Chicken pox at Christmas and relatives?

[StudentMummy92]

My daughter has come in to contact with a confirmed case of chicken pox at nursery last week. My nan, my aunt and my cousin have all never had it. They are all coming down for Christmas if my daughter comes down with it I'm stuck at home on my own with her as I can't go near these relatives. Would I be unreasonable to ask them to stay home as they all live together so I can enjoy the day at home. That way, no one is left by themselves Christmas Day.

I have my daughter yes, she's 16months old so not exactly the best conversation would be had on our own.

*sorry enjoy the day with my mum if they stayed home

Not a medical expert here, but shingles is meant to be really unpleasant (had a couple of relatives who had it) and so your suggestion sounds the best not just for you but for all the relatives who’ve not had CP before.
You can catch up later with them, maybe?

You can’t catch chicken pox from shingles. If your aunt and your nan have never had chicken pox it’s highly likely they are immune some people are. They won’t have go to adulthood never have been in contact with chicken pox.

Sorry I meant you can’t catch shingles from
Chicken pox!

Erm, yes you can catch chickenpox from shingles. But who mentioned shingles. You cant catch shingles from chickenpox.
Also, wont u know if she has it way before xmas?
www.nhs.uk/conditions/shingles/

I wdnt b happy if i was them as chpox is quite serious in adults.

Erm, yes you can catch chickenpox from shingles.
Did you read my post?

Yes i did, but only after id posted mine

@Aroundnabout1 well if she doesn't have spots by Christmas eve we've avoided it. Fingers crossed.

Can they not travel xmas morning to b on safe side? Not sure how far away they live? Hope it all works out for you.

Chicken pox is contagious from two days before any spots appear. The only way to guarantee that your relatives won't be exposed to the virus is for them to either get vaccinated, or not visit you.

@Aroundnabout1 oops that makes sense .

@Sedona123 it's funny because one of them works in a nursery! She's never going to avoid chicken pox!

Tell them to get vaccinated ASAP. It’s really simple, easy vaccination. My kids has no side effects.

OK Medical facts here:

1. The chances are at their age your nan etc will have come into contact with the virus over the years and not had it but will therefore be naturally immune, many people are.
2. There is an infectivity, infectious, and incubation period which means that your daughter, if she doesn't develop symptoms will only be infectious to others for a short period of time. The infectious period is generally accepted as being 2 days before the appearance of a rash until 5-7 days afterwards. The incubation period is 10-14 days. Therefore if we count the day your daughter was in contact with the vaccine as day 1, she will be infectious to others between day 11 post exposure until day 15 post exposure. If after that she has not developed the rash, she wont get Chicken Pox (but may be naturally immune). If she develops the rash, she will be infectious for about a week afterwards.
3. You can only get Shingles if you have already had chicken pox as the virus rests, dormant on the nerve endings and reactivates in times of underlying health problems or following contact with chicken pox. So if your nan and other rellies haven't had it they can't get shingles. if other rellies have had CPox then they could get shingles but only if their immune system isn't great.
4. Over 75s should be offered a shingles vaccine from their GP as routine.

I’d definitely avoid having them in contact with her if she comes out with the spots, my DH caught chicken pox from the DC 2 years ago at 50, he’d never had them before, it was horrific and almost hospitalised him. Don’t forget there is an incubation period of up to 21 days I believe?!

I think incubation period is actually 10-21 days so you wouldn't be in the clear until 3 weeks have passed after exposure.

And exposure to wild chicken pox is supposed to help reduce chance of shingles in others who have had chicken pox already - supposed to help boost the immune response

I'd worry about it only if it happens and not now. My children were properly exposed many times and never caught it. I vaccinated in the end but worried so many times about plans and arrangements when they'd been exposed.

All my dc were around confirmed cases of chicken pox at nursery, they never caught it till they went to school, not saying that your dd will be the same mind. My ds1 came out in chicken pox on xmas eve evening, we still traveled for a family xmas, my dad is the only one in the family never to have got chicken pox, 4 children, 10 grandchildren later we think he must be immune. We did check before travelling and he was happy for us still to come.. i would run it past your relatives and see what they say.

I got chicken pox when I was 36. I was ill for weeks and it took around 6 months before I was properly over it.

A couple of years later, I had shingles and subsequently had several attacks over the next few years. I now get attacks of post-herpetic neuralgia from time to time, and it's excruciating.

I'll be 65 at my next birthday, so it's nearly 30 years since I got CP and I still suffer as a result, from time to time. I'd advise any adult who hasn't had it to get vaccinated, and those who aren't to avoid contact with anyone who has, or may be incubating, CP.