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

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:
Enchantedflamingo · 14/08/2017 21:15

Speak to your insurer and GP. I'd seriously look at the vaccine - I don't know the ins and outs but post bone marrow transplant that was the standard option for me if I was exposed to it. Heck of a lot cheaper than cancelling.

BeALert · 14/08/2017 21:25

Once again I do not understand why the NHS doesn't routinely vaccinate against CP.

welshweasel · 14/08/2017 21:34

Not cost effective

theredjellybean · 14/08/2017 21:42

What always amazes me on these threads is the opinion that no one should travel IF they POSSIBLY. Have an infectious disease in case someone who knows they DO have an suppressed immune system is travelling.
If I or a loved one was that immunosupressed I wouldn't put myself in that kind of risky position.
I empathise with people who are unwell but honestly if you are that immunosupressed I. E. On active chemo... You would not be on an aeroplane going on a trip.
Op... I have never had chicken pox, despite being exposed multiple times as a child and a doctor.
If you can afford it you can still get ds2 vaccinated privately. My nice got chicken pox and timing for her baby sister would have meant full spots on her christening day... We got her vaccinated 5days after sister's spots appeared.

Ollivander84 · 14/08/2017 21:48

thered - so I should never ever fly then? Being immunosuppressed?

notevernotnevernotnohow · 14/08/2017 21:49

Of course you should fly. But so should people with no sign of an infectious disease. They can't cancel their lives on the off chance they are infectious at any given time: ie all the time.

HeyRoly · 14/08/2017 21:52

DC2 came out in chicken pox two weeks to the day after DC1 had it. People also warned me that siblings tend to get it worse (something to do with being in prolonged contact with the virus for days, rather than catching it from fleeting contact) and the were right. He was smothered and very poorly.

I think you're right to cancel because it's almost certain that he'll come down with it while you're away, and then you won't be able to catch your flight home.

Ollivander84 · 14/08/2017 21:52

I get that but you said if you are that immunosuppressed you shouldn't fly. That's going to be my entire life!

theredjellybean · 14/08/2017 21:55

Oliveander.... If you are that immunosupressed that you are at serious risk from common infections diseases surely you never go anywhere? Not to supermarkets, cinema, parties, church... Etc...
My point is that many people on mn... Seem to think that anyone with possible infection should not risk infected immunosupressed people but that's impossible we'd all be quarantined all the time...

Ollivander84 · 14/08/2017 21:58

It's impossible to do though. I am very immunosuppressed as I'm severely neutropenic, am usually in a side room if I'm admitted to hospital so I don't have to wait in a waiting room
I food shop, avoid the cinema, avoid people who look obviously ill, and I work FT. I wouldn't be cross bit peeved if I caught something someone didn't know they had. But I would be raging if someone did know they had it, like the idiot with chicken pox sat in a waiting room that decided not to tell anyway

Ollivander84 · 14/08/2017 21:58

Oh and I avoid children Wink bundles of germs

OoohMavis · 14/08/2017 22:00

What about your dc? Chicken pox is usually just an annoyance but it lowers them too - dd caught 3 colds in quick succession after she had chicken pox. Plus they could well be miserable away from home and sick. I'd cancel.

theredjellybean · 14/08/2017 22:03

Agree that you don't take your chicken poxinfested child on a plane but the op does not know if her ds is or is not incubating chicken pox.... They cannot put life on hold on a what if basis

OoohMavis · 14/08/2017 22:05

I dunno, one dc is definitely sick, and will only just be starting to recover - doesn't seem like ideal timing for a transatlantic flight even if the other one somehow miraculously escapes it.

Enidblyton1 · 14/08/2017 22:16

I have recent experience of this.

DS1 - by the time you fly he will have had the spots for 9 days so almost certainly will no longer be infectious and will also be feeling fine. Book a doctors appointment for this coming Friday and explain timings to the doctor. Should be no problem to get him a note. (Check the policy of your airline, but I know BA say you have to be at least 6 days since last spots appear. In reality, I was quite shocked nobody asked to see our doctors note despite my DD having 3 large crusted over obvious CP spots on her face...)

