Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to go on holiday with my chicken pox ridden DC?

289 replies

NighteyesLovesGingerbread · 17/07/2015 11:05

Basically my DC all have chicken pox. we are due to go on holiday in 2 days.

my friend has just said ' I hope you have insurance now you wont be going away' and then proceeded to tell me how unreasonable I was being when I said we were still going and how dangerous it is for others. I am well aware of this, I have several extended family members who are immune-compromised so understand the risks to them.

we are driving to the holiday destination and staying in a stand alone private house with private pool. obviously I will not take DC into the service stations or supermarkets etc but as far as I can see there is no reason for us not to go as they wont be in contact with anyone other than us.

so, AIBU to still go on holiday in this situation.

OP posts:
googoodolly · 17/07/2015 12:48

But they'll have to get out of the car to use the toilet on the way, plus as a PP said you'll need the windows open on the Channel Tunnel.

How do you plan on getting around that?

Sirzy · 17/07/2015 12:58

If your going that far what about toilet and food stops en route? Or even just "stretching legs"?

Bellebella · 17/07/2015 13:07

I think in theory it sounds fine but in reality how are you going to be able to ensure the children don't come in to contact with other people? Toilet breaks, the channel?

Also if your children are only just getting spots today, they could be feeling pretty ill in the next couple of days. I would not want to take 2 ill children away personally if I could cancel and get a full refund. It just would not be worth all the hassle with ill children and potentially sleepless nights. I would see how they go over the course of today and the morning.

Wolfiefan · 17/07/2015 13:09

I'm sorry but I can't see how you can isolate a child whilst travelling. Toilets etc.

antimatter · 17/07/2015 13:09

How many hours driving door to door?

maggieryan · 17/07/2015 13:12

Sounds fine. Enjoy your holiday. It sounds lovelySmile

Original poster
NighteyesLovesGingerbread · 17/07/2015 14:50

door to door is about 10 hours i think.

i have a portable potty so they won't have to leave the car/vicinity of the car for toilet stops. also travelling in france, they have lost more pull over spots which or virtually never meet anyone else in so toilets and stretching legs will be fine.

we will travel with snacks etc.

we have done the trip before we know its perfectly possible for them not to have contact with people other than the 30mins on the channel tunnel. but they will remain in the car, one of the other cars with us will be part of our travel group so it will likely be only one other car that is in the train compartment with us.

i was also under the same impression as dino that after the spots have appeared it is close contact transmission, not airborne as it is before the spots appear hence i don't feel the risk factor for the 30 min train ride in 2 days time is more than miniscule.

OP posts:
JemimaHighway · 17/07/2015 15:54

i don't feel the risk factor for the 30 min train ride in 2 days time is more than miniscule.

You feel the risk is minuscule but still worth the risk for your holiday....? YABU and selfish. It's 4 cars to a carriage not two. But who cares eh OP? As long as you get your holiday

Meandyou150 · 17/07/2015 15:59

I agree fully JEMIMA I hate how people ask 'AIBU' and when someone tells them yes they don't want to know.

I only hope you don't infect some poor sod or immuno suppressed child

googoodolly · 17/07/2015 15:59

lol why ask in the first place then? You've clearly made up your mind.

SaveOurBogBrushes · 17/07/2015 16:05

Is there anywhere you could speak to a GP about how infectious they're likely to be etc? I was all ready to say yes yes YABU but it sounds less problematic other than the Channel Tunnel.

Littleorangecat · 17/07/2015 16:21

What about going in the pool? If the blisters aren't all stabbed won't the virus be in the water? Also my kids got several crops of spots ie: just as the first batch scabbed a second batch started. The infectious stage might last longer than you anticipate.
I am immuno suppressed and would be horrified about your kids being in the pool tbh.

elephantfan · 17/07/2015 16:34

I thought there was a small risk of infection via fomites (objects including books, toys etc)?

One of my DC was terribly ill with chicken pox and had to be nursed in a darkened room for a week because his eyes were so sore and he couldn't cope with light. GP wanted to send him into hospital but they wouldn't take him because they had no isolation ward free. You just can't tell how they are going to be.

