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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think chickenpox is not guaranteed

72 replies

Feelslikespring2 · 12/04/2023 13:46

My DC was exposed to chickenpox over Easter wkend. We have 3 holidays booked for 2 weeks time and are due to be away all of may. It was outside and they were playing for less then an hr and not constantly but did hug and touch.

AIBU to think there's a chance they could of dodged it?? I have 2 DC so trying to work out logistics of holidays and knock on effect and wondering if I should cancel them or not?

OP posts:
potatowhale · 12/04/2023 13:58

Nah they'll get it

Matilda1981 · 12/04/2023 13:59

I think they’ll get it! It spreads so easily - has a three week incubation period so it may be a while before it shows!

postapesto · 12/04/2023 14:00

Could have dodged it, could have not.It is not guaranteed, at all.

Jellycats4life · 12/04/2023 14:01

My daughter caught chicken pox from school and my son came down with it two weeks to the day. it’s not looking good for you tbh!

potatowhale · 12/04/2023 14:01

Mine was really ill the week before the spots turned up

toastofthetown · 12/04/2023 14:01

Can you get them vaccinated? Might help the avoid it totally or reduce symptoms if they do.

User17865 · 12/04/2023 14:02

A friends children had it recently. One went to school while the other was ill at home. It took 2 weeks for them to incubate it and they were at school that whole time. Only 1 other child in the class caught it out of nearly 20. So I don’t think it’s a given that they’ll catch it.

Howabsolutelyfanfuckingtastic · 12/04/2023 14:02

It's likely they'll get it but they may not. It's really just a waiting game now unfortunately.

Amantissima · 12/04/2023 14:03

Of course they could have dodged it. It went like wildfire around DS's class of 27 in Reception and then again in Year 2, but not everyone got it, despite not having had it before, and them all being at an age when they were on top of one another playing and fighting. DS didn't get it either time, and one of our neighbours' children (whom he sat next to in Year 2) got it so badly she was briefly hospitalised, so we actually all got vaccinated as DH and I had never had it as children, either.

But if you're having to make a call on a holiday, I wouldn't bet on them staying clear...

DifficultBloodyWoman · 12/04/2023 14:04

I was exposed repeatedly as a child and didn’t catch it until I was in my thirties. I would have preferred to have had it as a child. 😕

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 12/04/2023 14:05

Just a waiting game. My DD missed it 4 times at nursery before she finally caught it.its a common childhood illness, you are infectious before spots appear so there will always be a risk of it when kids play with other kids.

My DD only had 5 days of spots before they scabbed over so wasn't long at all. It also took the full 14days for the spots to appear

FionnulaTheCooler · 12/04/2023 14:05

Make sure you take out travel insurance now just in case.

Slimjimtobe · 12/04/2023 14:07

It will take up to three weeks for the spots to show

Twizbe · 12/04/2023 14:08

You can get them vaccinated today or tomorrow and possibly dodge it that way. The vaccination can work post exposure or it will reduce the severity of the illness.

Both mine are vaccinated. Youngest has been repeatedly exposed and never caught it. Eldest did catch it this year but got 5 spots and felt fine. It was over in 3 days for him.

FrodisCapering · 12/04/2023 14:08

If they haven't got it this time just get them vaccinated. It's not difficult.

CoffeeDay · 12/04/2023 14:09

Definitely not guaranteed. I must have been exposed numerous times at nursery and school but only ended up catching it at 14 and it was horrible!

Lovingitallnow · 12/04/2023 14:10

whats the cancellation policy? And travel insurance? I think I'd chance it until the last minute. It's up to three weeks incubation and they'll be infectious before they have spots so it's so difficult to know.

Puffthemagiclizard · 12/04/2023 14:12

Both my dc have dodged it, at one point there were 16 children off in my daughters class with it and she still didn't catch it. The childminders dc had it, school had it....mine didn't

LovedFedAndNoonesDead · 12/04/2023 14:12

My 3 year 1/2 year old twins have been exposed multiple times over the 18 months they were at their last nursery and still haven’t had it!! They start a new setting next week and I reckon they’ll get it just in time for our cruise in October!!

donutosaurus · 12/04/2023 14:14

I daughter's nursery had several cases
In her room between Feb half term and Easter and she still hasn't caught it. Definitely not a given.

fdgdfgdfgdfg · 12/04/2023 14:40

Nope, due to Sods law your child is now definitely getting it. If you didn't have a holiday booked, you'd be down to a 50/50 chance ;)

Original poster
Feelslikespring2 · 12/04/2023 14:58

@fdgdfgdfgdfg exactly right 😩

OP posts:
jannier · 12/04/2023 15:10

You can't tell I didn't get it until I was 21 despite sharing a very small room with 3 siblings who did. Then I got it off of a child I spent less than 5 minutes with.

namens · 12/04/2023 15:13

Mine dodged it a few times - nursery, friends etc. Eventually DC2 caught it randomly and finally DC1 got it 3 weeks later. Honestly, it's 50/50.

One time we were due on holiday, luckily didn't get it that time.

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 12/04/2023 15:23

I think it’s the close physical contact that mighy do for you. Rather than indoors/outdoors. But honestly, it’s impossible to say. The 2 of my 3 children who contracted it both did so at the very end of the window - so 20 days after exposure. DD1, 20 days after exposure to her friend. Then DD2, 20 days after contact with her sister. That was a long month!

DS is now 11 and has been exposed to it many times and not had it. The only point of my post is to say you really cannot tell. To be honest I’d not cancel anything until you absolutely have to.