Page 6 | To hunt down these bastards who exposed my son to chicken pox

littleredbumblebee · 2024-09-02T21:48:14+00:00

User name changed as outing went on a caravan holiday last week for 5 nights and my son who is 11 played with some kids from other families and had a great time- all good On the last night one of the smaller boys was running around with no shirt on and he has spots, one of the other families asked and his mum said oh he has chicken pox but we though getting away would do him good. I told her my son had never had chicken pox and said I bloody hoped my son was not going to come down with them. One of the other parents also said they should not have brought the kid. Basically it ended up with them going inside the caravan in a huff. The next day we all left So today the day before my son is use to start at high school he woke up covered in spots and now has chicken pox and won’t be in for his first week at high school. Tonight he is now crying saying he won’t name any friends now and he won’t know his way around and no amount of comforting will calm him down. Very few kids for his school are going to this high school and he is so upset he will have missed out on making friends. We have been in touch with his form tutor who has been great and has said they will support him and catch him up but I could bloody scream. How can some people be so bloody selfish.

Runnerinthenight · 02/09/2024 23:41

TashaTudor · 02/09/2024 23:33

Chicken pox is mild, the vaccine uses the live virus and the spots tend to come out and scab over within 5 days. It's not bloody polio for crying out loud. By getting the vaccine you're exposing your child to the virus anyway so why bother. Just go play at the pox party and deal with it like you would a stomach bug for a week

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You say CP is mild - my DH as stated above really suffered with it - he literally had sores on his feet, between his toes, on his penis. My son had it aged 4, and some of his spots became infected - he had an awful dose! If the vaccine had been available then I would have got it.

My DC2 had it aged 11 weeks. The GP said they wouldn't get it because of immunity from me and from breastfeeding, but she was wrong! Only a couple of spot, but aged 22 they got Covid, and a few months later, shingles.

FoxtrotOscarKindaDay · 02/09/2024 23:42

Beezknees · 02/09/2024 23:09

Really silly comment. If you're concerned about a particular illness and there is a vaccine available, get it. It's common sense.

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He could have still caught it even if he was vaccinated. Would still have been off school, just not been as sick.

Original poster

littleredbumblebee · 02/09/2024 23:42

I know I am going to accused of drip feeding here but he did have the first dose of the vaccine when he was 7 and had a reaction to it so was told he could not have the second dose. I didn’t mention it because I thought it was irrelevant, obviously not, I had forgotten how much some on mumsnet like to stick the boot in.

also of course I am not going to hunt them down for goodness sake.

OP posts:

PyongyangKipperbang · 02/09/2024 23:42

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

£150 when you cant afford to put the heating on in winter or need food banks to feed your kids is not "relatively cheap".

I stand by what I said.

Delphiniumandlupins · 02/09/2024 23:43

SeashellCandle · 02/09/2024 23:15

Yes op why don't you go back in time and get your son the CP vaccine?! The one that isn't on the immunisation list and costs £££. Some posters on here are unbelievable.

What's genuinely baffling is the sheer entitlement of people who think if they can't have it for free then they would simply cut off their nose to spite their face. It's a one time investment into lifetime protection for your child against a potentially serious virus (or a disruptive one at the very least). Nobody can claim they cannot afford the hundred pounds or so if they REALLY WANTED to. If your car breaks down or you want a new household gadget or you get a fine or you end up spending an extra night on holiday, then you manage to find the money.

If you look at it logically, a child coming down with chicken pox might mean at least 2 weeks of family disruption. One family member may not be able to work and would have a loss of income that easily equals or exceeds the cost of the vaccine. If a child comes down with chicken pox before a holiday and things get cancelled, you also lose far more than the cost of the vaccine. It's a no brainer really.

What is genuinely baffling is people who don't understand that lots of families don't have £150 available. They don't own a car, or if they do a breakdown is a major catastrophe. They don't have a holiday every year.

ToBeDetermined · 02/09/2024 23:44

TashaTudor · 02/09/2024 23:37

Vaccines aren't always safe and can have side effects, especially since it contains the live vaccine. So catching chicken pox from a kid at school has the same risk and shingles us a reactivated form of chicken pox which would happen vaccinated or not

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The vaccine uses an attenuated live virus in a tiny dose so it’s weakened & not the same as encountering it in the wild in potentially a larger dose. It is very safe. Far safer than catching CP.

