Taking DD out with chickenpox

[Suntrapped]

She's on day 4, some of the spots are starting to crust over. She's not unwell just infectious.

DH is abroad on a work trip. So far I've only taken her out to buy food and essentials (Piriton and calpol etc) and kept her strapped into the buggy.

WIBU to take her for a country walk or to a quiet stretch of beach tomorrow? Obviously nowhere she'd come into close contact with people. We don't have a garden and I feel the sun/fresh air would do her good.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

I don't get how people can't understand the concept of an empty beach! We live two minutes scoot from a beach and rarely see another person on it! Not all beaches are like Brighton etc!

Please do avoid buses and shops etc though. My daughter caught chicken pox at three months old and was desperately ill in hospital

[dementedpixie]

It's not school holidays here and the weather had been wet so few people would be at the beach. Not an issue being on the beach as long as the contagious person does not talk to or interact with people

[Lonelymummyof1]

To the questiom about what you do regarding a poor immune system and the fact cp is contagious before.

There is nothing we can do unfortuntly it is a risk we always have to live with.
My DD who is 3 has battled sepsis 6 times, twice leaving her fighting for her little life in ICU.
One of these causes was a simple d&v bug and the other hand foot and mouth.
We get constant blood work to check her wbc and neutrophips and under 0.5 we do not leave the house/ hospital cubicle.
But she does deserve a life beyond 4 walls a healthy child with chicken pox who has to be isolated for 5 -7 days vs asking long term sick children to be isolated for life.
We can not stop them getting everything but we can try to lower the risk.

[Lonelymummyof1]

But how would she know the beach will be empty I am struggling to see why any beach would be empty in half term.

[Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies]

My sister was severely immuno-compromised [transplantee], so I am fully aware of how dangerous chicken pox can be.

But I still took my poxy dc out to empty beaches. I couldn't really see how this was different from allowing them to play in the back garden (yes, the beaches were completely empty, and no, my dc did not get close to any person).

[M5tothesouthwest]

I think wide open spaces would be fine. Remember chickenpox virus can be spread in the air (sneezing etc.) so she needs to be well away from others. I would probably head to a park / woods / beach first thing in the morning, or in the evening when there is no-one else around (assuming that her usual sleeping routine might be a bit upset anyway).

[Sweetpotatoaddict]

The nasty thing about chickenpox is that it's most infectious before the spots appear. We took my 2 yr old to some places which were filled with children on the 2 days before the spots appeared. I felt terrible but absolutely nothing we could have done. After they appeared we kept him well away from other people, but with no hesitation about taking him for a quiet walk somewhere.

[Tiddler7]

To all of you with compromised immune system: chicken pox as much as all other childhood illnesses are contageous before any spots, rash appear, how do you cope with that?

[worridmum]

I know this sounds harsh but I sort of wish that every single person whom thought it is fine or a acceptable risk to go out with highly infectus things would be struck down with the worst non lethal symptom people who are immune suppressed would suffer and see if it's fine

[Lonelymummyof1]

I choose not to take my daughter to beaches, parks , etc for this very reason.
I end up looking her away 6 weeks at a time to avoid others who can not stay in when their children or them are sick.

[theymademejoin]

Doughnut - taking her dog and child for a walk in the park was fine. Allowing her child to manhandle your child was not. I'd have been cross about that too.

[Soubriquet]

The walk is fine. Taking her on public transport is not

[GrainOfSalt]

I find this very bizarre. If you are immunocompromised the child that is about to come down with chickenpox tomorrow is just as contagious as the one with spots, the person about to go down with the flu/ norovirus is putting the virus all over the shopping trolley etc

When I had an immunocompromised relative it was made very clear to us it was his responsibility to avoid these places, or, if necessary practice very good infection control (eg hospital waiting rooms. shops etc) as there would always be risk from people who didn't know they were going to be ill let alone those who were - therefore he didn't visit the cinema/ theatre etc but did go to the zoo/ beach etc

As Wonkylegs who does know what they are talking about says above, a walk in the country or a quiet beach is fine

[Trifleorbust]

I would take her out. Just don't go on public transport or let people touch her. Some genuine hysterics on here.

[DartmoorDoughnut]

Oh and she was on a dog walk - as was I - in our local park but she wasn't in the play bit or anything. As I would have to do the same I wasn't cross and just said oh well never mind but I was def worried!

[DartmoorDoughnut]

I was really annoyed a few weeks ago when a woman in a similar situation allowed her DS to hug and hold hands with my DS and only told us afterwards that he had chickenpox, not so much an issue with DS who is 2 and a half but I also have a - at the time - 4month old so I was slightly stressed about them catching it! By all means go out but def keep away from other children and I wouldn't go on the bus, hope it passes soon!

[Suntrapped]

My car's in the garage having a pressure valve replaced. So won't be ready for a few days (great timing!)

We live rurally, the beach is walking distance but nearest shop a bus ride away.

More spots have appeared overnight! The first ones have crusted. When do new ones stop coming?

[WellThatSucks]

Theymademejoin ...if you're immuno-suppressed, it would be more sensible to educate yourself about actual risks, rather than stressing out about imagined or exaggerated risks.

Come on now, there's no need to bring common sense into it.

[theymademejoin]

whatwoulddaryl - if your child was playing out the front with other children, it sounds like she was a bigger risk than what the op is proposing.

Unless you stayed outside the whole time and prevented any child whose parents hadn't confirmed their immunity status from joining in, your child could easily have had close contact with one who hadn't had chicken pox.

[expatinscotland]

SHE DOESN'T HAVE A GARDEN!!! Not everyone has a garden! It's only on MN that everyone has a garden and lives in a 'quiet cul-de-sac'.

If you have a car, I'd take her on a country walk in her buggy or a deserted beach.

[WhatWouldDarylDixonDo]

My DD has just had CP. She only played in the garden or out the front with her friend she caught it from and others who have already had it (checked with their parents)

Yes it was a PITA especially as it also meant my 3 year old couldn't go anywhere else either, but it was only a week. I couldn't in all consciousness take her where she could pass the virus to someone.

If yours is day 4 today then tomorrow they could all be crusted anyway if it's a mild dose?

[GeillisTheWitch]

I took DD out for walks on our local beach while she was spotty, it was winter and the only people we saw were a couple of dog walkers in the far distance so I'm pretty confident she didn't infect anyone. If you know a very quiet spot to take her I'd do it but it might be more difficult if other kids are off school for half term.

[theymademejoin]

Truecolours - the most arsey comments have been from some of those telling the op to stay home.

I think if you're immuno-suppressed, it would be more sensible to educate yourself about actual risks, rather than stressing out about imagined or exaggerated risks.

[NennyNooNoo]

Do you have a car, OP? If so, then I think it would be fine, taking basic precautions. We walked along holkham beach today and didn't come within 10 metres of anyone. If you need to use public transport to get there, then sorry, no.

[TrueColors]

YANBU OP and I wish your little one better but I must say some posters on here are acting in their usual arsey ways. Oh aren't you hilarious jabbering about about your red crosses, so witty! I suppose you're lucky that you're not worried your loved one may die because some people (not the OP who is being kind and considerate) don't understand basic infection risks. Chicken pox is very scary and dangerous to a certain groups of people, so no need to be such twats about it.