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 let my baby catch chicken pox?

207 replies

Rumplestrumpet · 18/12/2015 19:48

In brief, my husband, baby and me are due to go away for 3 days with another family next week. They're a lovely couple though, tbh, our husbands have nothing in common, so it's really just us wives pushing it. She told me yesterday that her son has come down with chicken pox. Our baby is almost 6 months old and has never had it, though DH and I have.

I spoke to my HV today and she was very relaxed about it - they have to get it at some point, at least now you're on mat leave so won't have to take time off to look after her. She is exclusively breast fed so you can comfort her with the breast - it's your call.

DH would happily ditch the whole thing, but I feel like I still want to go... But then I will feel terribly if baby catches it and is in a lot of pain....

Anyone had a small baby with chicken pox? Is it really awful? ie worse than when they're older?

Welcome advice please!

OP posts:
SweetAdeline · 18/12/2015 20:11

I think if they are under a year it is less likely to create immunity AND there is increased risk of shingles later in life.

OhBigHairyBollocks · 18/12/2015 20:15

No dont do it. DD caught it at 7 mo old and it was to date (she is 3 now) the most horrific illness she has ever had. Fever of 41+ for five days straight and covered head to toe in spots, she's never screamed so much in her life.

southeastastra · 18/12/2015 20:15

my ds(14) caught it at 9 months and it was pretty awful, he was covered, also when his teeth came through some were yellowing and not very strong, in fact he had to have quite a few baby teeth taken out. i don't know if the chicken pox was to blame but i certainly wouldn't chase the virus at a young age.

his adult teeth are perfect btw not one filling! i know it could all be co-incidence but i remember at the time finding out that the virus could cause all sorts if caught early.

Karoleann · 18/12/2015 20:17

My ds caught it at 11 mo, very bad dose, ended up with pneumonia in hospital for 5/6 days. It was awful, very scary. Every time he was I'll for a couple if years afterwards he ended up with a very high temp.

It's not always innocuous

He contracted it again at 3. Luckily the second time it wasn't so bad.

NOT a good idea.

chocadd1ct · 18/12/2015 20:18

DD had it very mildy (I alway worry she may get it again) but I would never ever expause my child to Chickenpox to catch it. It can be really awful and in very rare cases it can be actually very serious. I think you had very poor advice from your HV.

Valdeeves · 18/12/2015 20:19

It's awful - you could get your child vaccinated (partly as its two jabs) before you go? I wouldn't purposely expose though as its really unpleasant for the sufferer.

hotdog74 · 18/12/2015 20:20

If it is a week until you visit them, then in all likelihood their DC will no longer be contagious. Maybe this was why HV was ok with it?

BloomingB · 18/12/2015 20:21

I'm sure you wouldn't put yourself in a situation where you would have a high risk of knowingly picking up an illness so why on earth would you do it to a baby?

ottothedog · 18/12/2015 20:23

Ebf plus age means they might not get immunity anyway. Luckily the child will probably not be contagious 5 days from now

Onsera3 · 18/12/2015 20:24

It was going around friends when DS was 1 so I asked a paeditrician friend. She said if you're breastfeeding and you've had it your child would likely get a milder dose and then potentially get it again later.

It's really awful when they are young and can't control urge to itch.

Caprinihahahaha · 18/12/2015 20:25

Yes hotdog - I'm wondering if the hv assumed the child would no longer be contagious.

I would never vaccinate against chicken pox but I would still be worried with a child so small.

You are going to have to phone your friend and have the delightful 'are his scabs crusted' conversation Grin

Horispondle · 18/12/2015 20:33

My DD has had it twice. Once at 11m then again at 14m so I would risk getting it on purpose until child is over 1 definitely!

FannyTheChampionOfTheWorld · 18/12/2015 20:34

Valdeeves I'm not sure OPs baby is old enough for the vaccine yet. When we had our eldest done privately, we were told nine months was the minimum age.

Horispondle · 18/12/2015 20:34

would not* risk

GreatFuckability · 18/12/2015 20:36

My youngest two both had it at under a year. Was pretty much a non-event. No worse than a virus/cold.

wallywobbles · 18/12/2015 21:04

Mine had it at 3 & 4 one of them really badly in her eyes ears bottom. But better at that age than older. I'd go.

CoffeeCoffeeAndLotsOfIt · 18/12/2015 21:07

My ds had it at 2.5. It was horrendous tbh.

My same ds was exposed to chicken pox at about 6 months old (lunched with a friend who's dd came out in pox the following day) and didn't catch it. Apparently, according to a doctor, it's difficult to catch before a year old. But not impossible.

Can you hold fire and see if they've scabbed by the time you're due to go away?

I can understand your concern after nursing my ds through it.

Nanasueathome · 18/12/2015 21:08

My younger son had chicken pox at 3 months old as the older 2 children caught it and passed it in
When he was 17 he had shingles and was really poorly

Not good to expose a young baby as potential is always there for shingles later
Incidentally, other 2 children were 3 and 5 at the time and have not had shingles

Lilipot15 · 18/12/2015 21:11

I've not even bothered to read the full thread but my advice is don't! I have had my child vaccinated against chickenpox too.

outputgap · 18/12/2015 21:11

Another one here whose DC caught chicken pox twice, the first at 6 months. Not worth it if you're going to get it twice. Also ended up in a and e the first time because it became infected.

I will def considered vaccinating dc3 when he/she arrives.

FoxesSitOnBoxes · 18/12/2015 21:20

Are you going away with them or going to stay with them? If you are all going away together then surely they should be the ones not going?
I wouldn't expose my children to chicken pox deliberately; I'd feel too awful if they got it badly.

CoffeeCoffeeAndLotsOfIt · 18/12/2015 21:22

I'm not a doctor, but I think the link to shingles is wrong.

Having CP at a young age can lead to catching it again, as the body was too young to properly notice / recognise it in the first place.

Shingles is just a reappearance of the dormant CP virus in the body. If you've had CP you can develop shingles - the age you had CP is irrelevant.

ozymandiusking · 18/12/2015 21:24

Not only are you unreasonable, you are absolutely bloody stupid!

Original poster
Rumplestrumpet · 18/12/2015 21:25

Thanks all for your comments. I'm not offended by the "What the hell are you thinking?!" comments - I've got thick skin ;) I'm not a bad mother, I promise.

I remember getting chicken pox and it really wasn't that bad. I hadn't realised it could be so serious, and the HV certainly didn't scare me off. I thought that she will have to get it at some point, so why not now when I can be home with her all day, comfort her, breastfeed her etc. And she is unlikely to be able to scratch, so won't scar herself.

I'm so sorry to hear about your terrible stories, it must have been awful to see your poor babies in such pain. If getting it now won't even give her immunity then of course I don't want her to get it.

It's hard to know her chances of getting it, as the child infected has a sibling, who may or may not be carrying it now, and by the time he shows signs it would be too late...

It's also quite difficult for us to get out of the trip for various reasons, but I'll discuss with DH.

Thank you all so much. Wishing you a pox-free christmas!

OP posts:
LIZS · 18/12/2015 21:25

He may catch it now and later and it can be very nasty. Happy New Year - not. When you say next week , when do you mean exactly? They should really wait at least 5 days until the child is not contagious before travelling.