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Original poster

Chicken Pox diemma

136 replies

519888888z · 13/08/2017 15:48

Would really appreciate some advise. DS1 has chicken pox (spots started to appear Friday pm). We are meant to be flying to US on Sunday to visit family. Postponed trip as he was ill last time! Hopefully his spots will have crusted over and he won't be contagious by Sunday. Problem is DS2 who hasn't had chicken pox and isn't showing any spots. Dilemma is a) might he already be contagious - don't want to put anyone on flight at risk. b) supposing he became ill while away and we couldn't fly home. We are going for one week only and DH and I both have to be back for work. Is it reasonable or an over reaction to cancel trip because of possible chicken pox? Any advise greatly received. Finding this very stressful. Lost a lot of money last time (insured but excesses, admin fees, etc) not that this is of course the main issue.

OP posts:
NancyJoan · 14/08/2017 18:42

I caught CP on a flight as an adult. Covered in the buggers for my best mate's wedding, I was crusty and drunk. Please don't do it, there might me someone even more vain than me on your flight.

FuzzyCustard · 14/08/2017 18:48

pottering Cpox will give your child a few spots and bit of itching for a week or so. Cpox could easily kill my DH. That is the difference I am trying to get across. And therefore the reason why people should be thoughtful about the possible consequences of their actions.

welshweasel · 14/08/2017 18:52

But there's a kid with chicken pox or other infectious disease most weeks at DS's nursery. Are we never allowed to go on holiday in case he gets it? In fact it was going round his room when he was just under one (so too little to be vaccinated) jut before we went on holiday. No way would insurance have paid out just in case.

welshweasel · 14/08/2017 18:54

fuzzy people like your DH are why we should include chicken pox in the national vaccination schedule like pretty much all over developed countries. But until then you can't expect people with kids not to go anywhere in case they unknowingly have it. I wouldn't have been able to go on holiday for a year!

welshweasel · 14/08/2017 18:55

Just to be clear, I'm the first person to agree that once spots appear you need to be housebound until scabbed over.

Hulababy · 14/08/2017 18:56

Insurance won't pay out for a 'just in case.'

There is no advise for children who have been exposed to Chicken Pox to be isolated. They are still expect din school for example.

If DS1 is crusted over - likely by Sunday ime - and DS2 has no signs, then I'd go.

Butttons · 14/08/2017 18:56

I'm with you welsh weasel!

PotteringAlong · 14/08/2017 19:21

pottering Cpox will give your child a few spots and bit of itching for a week or so. Cpox could easily kill my DH. That is the difference I am trying to get across. And therefore the reason why people should be thoughtful about the possible consequences of their actions.

I get that, I really do. But you seem to Ben suggesting that I should only leave the house with them every 2-3 weeks because that's the only way I can realistically know for definite that they're not infectious. And, as much as I feel for your DH, that's bonkers.

scaevola · 14/08/2017 19:35

The NHS does not require quarantining of asymptomatic contacts of those with chicken pox. So it's quite possible that UK insurance companies won't pay out.

Also, if you are going to quarantine, that means no contact at all with the outside world for the full three weeks. No point in doing it at all if you do not cover the full 21 day incubation period.

notevernotnevernotnohow · 14/08/2017 19:40

I am shocked at the posts encouraging the OP to travel if there are no visible signs

You're shocked at people not treating a child as if he is infectious when there is no reason to think they are infectious? No you aren't.

Chicken pox can be incredibly serioud to pregnant women, the very young and immune-compromised people. Why you would risk infecting someone for the sake of "not putting your life on hold" is beyond me. It's not like having a cold

But you could be infectious from something right now and have no signs. Your child could be infectious with CP right now, for all you know. So you are risking infecting people every day? Are you going to stay in your own house?
No, didn't think so.

It's a serious logic fail.

2017SoFarSoGood · 14/08/2017 19:55

Thank you OP for deciding not to fly. The risk is just too high. My DH caught it from DS and was so very, very sick. Convulsions, delirium, not to mention spots literally everywhere. We truly thought we could lose him then. And then there is the shingles risk. That in itself is horrendous. If you've ever been with a loved one suffering with that then you would know.

Poor kids. Hope it is bearable. 🐻

Jedimum1 · 14/08/2017 20:00

Have you got one of those travel insurances that allow you to cancel for illness? Could you get one?

I think it takes 18 days for your DS2 to get it. DS1 stops being contagious once all his scabs are dry. Both my children had it last year, between them two we had a whole month of chickenpox. For us was: days 1-3 a bit off, spots appearing and covering everything. Days 3-5 quite bad, high temperature and being miserable. Days 6-7 back to almost being themselves, all scabs drying, days 8-12 fully scabbed and starting to "peel off", day 18 second child starts getting spots.. and start all over!

