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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Could dc have caught chickenpox from mil?

60 replies

BuckleBuckaroo · 08/12/2020 15:21

Mil came on Sunday to drop off presents for dc's birthday. He turned 3 yesterday. Not sure if she was breaking lock down rules as she lives in a different area, and she and fil went for a walk with dh and dc? She didn't come inside. Just found out she has shingles and she didn't say anything beforehand or when she came here. Could my dc have caught chickenpox from her (he hasn't had it before) ? Dh said she was holding dc's hand and gave him some chocolate to eat? Will he have it over Christmas? Should I get some creams/ medicine just incase its when shops are closed?
AIBU to be annoyed she didn't say anything and was holding his hand when she has shingles?

OP posts:
loutypips · 08/12/2020 15:43

Virasooth and poxclin are good. Get some oats too just in case

Justanothergeneric · 08/12/2020 15:44

When you are doing your stocking up on calamine etc, don't forget NOT to get ibuprofen - it is contraindicated with chicken pox. See eg: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/parenting/chickenpox-ibuprofen-warning-stop-itch-17539311

ramblingsonthego · 08/12/2020 15:50

To catch chicken pox from shingles you have to literally be in contact with the liquid from the rash. Where has your mil got her shingles rash? It is very unlikely to be honest. I had shingles and my daughter didn't catch chicken pox. She has since had the vaccine.

2bazookas · 08/12/2020 15:52

Yes, DC could have caught chickenpox from MIL's shingles.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/chickenpox/

read the "don'ts"... I didn't know all those.

WitchDancer · 08/12/2020 15:57

I really hope your little one doesn't get it! It's been about 8 years since mine had it but there was a chicken pox cream in Morrisons that was really good in soothing the itching, you may want to get 'just in case' if they still do it.

LegoPirateMonkey · 08/12/2020 16:06

Chicken pox is not fun but for most children it’s fairly mild. Mine would still have enjoyed Christmas when they had it (though they caught it in spring when it’s very prevalent). Oat baths and calamine lotion really help. You could put some fun bath toys in his stocking and if he does need a soothing bath in the unlikely event he develops chicken pox on Christmas Day then he could play with them! Unless you get him vaccinated against it - which you have to pay for privately in the U.K. I think? - he will catch it at some point, it’s inevitable. So I would say don’t worry too much about it.

However, if you seriously believe your mil would be capable of deliberately infecting her own young grandson with a miserable and uncomfortable illness over Christmas out of spite then that is a much more serious and worrying issue.

AnnnaBananna · 08/12/2020 16:08

Yes she could have passed it on. I’m puzzled why you haven’t had your DC vaccinated against chicken pox though? There’s no need for anyone to catch it nowadays.

Moltenpink · 08/12/2020 16:10

DH had shingles then both our children caught chicken pox a week after. We hadn’t been in contact with anyone else to catch it from as far as I’m aware. He had stayed well away from them both too.

Justcallmebebes · 08/12/2020 16:12

Shingles is not contagious, but it is caused by a virus that you can spread to another person which may cause them to develop chickenpox.

You can only spread the shingles virus if someone directly touches the open sores of a shingles rash.

Moltenpink · 08/12/2020 16:13

Actually I’ve just thought, poor DH had blisters actually inside his mouth, so maybe he was just breathing out the virus which made it more contagious.

Kokapetl · 08/12/2020 16:17

@AnnnaBananna

Yes she could have passed it on. I’m puzzled why you haven’t had your DC vaccinated against chicken pox though? There’s no need for anyone to catch it nowadays.
Perhaps you are not in the UK? It is not on the normal vaccine schedule here. To get children vaccinated, parents have to pay and go to a travel clinic or special pharmacy. Most don't so most kids still get chicken pox at some point.
frippit · 08/12/2020 16:18

Fill an old sock with oats and tie a knot at the top. Put it under your tap as you fill the bath with warm not too hot water. Children can play with sock in the bath as an added bonus. Bath water goes all cloudy and soothing for itchy skin.

Almostslimjim · 08/12/2020 16:23

@loutypips

Virasooth and poxclin are good. Get some oats too just in case
This
Almostslimjim · 08/12/2020 16:24

And make sure you are stocked up on calpol

Almostslimjim · 08/12/2020 16:24

I found DS (3.5 at the time) was really ratty and generally poorly behaved before the spots came out - looking back it was the first symptom, at the time I just though he was being a little bugger!

Member984815 · 08/12/2020 16:25

Get antihistamine to help with itching

LilaButterfly · 08/12/2020 16:27

DD scratched open my shingles scabs when she threw a fit a couple years ago. She caught chicken pox from it.
I asked the doctor if i need to stay away from the kids and she said they can only catch it from direct contact with my rash. Little did i know DD would be so stupid.
If he didnt touch her rash, he cant catch it from her.

MotherPiglet · 08/12/2020 16:30

My MIL had shingles and was looking after my DS. The doctor told us she couldnt pass it onto my DS. We was told if he gets chicken pox he could pass it onto her though.

INeedNewShoes · 08/12/2020 16:31

DD caught chicken pox from my DM in the summer who had shingles. Before our visit DM actually had a video consultation with the GP about the sores on her head. They didn't present as typical shingles and the GP ruled it out, diagnosing cysts instead.

Two weeks later, DD developed chicken pox. My parents were the only people we saw within the specified incubation window.

Both DM and DD had mild cases of shingles and CP respectively; bloody good job given that DM's sores were near her eye and really she should have been prescribed anti-virals.

INeedNewShoes · 08/12/2020 16:34

Oh and Calamine is no longer considered the best lotion to use as although it is immediately soothing it causes irritation later.

We used Poxclin which seemed to do the job. Also had a couple of doses of Piriton at the worst points and Calpol as painkiller.

Tepid baths are very soothing too so I let DD have long plays in the bath.

BlindMedusa · 08/12/2020 16:48

@BuckleBuckaroo

Since it might be on Christmas day and shops will be closed is calamine lotion the best thing to get in advance?
No calamine cream is better. The lotion dries on the skin so doesn't help the itch. Calamine lotion keeps them moisturised.
justilou1 · 08/12/2020 17:03

Absolutely you can get it. It’s the same virus. Sorry!

Porcupineinwaiting · 08/12/2020 17:10

So OP have you any reason to think your ds came into contact with your MiLs shingles rash? Because, if not, you are seriously overreacting.

1FootInTheRave · 08/12/2020 17:23

100% you can catch chicken pox from shingles.

Mylittleturkeysandwich · 08/12/2020 17:32

@AnnnaBananna probably because it's £140.