to go on holiday with my chicken pox ridden DC?

[NighteyesLovesGingerbread]

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.

YANBU OP

If your DC aren't particularly unwell either then absolutely no reason to miss your holiday

You will be in an enclosed carriage with recycled air for 30+ minutes. That's more than enough time and exposure for the other passengers to contract chicken pox if they haven't already had it. The risk is a very very long way from minuscule.

Could you not delay your departure until all the kids have had spots out for 5 days and no longer an infectious risk?

I cant delay, its a non-change ticket unfortunately.

I do think its selfish, sorry Op

May You clearly have no understanding of the realities and practicalities of immunosuppression.

I was immunosuppressed following medication a few years ago. Some selfish fucker 'soldiered' into my work with community acquired pneumonia. I was hospitalised and have some long term damage. I guess I should have managed around that by what? Not earning a fucking living? I can assure you I would not have been signed off.

Of course I could avoid planes, except my work routinely involved me travelling to other parts of the UK by plane or train. Not everyone on a train or plane is on their fucking holidays

One of the drugs that's used for managing my condition is an immunosuppressant that's routinely prescribed for 5 years. I am lucky in that I managed to dodge that one (so far). Just how exactly should one modify one's life for 5 years to avoid selfish bastards?

Selfish.

You will be intentionally travelling on something that uses much the same type of air system as a plane in the full knowledge that the kids are a risk to other passengers.

Would you get on a plane with them?

Sorry OP, May 's post made me - that was not aimed at you.

If it was the UK, I'd say you were fine, but I would be a bit concerned about the chunnel. I'd also worry about things going wrong on a journey of that length meaning you have to get out of the car (both for others yes, but also for ill DC).

Sorry, I have a few things to add,
Your little ones skin will be sore and the addition of suncream onto delicate new skin will potentially uncomfortable.
Also with all the stuff going on at the moment with strikes and problems in the tunnel you can not be certain it will only be 30 minutes in the train.

It would be much easier and more comfortable for your children to be sick at home. Chicken pox is very uncomfortable, and not conductive to travel. It would be best to give up this holiday, or only go when a health care professional says the children are no longer contagious.

Sorry, but I think YABU and a little unfair to your children and other passengers.

I think you should ask your GP. My friend got CP, standing in a hall foyer for all of ten minutes. They'd just come out in spots. Not sure after a few days. GP best to ask and go by.

Children are infectious for about 2 weeks before any sign of it, so how would you know.

Once the spots develop they are still infectious until they are no longer puss filled. Once they dry up (and look their worst) they are no longer infectious. Airlines will always let you fly once they're scabby

I work in the childcare industry and this is the same as a doctor would tell you.

So just read you OP again, no of course you arent being selfish as you are driving there and staying in an apartment, you've also said they won't be in contact with anyone else.

GO!

crustaway, you are wrong they are infectious from 2 days before.

Chickenpox is infectious from one to two days before the rash starts, until all the blisters have crusted over (usually five to six days after the start of the rash).

The thing is spreading it before the spots come out is unavoidable - spreading it afterwards is.

YABVU but your travel insurance would pay out for pix so you can then rebook. You cannot decide whether it is safe as you cannot control who will share your carriage.

I also routinely do 10 hour drives in France with well kids and its hell, would be so unfair on them too :(

No im not wrong hazey it actually IS two weeks before thank you very much! so you are the wrong one.

No one is spreading anything here, the op said they would take the right precautions and are driving and staying in a place on their own so......

yet again Im saying go OP.

Oh actually OP - looking at hazeyjane's timings, your DC1 should have already scabbed over and not be infectious. Your younger DCs might have scabbed over, or only be a day off scabbing over - could you look at getting a crossing on Monday instead of Sunday? You wouldnt have to change your holiday villa, losing only one day, and the crossing might not cost that much if it's just the outbound one you are changing...

just had a quick check, it would be around £90 to just book a one way ticket, and you might be able to pay to change the ticket you have for less than booking a new crossing, or your insurance might cover it... worth a couple of calls, only losing one day of your holiday, but even if there's no one you could infect on the crossing, your DCs might be a bit more comfy....

Crusty, Hazey is right.

From NHS:

To prevent spreading the infection, keep children off nursery or school until all their spots have crusted over.
Chickenpox is infectious from one to two days before the rash starts, until all the blisters have crusted over (usually five to six days after the start of the rash).
If your child has chickenpox, try to keep them away from public areas to avoid contact with people who may not have had it, especially people who are at risk of serious problems, such as newborn babies, pregnant women and anyone with a weakened immune system (for example, people having cancer treatment or taking steroid tablets).

Sister is a doctor by the way.

Most viral infections can be caught two weeks previous to any show. This is a fact that doesnt get printed on the nhs website.

A person with varicella is contagious from 1-2 days before rash onset until the lesions have crusted. Center For Disease Precention and Control

...it is infectious from about two days before the rash appears GOSH

Chickenpox is infectious from one to two days before the rash starts, until all the blisters have crusted over (usually five to six days after the start of the rash) NHS

Sorry, Crustsaway - everything I have ever seen about chickenpox says it is infectious 2 days before. Above are a few of the medical sources that state this. I don't know of any that say it is 2 weeks before, if there are then I'd be really interested!

sister says it can still be infectious so Im going with that. but as stated no one would know would they?

The child may be itchy or not whether at home or in a car, what's the difference? to not go on holiday because of a common childhood virus where the mother sounds very considerate is ridiculous.

Go and enjoy.