Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to purposely expose my 2yo to chicken pox?

110 replies

TinyTheTortoise · 20/05/2014 17:56

Opinions please.
My 2 yo DD is in good health for once, but my friends child has come down with chicken pox, my other friend looks after this child for an hour or so after school while her mum works, and it's likely that her grandaughter (2yo) will already have the virus, meaning my DD could as well as they socialise every morning and every afternoon on school run, and often at least one day a week atm is spent with them. They often cuddle/hold hands too.
So the chances are my little one has already been exposed to it, and there would be nothing I could do about that. However I want to get it out of the way, and we are planning on making sure my friends child is around the 2yo all day tomorrow.. but another friend of mine thinks this is a bad idea, and I shouldn't deliberately expose her to it as it's better if she *never gets it??

*Surely she is bound to get it at some point? I've never known anyone to have never had it?

So, good people of MN, what do you think? I'm happy to hear valid arguments on both sides.

OP posts:
WaxyDaisy · 20/05/2014 17:56

YABVU

orangepudding · 20/05/2014 17:58

Children can become very ill from chicken pox. How would you feel if your child was an unlucky one knowing you had purposefully exposed her?

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 20/05/2014 17:58

I wouldn't.

Complications may be rare but they happen. Could urgive yourself if they happened to your DD and yjd deliberately exposed her?

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 20/05/2014 17:58

Sorry for the typos.

You get my gist.

SagaNorensLeatherTrousers · 20/05/2014 18:00

I just went through chicken pox hell with my 14 month old. The worst 48 hours I've spent as a parent. YABU.

QueenofKelsingra · 20/05/2014 18:00

I used to be all for chicken pox parties until my friends DD caught it, even the GP said she had never seen a case so bad, they all got infected and the poor little girl now has scars all over her face Sad. I am actually tempted to pay for the vaccine for mine now.

ImaginaryPoster · 20/05/2014 18:00

If your DC had serious side affects from it, longer and life threatening, could you forgive yourself for intentionally exposing them to it?

ImaginaryPoster · 20/05/2014 18:01

Aagh I ment longterm, but x post anyway.

FaFoutis · 20/05/2014 18:01

YABU

My dc (oldest is 9) have never had it.

Original poster
TinyTheTortoise · 20/05/2014 18:02

WOW, I thought 'chicken pox parties' were the done thing.. Seems I owe my friend an apology :/

OP posts:
steff13 · 20/05/2014 18:02

Most adults I know have had it, but I don't know any kids who've had it. All three of my kids have had the vaccine, that not a possibility?

I was five when I had it, and it was terrible; I had sores in my mouth, my nose, everywhere. I still have scars from it. I wouldn't expose my kids on purpose.

icanneverremember · 20/05/2014 18:02

Even if your child "never gets it" that's not necessarily a good state of affairs. Chicken pox poses far more of a risk if an adult were to catch it (eg a pregnant woman). So in that sense yanbu.

However my insticts would prevent deliberate exposure for the reason that you're hard wired to protect your child from harm. Also, you would never forgive yourself if there were any complications.

Gigondas · 20/05/2014 18:03

Yabvu - it has potentially serious side effects .

It isn't inevitable kids get it- not all people get it ( like not everyone gets the flu- would you seriously let your child get flu or any other infectious disease to save trouble later ?). Plus you can immunise against it.

icanneverremember · 20/05/2014 18:04

I think the vaccines are a bad idea. I've heard that the effects of the vaccine can deplete after 10 years leaving an adult exposed to catching it, which is far more dangerous.

MissRee · 20/05/2014 18:05

My cousin almost died from a complication of chicken pox which caused her brain to swell. Whilst rare, complications can and do happen.

YABU

Gigondas · 20/05/2014 18:05

You can get a vaccine Ican if concerned about risk later.

Gigondas · 20/05/2014 18:06

That's normal for a lot of vaccines I can. You can get a booster.

parentalunit · 20/05/2014 18:06

YABU get a vaccine like the rest of the developed world. I can't fathom why anyone would knowingly expose their child to a potentially deadly disease. I know our parent's generation did it, but we know better now.

LittleMisslikestobebythesea · 20/05/2014 18:07

Please don't expose her on purpose.

Someone at the playgroup I went too has a son who had it so severely he got fluid on the brain and was very ill, and is still affected now.

PhoneSexWithMalcolmTucker · 20/05/2014 18:07

I wouldn't. Complications do happen; my colleague's youngest child was diagnosed with arthritis aged 3, following a nasty bout of chickenpox.

Obviously these things can happen with accidental exposure too, but I know I would feel v guilty if I'd deliberately exposed my child.

arethereanyleftatall · 20/05/2014 18:12

Like everyone.e else has said,do not deliberately expose your child to this disease. Yes, it is better if they get it as a child, but it can be fatal.

DoJo · 20/05/2014 18:14

YABU - vaccinate her instead.

Original poster
TinyTheTortoise · 20/05/2014 18:18

I have 2 boys who have already had it(not deliberately) with no side effects, so I haven't thought of it that way. :/
I've done a bit more research now and I won't be exposing her on purpose.

She has been vaccinated, but that didn't stop my DSs getting it.

OP posts:
WaitMonkey · 20/05/2014 18:21

Don't do it.

VIPissArtist · 20/05/2014 18:23

One DC was fine, the other was very very ill. It was awful.

How would you feel if your DC needed hospitilsation

Swipe left for the next trending thread