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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

going out with chicken pox

29 replies

nulnulcat · 07/02/2007 14:28

im was really shocked today was in supermarket in queue and the woman in front of me had a child with her which obviously had chicken pox in the contagious stage!

there is a lot of it going round here at the mo my dd has it but i wouldnt dream of taking her out in case she passed it on to anyone else

is it just me or do other mums take there kids out when they are ill?

OP posts:

funkimummy · 07/02/2007 14:31

Hmmmmm chicken pox in the contagious stage - can you actually see it? I thought that as soon as spots appear, it's not contagious anymore?

clairemow · 07/02/2007 14:32

I wouldn't take mine somewhere that was inside and they could pass it on to other children unless I absolutely had to. I would go for a walk in the buggy, but would tell any friends I happened to see not to approach us! Def wouldn't go to the supermarket, but then, thinking about it, maybe she had no food, no-one to take care of her LO, and no internet to order online. So it could have been an emergency shopping trip.

clairemow · 07/02/2007 14:33

I'm sure it's infectious until the spots scab over. They are infectious for a couple of days before the spots come out, which is danger time for passing it on...

LIZS · 07/02/2007 14:33

funki it is contagious until at least 5 days after spots appear

belgo · 07/02/2007 14:34

it's contagious until all the spots have dried over, I think.

wotzsaname · 07/02/2007 14:35

It's infectious until the spots have scabs. was child abit scabby?

QueenEagle · 07/02/2007 14:37

Contagious til all spots crusted over. ds4 is erupting as we speak. ds3 just gone back to p/g and I was blasted to smithereens for saying on MN that I needed to go to shop for essential items (no-one else to help) with a poxy child. (last week)

So, what now for me? No-one else to take ds3 to p/g. So I have to take ds4 with me who will be infectious. Hmmmm, tie him up by the fence outside with a warning sign on him,yes?

handlemecarefully · 07/02/2007 14:37

Actually that's not the case. They are not infectious until the spots scab over. That is now discredited advice.

The guidance on NHS Direct indicates that current research suggests that they are infectious for 5 days after the first spot appears (and a couple of days prior to the spots appearing of course)

I took my dd out when she had clear indications of chickenpox - but by out, I mean out as in 'outside' (for a walk etc), not to the Supermarket.

However the child you were looking at in the supermarket might have been 5 days post the first spot appearing

handlemecarefully · 07/02/2007 14:40

here you go

QueenEagle · 07/02/2007 14:41

According to that link:

"You are infectious until the last blister has crusted over, so children with chickenpox should be kept off school or nursery until this point (around 5 - 6 days)."

handlemecarefully · 07/02/2007 14:42

lol, although it looks like I have contradicted myself there in that link because it mentions 5 days but also 'until the spots have crusted over'. With my dd they never did crust over - the skin sort of reabsorbed them iyswim (they never had much of a classic blister appearance either)

goingfor3 · 07/02/2007 14:46

I had to take my dauhgter to the supermarket when she had them as I had no one to look after her and needed a few bits from the supermarket. I kept the raincover on her as I hoped that would help. Sometimes you do need to do things like a supermarket shop even when the children are contagiuos.

handlemecarefully · 07/02/2007 14:50

I must admit I can't get excited about chickenpox. Probably something to do with the fact that both of mine have had it twice.

Also since you are infectious 2-3 days prior to spots appearring (and blissfully ignorant of this and in thus still in active circulation), all the self imposed quarantine stuff seems a bit OTT and a bit like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

funkimummy · 07/02/2007 14:52

I want mine to get CP before they go to school. My DH had it at 11 and suffered terribly. Much more so than his younger brother and sister.

MissGolightly · 07/02/2007 14:56

I wouldn't care about my DS getting it - I agree with funkimummy that the earlier the better. I had it at 5 at the same time as my little sister who was 3. I have scars still, she doesn't.

However I would think twice about taking my kids out with cpox, at least to enclosed areas, because it can be dangerous during pregnancy and I would hate to infect a pregnant woman.

Furball · 07/02/2007 15:00

ds was covered from head to toe in spots for about 2 weeks. I had to explain to everyone that I met when out how long he'd had them for even though the still looked 'nasty'.

clairemow · 07/02/2007 19:32

I also wouldn't care about DS1 (2.8) getting it, but I would be really cross if my baby DS2 (5 months) caught it now because someone had brought their infectious child to a toddler group or something (not aimed at you QE, I'm sure you'll try and minimise the risk when you drop DS3 off at p/g!). I'd rather he didn't get it before 6 months at least... On the other hand, I understand that sometimes you just have to get some shopping in to feed everyone, so might have to go to the supermarket. But I can avoid you there! How far can the infection jump?!

Original poster

nulnulcat · 07/02/2007 19:53

the kids face was covered in spots that looked blistery but not scabbed over at all. DD has chicken pox at the moment and i just stay in with her until there is someone who can look after her whilst i shop its not the other kids i worry about infecting but pregnant and elderly people! my grandad had shingles and it was really horrible for him.

OP posts:

gingermonkey · 07/02/2007 20:19

My DS got it at 5 mths and it was everywhere, he was covered. Fortunately he didn't seem bothered by it much and just wriggled around more. I'm glad he got it then because it's out of the way now and I don't have to worry anymore. At the end of the day, they are going to get it somehow and IMO sooner is better than later. DD was 5 when she got it and she had it really mildly but she was a nightmare and scratched and scratched and scratched til she bled. You'd have thought she was dying the way she carried on!

handlemecarefully · 08/02/2007 20:18

Ah well, I am pretty sure that you can't catch shingles from somebody with chickenpox. Shingles happens because the person has formerly had chicken pox (could be many, many years ago) and the virus has been dormant within their body, but suddenly takes the opportunity to strike them again (usually if they have compromised immunity for some other reason)

FluffyMummy123 · 09/02/2007 14:28

Message withdrawn

McDreamy · 09/02/2007 14:35

Handlemecarefully is right chicken pox is right in saying it is contagious until 5 days after the onset of the rash. here This is a very useful website that as a hospital infection control nurse we relied for information. And you cannot contract shingles from chicken pox that is also correct but you can catch chicken pox from someone who has shingles.

handlemecarefully · 09/02/2007 22:15

Ah thanks McDreamy - so nice to be right, and such a rarity in my case

morocco · 09/02/2007 22:22

and do spare a thought for those of us whose children are immunosuppressed and who live in complete horror of coming into contact with cp. yes, they can be exposed to it without knowing it, but awful to just take your kids out when you know they are still infectious. my ds1 was incredibly ill after cp triggered a very serious relapse. so something else to consider. you could never tell btw from looking at ds1 that he is immunosuppressed

handlemecarefully · 09/02/2007 22:25

Morroco - I did spare such a thought. I kept both of mine in for the requisite 5 days and cancelled a family holiday. Pregnant women and the immunosuppressed were on my mind.

Can't say I did it with good grace though . CP can give you a sense of humour failure when both your children have had it twice.

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