutshell, no it's not reasonable or wise

sorry

getoffthecoffeetable · 07/03/2014 15:19

While most cases of chickenpox are just uncomfortable for the child, some aren't and the virus can make them extremely il and require hospitalisation. Please don't.

isitme1 · 07/03/2014 15:20

Can I ask when do most kids get it?

Ds is nearly 4 and hasnt had it yet whereas my niece had it at 2years and passed it on to her brother who was a few months old

MetellaEstMater · 07/03/2014 15:21

Please search the multiple threads that have been on MN. I know it's annoying for new posters to be asked to do so but this is an extremely sensitive subject for many MNers.

Forgettable · 07/03/2014 15:22

Most have had it by the end of the primary years

the youngest I know of was my own kiddo, about 7 months old, poor thing, caught from sibling

Nataleejah · 07/03/2014 15:23

Years ago it was a practice to have "chickenpox parties" -- once children had it, they have lifelong immunity, not 100%, but mostly. And for children it is not nearly as dangerous as for adults.

LoopyDoopyDoo · 07/03/2014 15:24

Chickenpox can be caught more than once, and a somewhat nasty side-effect can be death. Don't do it, and step away from the thread now, OP.

AndHarry · 07/03/2014 15:24

Yes YABU, it can be extremely serious. He might be eligible to get the chickenpox vaccination on the NHS (see here) or you can pay for it privately if you want to.

AndHarry · 07/03/2014 15:26

BTW I'm an adult and have never had chickenpox, however I am immune to it, apparently because I had slapped cheek when I was 10.

Monetbyhimself · 07/03/2014 15:26

Please google chicken pox encephalitis and pneumonitis.

And yes YABVU to even consider deliberately exposing your child to an infectious disease.

sheriffofnottingham · 07/03/2014 15:26

if it's 'going around' they will probably pick up some immunity. I have never had chicken pox but was tested when I stated working in a hospital to see if I needed to be immunised against it and I had immunity, thus I must have been in contact with it at some point.

If you're that worried, go privately and get them immunised?

EverythingsDozy · 07/03/2014 15:27

Probably not wise or reasonable, but if he catches it then so be it. I wouldn't take him to a soft play to deliberately catch it though, although mostly mild, it still isn't nice!!

SchroSawMargeryDaw · 07/03/2014 15:27

Not wise or reasonable at all! Chicken Pox can have serious implications for some and if it was your child who took it badly after you deliberately exposed them to it, you would probably never forgive yourself.

My DP is 27 and has never had it, certainly hasn't done him any harm do far not having it!

ProudAS · 07/03/2014 15:36

DH had it as an adult and wishes he'd had it as a child.

CP can be dangerous and I've heard some awful stories of DCs being left brain damaged after deliberate exposure but things would probably have been as bad had they caught it naturally. The risks to an adult are far greater.

In short - there's no right or wrong answer.

UriGeller · 07/03/2014 15:42

My eldest had it at 9 after his friend was sent to school with it to "infect the kids that hadn't had it yet" (his mums logic Hmm).

So he caught a mild version from this lad and it wasn't until the winter that he got full blown CP which meant he was bed-ridden and in awful pain over the entire Christmas holidays and millennium new year.

Let your child catch it in their own time. Keep him healthy and his immune system strong so he'll hopefully be able to cope with it.

Meepers · 07/03/2014 15:46

I always thought it was one of these things that if they catch it they catch it, if they don't they don't.

I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to have DD catch it but it wouldn't stop me going to soft play just in case either... I think I need to read some past threads too.

LeadingToGadeBank · 07/03/2014 15:49

Go ahead. I did it with my two siblings. Both just had a few spots and no accompanying other symptoms.

You'll only read about the horror stories on here of doing so. Nobody is going to post and say I 'Poxed 'em and it all turned out fine. People only post the horror stories.

ProudAS · 07/03/2014 15:50

Given the greater risks of CP in adults and the fact that children over 1 usually develop immunity deliberate exposure has almost certainly prevented more complications than it has caused.

The downside is the guilt and 'what ifs' should a deliberately exposed child suffer complications.

ProudAS · 07/03/2014 15:51

Given the greater risks of CP in adults and the fact that children over 1 usually develop immunity deliberate exposure has almost certainly prevented more complications than it has caused.

The downside is the guilt and 'what ifs' should a deliberately exposed child suffer complications.

IslaValargeone · 07/03/2014 15:51

leading That is one of the most irresponsible posts I've ever read on here.

LittleMissSunshine89 · 07/03/2014 15:53

I wouldnt deliberately set out to get my kids to catch CP. If they catch it then they catch it and if not then they dont. I dont see how they have to catch it.
SIL caught CP when DD was about 7 months old and MIL wanted me to bring DD round to "get it out the way". Not even im that stupid.
Their 4 and 5 and still havnt had CP yet but im sure they will at school.

hazeyjane · 07/03/2014 15:55

AndHarry, unless a child has underlying health concerns or someone close to them has suppressed immunity, they would be inlikely to be eligible for the vaccine on the nhs. It is approx £120 privately.

To the op, I wouldn't go out of your way to try and put your child in the path of chicken pox, because if they did have a bad reaction, you would feel pretty awful. Let them catch it in their own time, or have the vaccine.

Sirzy · 07/03/2014 15:55

I think to purposely expose your child to any illness is madness. I can understand not going out of your way to avoid it but not this idea of "pox parties" or anything else.

Chicken pox can be a horrible illness, it may be mild for most but why run that risk that you will deliberately make your child very ill?

DS caught chicken pox and narrowly avoided being hospitalised but I will never forget the thread on here where a child (not deliberately exposed) ended up very ill as a result of chicken pox and will have to live with the effects of that for the rest of their life.

MyChildDoesntNeedSleep · 07/03/2014 15:57

Please don't purposely expose him to it. I regret doing this. My poor darling was so so ill. Sad

MyChildDoesntNeedSleep · 07/03/2014 15:59

I didn't send him out to get it, but just didn't keep him away from his older sibling who had it.

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