DS2: Quite possible he won't catch it at all (our GP said often siblings don't catch off each other). If he does, the most common time would be 14 days after DS1. This would mean he could fall ill towards the end of your holiday and for the flight home. DISASTER!
Your only option - speak to GP first thing tomorrow and ask if he can have a preventative jab. I have no idea how this works, but my friend recently had this jab. Her child got CP and she has cancer - and she didn't have CP as a child. I don't know if this can be offered to DS2 or whether you have to pay for it. But if it is possible, then your problem will be solved and you will be able to go on holiday.

Hope this helps. Don't cancel your holiday without investigating the jab option for DS2.

Good luck!

retreatwhispering · 14/08/2017 22:17

I would cancel this time or get DC2 vaccinated. We got our DC1 vaccinated when she was exposed, as it was just before DC3's birth. DC1 didn't catch the pox.

Neolara · 14/08/2017 22:21

My 2 dcs were up close and personal on holiday for a week with their cousin who had CP. Neither of them got it. Your dc2 may not get CP.

bostonkremekrazy · 14/08/2017 22:35

my dc4 had chickenpox last month. Despite bathing together, sharing a room etc, dc5 did not catch them.....saw GP as DC was run down - GP said give up to 21 days to catch them, but dc5 never did.....

you cant spend 21 days in isolation 'just in case'......while i was happy to keep dc4 home and inside, dc5 carried on as normal - no infection, no need to isolate.

and to the PP upthread - you cannot give people shingles from chicken pox (you can catch chicken pox from shingles only!)

Yukbuck · 14/08/2017 22:51

I agree with the posters saying you should play it by ear. I think you'll find that it is more common that siblings don't catch chicken pox off each other than do.
I never had them growing up. It is impossible to stay indoors for 21 days on a just in case basis. It's just not feasible.
ollivander I do see what thered was saying. They aren't saying you can't fly and in fact did not say that at all.
I agree with what they are saying..because even if you converted everyone on mumsnet not to fly, there'll still be plenty of people who would fly. We can't change the world. So you'd always be at a potential risk in flying. That's a risk you take. Just like you take a risk by working full time or walking down the street. Think of all the kids who fly on holiday and go to nursery full time. CP are always doing the rounds at nursery.

GreatFuckability · 14/08/2017 22:54

If you are so unwell that chicken pox could kill you, then you shouldn't get on a plane with recycled air. Why is the job of someone who doesn't know you, doesn't know your medical history and may not even have CP to miss their holiday, so you can have yours?

Ollivander84 · 14/08/2017 22:58

Technically I don't know if CP would likely kill me but I'm not particularly wanting to find out! To be fair I haven't flown in a while but it is nice to have the option. I didn't choose to be diagnosed with this age 32 and get stuck with it for the rest of my life

bostonkremekrazy · 14/08/2017 23:03

Ollivander why don't you get vaccinated to avoid the risk for you? I know if you are having chemo you cant, but depending on your illness that could be a option for you.
(you should be eligible on the NHS too if you are at very high risk)

Ollivander84 · 14/08/2017 23:10

I'm not sure if I am eligible, not on chemo. I've had chicken pox once but I know you can have it twice! Like I said if you don't know you have it I would be annoyed (at the world more than the person!) because it's shit luck. If someone knew they had it, that's a different matter
Probably venting because people have previously said ooh I've got really bad tonsillitis and not told me before they visited and I've then been really unwell

GreatFuckability · 14/08/2017 23:11

I know you didn't Ollivander, I have illnesses myself that limit things, and its shit. however, people can't stop their lives because of it, is my point. Some people may have saved for years to afford a holiday, i wouldn't cancel my holiday if neither child was in the visibly contagious stage.

Ollivander84 · 14/08/2017 23:13

Yeah I get that totally. I try and avoid children Wink because my other risk is if they've had the live flu jab! It's just I've been sat in a waiting room at the doctors with people with infectious diseases and they didn't even tell anyone (the nurse kicked me out the second she found out)

Swipe left for the next trending thread