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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Sending child to nursery with potential chickenpox?

86 replies

Asiama · 17/03/2021 18:22

Posting here for traffic.

My son potentially has chickenpox - neither the nursery nor the GP are sure, as he has just 3 tiny marks. He is well in himself otherwise. The GP has said he can go in and the nursery have said they will take him if there are no new spots in the morning. AIBU to send him in?

My gut says that it's probably chickenpox as there was a confirmed case in his group so I'm worried about the impact on other children and parents.

OP posts:
stuckinarutatwork · 17/03/2021 19:04

@Isadora2007

Where are his spots? I’m sure it’s the fluid from the blisters that are infectious so if they’re on his tummy or back then I’d send him in... are they itchy? If so then I’d not. And if on the face or hands I’d not send him in too.
This is not true. The chickenpox virus is airborne so you can spread it by breathing / coughing.

You are confusing it with shingles, which spreads only through contact with the fluid in the blisters (but you can catch chickenpox from shingles fluid, you can't catch shingles).

dementedpixie · 17/03/2021 19:12

If they haven't progressed to fluid filled blisters then doesn't sound like chicken pox

Gee29 · 17/03/2021 19:13

Wait and make a judgment in the morning. If no more spots I would send him as likely not chicken pox. If it is chicken pox then you will know by morning for sure. I noticed a few spots on DS after school. Wasn’t sure if it was chicken pox and didn’t know of any cases. He went to bed with still just a few spots. By the morning he was pickled. They do show up quickly.

dementedpixie · 17/03/2021 19:14

@Isadora2007

Where are his spots? I’m sure it’s the fluid from the blisters that are infectious so if they’re on his tummy or back then I’d send him in... are they itchy? If so then I’d not. And if on the face or hands I’d not send him in too.
Chicken pox is an airborne virus as well as through touch so this is not true

Shingles spreads chicken pox through direct contact with fluid from the blisters

Original poster
Asiama · 17/03/2021 19:16

How long does it take to progress to fluid filled blisters?

Also, do I need to isolate myself from him? I'm vulnerable but GP said there's no point as if it's chickenpox he would have been contagious before the spots appeared. I've stayed in one room since he's been home from nursery yesterday and only coming out when he's in bed after DH has aired out the rooms as we know it's airborne, but not sure if it's pointless / OTT.

OP posts:
WaggishDancer · 17/03/2021 19:16

If the nursery really think it’s chickenpox and accept him back, I’d seriously think about whether this is the sort of place you want caring for your child because they will repeat this behaviour to your detriment.

FoxyTheFox · 17/03/2021 19:16

You'll know by tomorrow, usually they get the first crop of spots and then by day three they get a second crop, then they start to scab over. If its chickenpox then you'd almost certainly see more spots at some point in the next 24hrs. I'd see how he is overnight and play it by ear, nursery are happy to have him and while I would send in a child who definitely had chickenpox (or other bugs) it's to be expected that a fair degree of germs will always be in circulation is nurseries and schools.

dementedpixie · 17/03/2021 19:19

If it is chickenpox then he would have been contagious 1-2 days before spots appeared and until they crust over. The blisters appear fairly quickly.

Have you not had it as a child OP?

dementedpixie · 17/03/2021 19:21

I would maybe keep him off tomorrow to see if the spots progress and if not, send him back on Friday

SunbathingDragon · 17/03/2021 19:23

You can have chickenpox without spots (although it’s unusual) and with just single number spots. There is no guarantee that no more spots coming up means it’s not chickenpox.

dementedpixie · 17/03/2021 19:24

But if they don't blister are they likely to be chicken pox?
Could you post a picture?

annonnymous · 17/03/2021 19:25

I'd wait a day to see how it goes. CP once it starts, multiplies its spots very quickly, so you know very soon

DenisetheMenace · 17/03/2021 19:26

No, please don’t. He may be fine (good) but could make someone else pretty unwell.

TaraRhu · 17/03/2021 19:26

My son just had chicken pox. He had a fever before the pox showed, the. For five days he only had 3 pox. In the end he had a total of about 15 and was off nursery for 8 days. He was totally himself once the fever went away and the pox didn't bother him at all. But I wouldn't have considered sending him in as frustrating as it was.

Oodilallygolly · 17/03/2021 19:27

Yabu

SunbathingDragon · 17/03/2021 19:27

@annonnymous

I'd wait a day to see how it goes. CP once it starts, multiplies its spots very quickly, so you know very soon
This really isn’t always true.
Original poster
Asiama · 17/03/2021 19:29

Thank you everyone. We will keep him off another day and see how he is Friday morning.

There is one spot on his forehead which could also be a normal spot from grease etc from where the band of his hat sits. The other one is on his tummy. They look reddish brown, not the proper red like on the NHS website.

I didn't have chickenpox as a child and I have a lowered immune system, so while it's a pain for me, I also don't want to put other parents and children at danger. But like you said @dementedpixie the GP said not to isolate from him as he would have been contagious from at least Sunday anyway, but then he also said to send him back in tomorrow which nearly everyone has said is a no!

OP posts:
berryhead2013 · 17/03/2021 19:32

When was the first case of chicken pox as it's a 14+ day incubation period ??

looselegs · 17/03/2021 19:33

No, no, no, no ,no!!
And just to add, nursery and your GP are acting extremely irresponsibly if they're saying it's ok for your dc to attend. I'm not sure other parents would be too pleased either!!

Original poster
Asiama · 17/03/2021 19:36

First suspected case was about 10 days ago. Here's a picture of a spot about 24 hours after it first appeared. The one on his head is smaller and more brown than red.

OP posts:
1Morewineplease · 17/03/2021 19:38

Why would you?

ThePricklySheep · 17/03/2021 19:41

If they don’t blister by the morning then I’d say that’s not chickenpox. It could be anything. Midge bites?

DenisetheMenace · 17/03/2021 19:43

Don’t send him on Friday. It’s one more day (3 with the weekend) for you. Could make all the difference to someone else.

It’s not just the kids. If your child passes it on to an adult who has hitherto never had it, it can then go on to cause shingles, which is horrid.

Suzi888 · 17/03/2021 19:46

Nurseries will take children with chicken pox, at least they do in this LA, provided no staff are pregnant. Does make me wonder about pregnant parents of children attending the nursery, they just inform us via email and they’ll pop a poster on the door.
Most parents seem happy for children to get it, so presume that’s why the nursery still take them.

Cattitudes · 17/03/2021 20:00

If you are vulnerable and it is chicken pox you might be able to get varicella zoster immune globulin which might offer some protection.

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