Shingles is the virus re-emerging when your immune system is low. Catching CP in the wild doesn’t protect you from it. Otherwise shingles would not have existed before the vaccine was invented when it did.

The vaccine has reduced the risk of shingles. The elderly are at higher risk of developing shingles as their immune systems wane, which is why they get a booster vaccine around age 60/65. It protects them against shingles.

TashaTudor · 02/09/2024 23:44

Runnerinthenight · 02/09/2024 23:41

You say CP is mild - my DH as stated above really suffered with it - he literally had sores on his feet, between his toes, on his penis. My son had it aged 4, and some of his spots became infected - he had an awful dose! If the vaccine had been available then I would have got it.

My DC2 had it aged 11 weeks. The GP said they wouldn't get it because of immunity from me and from breastfeeding, but she was wrong! Only a couple of spot, but aged 22 they got Covid, and a few months later, shingles.

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And a live vaccine would have likely had the same effect or maybe a but milder. Shingles is caused by having chicken pox so anyone who has had pox (in the vaccine or otherwise) can get shingles

BESTAUNTB · 02/09/2024 23:45

I missed the first few days of secondary school (bad cold) in the 1980s and was nervous about going in but it was fine. I really enjoyed my schooldays and still have some of the friends I made there. He’ll barely remember this a few years from now, OP.

ThatsNotMyTeen · 02/09/2024 23:45

Runnerinthenight · 02/09/2024 23:41

You say CP is mild - my DH as stated above really suffered with it - he literally had sores on his feet, between his toes, on his penis. My son had it aged 4, and some of his spots became infected - he had an awful dose! If the vaccine had been available then I would have got it.

My DC2 had it aged 11 weeks. The GP said they wouldn't get it because of immunity from me and from breastfeeding, but she was wrong! Only a couple of spot, but aged 22 they got Covid, and a few months later, shingles.

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i was also covered when I got it, couldn’t put a finger between the spots on my head and face in particular, had them in my mouth and all sorts. Grim: the ones on my face then became infected with MRSA. Gross. I remember brushing my hair when it had scabbed and the scabs were coming off my scalp In handfuls! Was very glad my kids had it as teenies

ToBeDetermined · 02/09/2024 23:46

Delphiniumandlupins · 02/09/2024 23:43

What is genuinely baffling is people who don't understand that lots of families don't have £150 available. They don't own a car, or if they do a breakdown is a major catastrophe. They don't have a holiday every year.

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But OP did. You’re not taking a holiday if you don’t have £150 spare.

TashaTudor · 02/09/2024 23:46

ToBeDetermined · 02/09/2024 23:44

The vaccine uses an attenuated live virus in a tiny dose so it’s weakened & not the same as encountering it in the wild in potentially a larger dose. It is very safe. Far safer than catching CP.

Shingles is the virus re-emerging when your immune system is low. Catching CP in the wild doesn’t protect you from it. Otherwise shingles would not have existed before the vaccine was invented when it did.

The vaccine has reduced the risk of shingles. The elderly are at higher risk of developing shingles as their immune systems wane, which is why they get a booster vaccine around age 60/65. It protects them against shingles.

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The elderly get a shingles vaccine which is not the same as the chicken pox vaccine

itsalwaysthesame · 02/09/2024 23:46

Crap timing but I'm sure he will settle into his new school. It is frustrating for your son.

What is it with all the replies about getting the kid vaccinated! So unnecessary, chicken pox is a common childhood illness, it's extremely rare to be life threatening

Labraradabrador · 02/09/2024 23:46

NotAgainWilson · 02/09/2024 23:40

Either way, if it is not covered by the NHS, there are good reasons behind that. No need to berate a mum for not using a vaccine that is not even in the list of essential vaccines.

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not covered due to cost vs risk at a population level- it is a safe and effective vaccine that is widely available in other countries. Personally I think it is a travesty that children in the uk are not offered it, and I think more parents should be aware that this is an option. If your attitude is ‘nature take its course’ then you can’t really be upset when your kid ultimately contracts it.

Psychologymam · 02/09/2024 23:48

TashaTudor · 02/09/2024 23:37

Vaccines aren't always safe and can have side effects, especially since it contains the live vaccine. So catching chicken pox from a kid at school has the same risk and shingles us a reactivated form of chicken pox which would happen vaccinated or not

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This comment makes no sense.

ToBeDetermined · 02/09/2024 23:48

TashaTudor · 02/09/2024 23:46

The elderly get a shingles vaccine which is not the same as the chicken pox vaccine

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Different branding, different names, vaccinates against the same virus.

