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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WIBU to take my DS with chicken pox to a park?

76 replies

ColourfulOnesie · 17/03/2022 11:54

Hear me out!
He has chicken pox, he’s been stuck in for 3 days now, he also has ADHD and it losing his shit! He needs to run!
I’d planned to take him to the park now while it’s school time with a ball and his bike and just let him free for a couple of hours
I obviously won’t let him touch any equipment or go near any other people
But I’m worried I’ll get looks/possibly some comments
With my other DC we just didn’t leave the house but honesty, he is crawling the walls!

Also please be gentle with me I haven’t slept in a good 4 nights now

OP posts:
Prinnny · 17/03/2022 14:14

A big empty green space in the middle of nowhere early morning or late evening, maybe if you are at breaking point.

A park, with equipment and densely populated in the day time, no that would be selfish.

WeirdlyKind · 17/03/2022 14:20

You can't just pitch up to a random field and use it! Can't believe people are suggesting that!

Volhhg · 17/03/2022 14:25

Yeah it's fine just don't go in the playground until his spots are scanned over

Kaleidoscope2 · 17/03/2022 14:29

I think it depends on the park and the outing, my daughter had chicken pox a few weeks ago and similar to your little boy was just bored at home and garden was not cutting it. We did a pram ride so she didn't get out and walk but enjoyed being outside and I timed it for when the park was empty (we live next to it so fairly easy for us to know), it's also quite open so no paths with close contact etc

BorgQueen · 17/03/2022 15:20

Given that the highly contagious incubation phase lasts up to 3 weeks , a run around outside is going to do no harm at all compared with all the pre-symptom contact.
DGS has been sent home from nursery this morning, he has 4 spots and is absolutely fine other than off his food - that’s 10 kids in 2 days come down with it, most of them were at a playbarn birthday party last Sunday.

Take him out for goodness sake.

RobertaFirmino · 17/03/2022 15:38

@mumwon

if someone is on steroids by mouth (for whatever reason even temporary) chicken pox can be very very serious Most people don't realize that but - wide open space - mornings are best between 9 & 1130 when dc are at school or morning nursery - not at lunch time or after school
Not just steroids, it can be bad news for anyone on certain medications for arthritis, people with HIV, those having chemo and anyone else with a shafted immune system. In general, it's a lot worse for adults than it is for children. I caught it when I was on methotrexate, my god, it was hideous. Really fucking awful. So please, for the sake of others, stick to an open space with no equipment rather than a public park with apparatus.
OnceuponaRainbow18 · 17/03/2022 15:45

Most adults would have had chicken pox and those most vulnerable to it would have had a jab. I wouldn’t go to a play park but defo somewhere open.

FionnulaTheCooler · 17/03/2022 15:50

When DD had chicken pox a few years ago and we were just waiting for the last couple of spots to scab over I drove down to the beach one day and we went for a walk, it was this time of year so still fairly cold and the beach was mostly deserted, we only saw a couple of dog walkers who we kept well away from, if you have a similar open space you can go to and avoid people I wouldn't see an issue with it.

ShowOfHands · 17/03/2022 15:52

My dh can't make immunity to chicken pox. Each time he's exposed it's worse. Last time, he ended up with meningitis. It frightens me that he could unwittingly come into contact with it at any time. And probably the main risk is people who aren't symptomatic yet but actively taking a child with cp to a park is not on really.

Can you set up activities at home? Skipping rope? Hula hoop? Star jumps? Learn to do some tricky balance stuff? Relay races across a clear space? Hopping? Bouncing? Online workouts for children? Yoga? Dancing?

Singlebutmarried · 17/03/2022 15:54

Is he scabby yet?

He’s contagious until he’s fully scabbed. But unless he’s actively rubbing his blisters on people the chances of passing it on is minimal.

He’d have been contagious in the days before the rash/spots started and you’d not have known then.

londonrach · 17/03/2022 16:13

Yabu. At a park you more likely to bump into a pregnant woman. If you got a garden thats a better option doing races. Hope he scabs over quickly and you can go out

Liverbird77 · 17/03/2022 16:53

I am just glad we got our kids vaccinated. I don't know why more people don't just get it done.

Iamkmackered1979 · 17/03/2022 17:03

Perhaps they can’t afford it? They can also still catch it when jabbed. It’s not 100%

The op has said numerous times she’s going to take her child somewhere secluded not on the slide and swings.

SeasonFinale · 17/03/2022 17:07

Yes she had made her mind up and doesn't care whether she infects a pregnant women in the meantime at all

BogRollBOGOF · 17/03/2022 17:19

In term time there's lots of parks/ fields/ playgrounds which are pretty much deserted especially at this time of year when it's still chilly.

Even in the peaks of 2020 when the world and his dog were out taking their daily exercise, there were still plenty of quiet spaces where you could go and not be a risk to anyone.

Little local parks tend to be better than the big obvious ones.

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 17/03/2022 17:22

@SeasonFinale

Most pregnant women are immune or have had the jab. Otherwise what happens to those pregnant working in nurseries/schools etc

SeasonFinale · 17/03/2022 17:37

[quote OnceuponaRainbow18]@SeasonFinale

Most pregnant women are immune or have had the jab. Otherwise what happens to those pregnant working in nurseries/schools etc[/quote]
A baby who has congenital varicella syndrome might develop skin scarring, and eye, brain, limb and gastrointestinal abnormalities. If chickenpox develops during the few days before you deliver to 48 hours postpartum, the baby might be born with a potentially life-threatening infection called neonatal varicella.

But hey ho it seems that neither you nor the OP care

washingmachines4 · 17/03/2022 17:38

If you are worried about looks and comments, then you are intending to be way to close to people while he has chicken pox!
I reckon go to the woods and if you see people coming change path, stay away from people but yes you can go outside.

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 17/03/2022 17:45

@SeasonFinale

I’m Just saying it’s very unlikely for the Ops child to pass it on to someone outside who they aren’t going near, who’s due to give birth within 2 days and isn’t immune to covid. What’s the chances? 1 in about 10,0000?!!

SeasonFinale · 17/03/2022 17:58

But there is still a chance. It is attitudes like yours that lead to such tragedies for other people. But you seem to think it's a case of "I'm alright Jack.."

SeasonFinale · 17/03/2022 17:59

Seriously for the sake of a couple of more days do the decent thing and stay home

CannaBelieve · 17/03/2022 18:01

Op doesn't care

She didn't get the validation so she's gone

Frazzledhen · 17/03/2022 18:05

Very sorry but yes you would be unreasonable to go chickenpox is airborne droplet spread.
It can be fatal to some people.
My son currently has it, unfortunately he had contact with a family member just before the spots came out, my family member has had a heart transplant he has now had to start a high dose antiviral treatment schedule for 2 weeks.
Please keep him home x

cigarettesNalcohol · 17/03/2022 18:07

Take him to an open green space where he can't touch anything/anyone

BOOTS52 · 17/03/2022 18:26

I would not take him out for a few more days as it is highly contagious and if a pregnant woman gets this can be lethal. You will have to find ways to occupy him or go to somewhere really remote where you will not be in contact with others. A great tip for the calamine lotion that I did when my son was little when he got it was to fill a clean empty spray bottle and I used to spray his body as it was too itchy and sore to rub it onto him. Hope he is over it soon and you can get out and about.