Jedimum1 · 14/08/2017 20:02

That said, many other kids who were with them at the same time in nursery did not get it. So it's not guaranteed that DS2 will get it, just a high possibility.

dementedpixie · 14/08/2017 20:03

They may not pay out in the absence of any spots though. Incubation period is up to 3 weeks. Normally you would continue as usual until symptoms appear

PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon · 14/08/2017 20:07

My dd hadn't crusted over till about day 13 (bust she did have it really bad) so you can't really say they will be crusted on day 8.
If your other son gets it whilst you're away then he would be most contagious on the flight. I personally wouldn't risk it. Especially given how long the plan journey will be

Hulababy · 14/08/2017 20:07

Jedimum1 Mon 14-Aug-17 20:00:05
Have you got one of those travel insurances that allow you to cancel for illness? Could you get one?

-

But even then would it pay out?
If DS1's spots have scabbed over - it won't pay out as no longer infectious and therefore safe to fly.
If DS2 has so signs - it owns pay out as not ill. No insurance company pays out 'just in case' someone might get ill.

bangingmyheadoffabrickwall · 14/08/2017 20:09

My two DC's have literally just recovered from CP.

DD got her CP on a Wednesday. By the Sunday, they were crusted over.

DS got his CP 14 days after. He had one spot. On day 15 he had a handful and by day 16 he was covered (Thursday am). He too had completely crusted over by Monday.

I would presume that your DS's spots to be crusted and NOT contagious 10 days (the day you fly) after. As for the DS who hasn't had them, likelihood is he will get them 2 weeks after your DS erupted in spots which would be day 6 of your trip and not able to fly until spots are crusted which is usually day 5 onwards after spots erupt so it could be like this:

Fly out 20th Aug. DS2 gets spots Friday 25th Aug and earliest can fly back probably Tues 29th/Wed 30th Aug.

There is no guarantee that this is what it would look like, but that's the likelihood. Our village has had a mini epidemic (half DS's year group got them last two week and first two week of holidays) and every sibling who hadn't had it, got it exactly two weeks later give or take a day.

bangingmyheadoffabrickwall · 14/08/2017 20:13

Chickenpox is contagious until all the blisters have scabbed over, which usually happens about five or six days after the rash appeared. copied and pasted from NHS Choices website.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/Chickenpox/Pages/Introduction.aspx

JenniferYellowHat1980 · 14/08/2017 20:14

But you could be infectious from something right now and have no signs. Your child could be infectious with CP right now, for all you know. So you are risking infecting people every day? Are you going to stay in your own house? No, didn't think so.

Don't be bloody stupid. OP knows it's highly likely that her DC2 is incubating pox whereas someone who has not been on close contact with it would have no reason to suspect it. Of course she won't be staying indoors in the UK as there is no danger of being stuck in the US because she can't fly back.

I realise this doesn't take into account the argument that a contagious child could be around someone immunosuppressed or in early stages of pregnancy at any time, but to knowingly take a child abroad when they are likely to have unhealed spots for the return journey would be irresponsible. And not allowed.

welshweasel · 14/08/2017 20:19

I would discuss with my insurance and if they were happy then I'd go. If the second child got it whilst we were away I'd get the insurance to pay for a later flight home.

MrsPandaBear · 14/08/2017 20:21

Like others have said, I'd look into the vaccine privately urgently. We got DS vaccinated when a wave of chickenpox went through his nursery room just as I was really struggling with pregnancy and couldn't have coped looking after him. If you get them vaccinated immediately after exposure the evidence is that it does significantly cut the risk of them getting it, and if they do get it it is usually milder.

HazelBite · 14/08/2017 20:28

Some years ago my niece developed chicken pox whilst on holiday in the States. By the time the family was ready to fly home all her spots had crusted over.
She had two crusted over on her face. Whilst waiting in the plane on the tarmac a flight attendant came and asked what her spots were, one of her brothers piped up "chicken pox"
Dsis and niece had to get off the flight while DBIL returned home with her brothers.
Niece was not allowed to fly home without a medical certificate.

So just BE WARNED!!

Urubu · 14/08/2017 20:30

For those saying don't go, would they really cancel a trip if their child had been exposed to but had zero signs of chicken pox? Would they stay inside?
So if children in your kids room at nursery had come out with the pox but yours hadn't, would you stay indoors in case they were contagious
Exactly this!

Jedimum1 · 14/08/2017 21:06

Is not "exactly this", as being 6-8h in a plane that only circulates the air for those same hours, would certainly expose many inside the plane. It's the same as sending kids to Nursery or school for the full day after they are being contagious, which they don't usually allow

notevernotnevernotnohow · 14/08/2017 21:08

It's the same as sending kids to Nursery or school for the full day after they are being contagious, which they don't usually allow

They do of course, because you don't know when you are contagious if you don't have any symptoms yet.
You can't not do things on the reasoning that you may or may not be contagious. Any of us might be right now.