Ketchuphidestheburntbits · 17/07/2015 16:37

If your holiday didn't involve the channel tunnel I would say the holiday would be ok. However, as your trip involves a long journey it is completely unrealistic to think you can keep your DC completely isolated. It is also quite likely that at least one of your DC will feel ill during the next few days.

One of my relatives was exposed to chickenpox while she was pregnant. I'm sure that the person who infected her was someone just like you who couldn't see the harm in being out and about with 'only chickenpox'. Her DC has been left with lifelong disabilities as a result of another selfish person's actions.

Do the sensible thing and cancel or postpone your holiday. I wish your DCs a quick recovery and hope that they are not too itchy.

morelikeguidelines · 17/07/2015 16:37

Sounds fine to me going on what you described.

WoonerismSpit · 17/07/2015 16:40

I would be fucking raging if my baby was in the train with you, 'minuscule' risk or not.

Don't be so selfish, and postpone your trip.

TTAoD · 17/07/2015 16:41

Just another 1 saying as long as your close by to medical facilities, DS was covered head to toe in chick pox was in agony for 4 days just stayed in his bed thats fine however my DD had about 5 spots and one chicken pox got infected she couldnt walk had terrible fever and ended up with cellulitis spent 4 days at time in hosp on a drip within 2 weeks. I dont want to scare you but sometimes its not always jstraight forward.

maggieryan · 17/07/2015 16:44

Jesus jemimalhigway what rattled your cage? Enjoy your holidays OP

ohohohitsmagic · 17/07/2015 16:44

I haven't ever had it and both times I have been exposed as an adult was when I was pregnant which necessitated weeks of blood tests and waiting to find out if I needed some autoimmune drugs. Both times the parents didn't know until after and they were incredibly apologetic even though they couldn't have known. If they had known and had risked someone else's health I would have been pretty upset about it. It's a small risk that you'll meet someone pregnant who hasn't had it but is that one you are willing to selfishly dismiss?

DinosaursRoar · 17/07/2015 16:58

Why would the DCs get out of the car on the train? Mine didn't when we last went on the channel tunnel. Do people get their babies out of the car and wander up to other DCs in the carriage? I wouldn't think to do that - we all stayed in the car execpt a trip to the loo - which you could avoid for your DCs with a potty stop just before you go in the train.

There's no risk of infecting other if you are sensible about it, the only risk is access to medical attention if you're in the middle of nowhere and your DCs are ill with it, although you've got a few more days to see, all cases I've heard of chicken pox having complications the children were very ill in the first couple of days, worth checking with your dr first though.

Quite frankly, anyone going to France is more likely to catch chicken pox from French DCs, as they don't seem to be as fussed about isolating DCs with it there as we are.

Chchchchanging · 17/07/2015 17:03

My friends husband is a pilot
They frequently haul kids off flights who clearly have pox
It's the same at crossings if your kids are obviously poxy they may reject you at port
I am pregnant; I have been stuck on tunnel for longer than usual journey time before. I don't want to be exposed when someone is knowingly contagiousShock

londonrach · 17/07/2015 17:10

Might be worth checking op re if you can travel in the tunnel with chicken pox. They do pack the cars very tight this time of the year and you ave to leave the winow open. Yabu re using the tunnel or if a plane was used. Yanbu if just own car to another house in this country.

Bicarb · 17/07/2015 17:26

Don't forget immunosuppressed adults. I've never had chicken pox and am immunosuppressed.

Getting chicken pox could be very serious (even fatal) for me.

BlackeyedSusan · 17/07/2015 17:30

glad you are not being unreasonable op... as dd has been exposed... we are counting down the incubation period. ..and are due on holiday in a weeks time.

ASettlerOfCatan · 17/07/2015 17:32

They are only contagious for approx a week. If they already came out in spots and you aren't going for another 2 days they will be halfway through that at least. If you are in a car and a private villa I see no issue. Just minimise toilet stops on the way and keep day trips for the later half of the holiday (once spots are scabbed over)