To be worrying that DS2 will get a worse dose of chicken pox?

[FeatherySquawkington]

DS1 (10yo) has chicken pox, lots of things I've read say that subsequent siblings who catch it off them will get it worse. Is this true? And why would it be worse? Surely it's the same virus? DS2 is 5yo.

aibu is bad group for this Q

anecdotally, I'd say this was true (mine got it in toddler pairs). Basically because big siblings who had it first never stopped touching little siblings so little siblings got a very hefty dose to incubate. Less physical contact would reduce this risk.

Was true for mine. I thought it was due to having encountered and adapted to a similar immune system.

We found this to be true when my younger DS caught it, my elder DS had barely any spots, then precisely 2 weeks later younger DS came out in it and was covered everywhere, scalp, groin etc. Don't think you can really prevent it now though, so just deal with it when it happens, oat baths helped a bit.

It was true in my family, I got it first and it was fairly mild, by the time it got to my fourth sibling it was much worse.

Unfortunately my 3 year old got a far worse version of it exactly 2 weeks after my 5 year old had it. I am convinced 3 year old had hand foot and mouth at the same time though as this was also doing the rounds at nursery and there was big blisters to mouth and fingers.

It's because the viral load is increased. The index child is exposed outside the house and, on average, the exposure to the virus is lower. Siblings in the household who are living with the index child are more exposed to the virus, hence the viral load is higher and therefore the severity of the disease is often greater.

It was true in my experience, the last (& youngest) got it the worst. Sorry

True in mine too, sorry. Two weeks apart.

My son got chickenpox 6 times! Slightly milder each time...

True here, the first kid to get it didn't have it as bad as the second one. Not sure that constitutes scientific evidence though.

Nope. My DS didn't catch it at all when my DD had it although we made no effort to keep them apart. When we got it as kids, I was last to get it of my siblings and had the mildest dose.

It was true for me and my brother. I got it first, then he got it worse.

DSis caught it 4 times before me and other sibling causing it. We were a lot worse then she was.

I vaccinated my daughter against it because it can be terrible. I know most people don’t even think to, but chicken pox landed my sister in a wheelchair; she nearly died.

I did catch it after her though, and although I was covered no one else had it as bad as she did.

True in my family (although unlike most, my younger child gave it to my older one). My toddler dd caught it at nursery, and had a very mild case with very few spots.

My 5 year old caught it from her, and had it much worse - she wasn’t ill in herself, but covered in spots and very itchy! She missed 8 days of school while we waited for all the spots to scab over.

True for mine, sadly. Child 1 was mostly OK but Child 2 had it badly.

Everyone saying the second child caught it two weeks to the day after the first - yes, same here!