Labraradabrador · 02/09/2024 23:48

TashaTudor · 02/09/2024 23:44

And a live vaccine would have likely had the same effect or maybe a but milder. Shingles is caused by having chicken pox so anyone who has had pox (in the vaccine or otherwise) can get shingles

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You clearly don’t understand how vaccines work! Please stop spreading misinformation!

TashaTudor · 02/09/2024 23:48

ToBeDetermined · 02/09/2024 23:44

The vaccine uses an attenuated live virus in a tiny dose so it’s weakened & not the same as encountering it in the wild in potentially a larger dose. It is very safe. Far safer than catching CP.

Shingles is the virus re-emerging when your immune system is low. Catching CP in the wild doesn’t protect you from it. Otherwise shingles would not have existed before the vaccine was invented when it did.

The vaccine has reduced the risk of shingles. The elderly are at higher risk of developing shingles as their immune systems wane, which is why they get a booster vaccine around age 60/65. It protects them against shingles.

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More serious side effects are very rare, but can include: pneumonia, infection of the brain and/or spinal cord covering, and seizures - side effects if the vaccine which are very rare. Like the rarity of being seriously ill with chicken pox.

PlasticineKing · 02/09/2024 23:49

Rocksaltrita · 02/09/2024 22:57

Why didn’t you have him vaccinated? Hardly costs anything and standard in many countries.

It’s £75 per dose. That’s hardly cheap.

PyongyangKipperbang · 02/09/2024 23:49

Delphiniumandlupins · 02/09/2024 23:43

What is genuinely baffling is people who don't understand that lots of families don't have £150 available. They don't own a car, or if they do a breakdown is a major catastrophe. They don't have a holiday every year.

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I know! The idea that there was even a sodding holiday in the first place, much less just deciding to stay another day..... its terrifying that someone with so little intelligence can earn enough to assume that these things are just "what you do"!

Jifmicroliquid · 02/09/2024 23:49

Beautiful3 · 02/09/2024 23:12

Better he catches it now, than as an adult. Because shingles is far more painful and more likely to be admitted to hospital.

I don’t think you understand shingles. You don’t catch shingles, it develops from dormant chicken pox. So anyone who has had chicken pox can go on to develop shingles, but you can’t catch shingles.

TashaTudor · 02/09/2024 23:49

ToBeDetermined · 02/09/2024 23:48

Different branding, different names, vaccinates against the same virus.

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Do you not have Google? It's not the same vaccine at all

pinkstripeycat · 02/09/2024 23:50

I didn’t even know there was a vaccine for chicken pox as it’s not currently part of the routine childhood immunisation program in the UK. You don’t die from it. Not like you can from measles.

I don’t think it matters what age you are in order for it to be bad unless you are a fully grown adult.

I had it at 13 and was fine. My 2 yr old DS caught it from 3yr old DS when looking around nursery schools. DS2 had it really bad.

TashaTudor · 02/09/2024 23:50

Labraradabrador · 02/09/2024 23:48

You clearly don’t understand how vaccines work! Please stop spreading misinformation!

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It would take you literally 5 minutes to go on the nhs website and see its a live vaccine which can have side effects

Lucy25 · 02/09/2024 23:50

Birdingbear · 02/09/2024 23:27

It would be worse if he got chicken pox later in life. Most parents want their kids to get it young so the worst is over. Getting it as an adult is far more serious and the fact your kid is 11 and hasn't had it is a miracle itself. Easy thing to catch.
The boys parents with chicken pox are not selfish. Everyone is selfish if that's the case who leaves the house with a sore throat or a cold or any virus at all.

Disagree, to knowingly have their son running around amongst other children and not let other parents know is selfish, because of this a child is going to miss out on an important part of high school.Getting chicken pox as a child, means it lays dormant in the immune system, the person is then at risk of getting shingles as an adult, which is a long term painful condition.
Chicken pox, is not the same as catching a cold.

MyToesAreHotNotInaSexyWay · 02/09/2024 23:51

I think people haven't had their children vaccinated in the UK because they don't know that the vaccination is available. I've never seen it advertised. I don't think it is because it is not free and we feel entitled to have all our health care for free as a pp stated.
It is dangerous for someone who is immunocompromised to be exposed to chicken pox so I would take it seriously and not take my children out when they had it but it is not usually too bad. Flu is more dangerous I think