To be cross that a mother took her healthy child to see a child with chicken pox because she wanted her child to get it which she did and now my daughter and few other in the class have got it from her DD

[schmoopoo]

AAARGH

Just read the bit about the poor little boy who contracted leukemia. My friend's son certainly lost his entire immune system when he was ill - sounds like a similar thing. Luckily for him he is fine now.

My parents were always exposing us to chicken pox, but we never caught it when we were young. My younger brother finally got it when he was about 14, but even then my DbigB and I didn't get it... does that mean that if my PFB gets it I will???

I also took DD to her cousins house, when said cousin had CP.

Would do it again.

What does your friend want, NBG? Does he want everyone to be vaccinated in the hope that wild chickenpox will disappear?

Sorry to hear that it has affected you being able to see your friend, and i hope that you manage to get there without your DC

However, although i know the is a small possibility it can lead to other illnesses in children i believe that its easier to get it out of the way as a child (infact i went to see my friend yesterday even though her DD had chickenpox as i thought DS3 might get it - the trip was already arranged i just didn't pull out!)

When DS1 got chickenpox i hadn't had it and caught it off him at 24, it got onto my chest/lungs, i had difficulty breathing because of this and was hospitalised for a week or so. It was one of the most awful experiances i've ever had, wondering what would happen if it developed further internally, would i have a stroke etc - having gone through this i would rather my DC had it in childhood than went through what i did

YANBU - I do see the point of exposing a child to chicken pox at an early age, however I think she should offer some kind of warning to other parents so that they can make a decision, about whether they wish to be exposed via their children. Chicken pox can damage a foetus in a pregnant woman and can leave adult men infertile, for those reasons adults should be made aware if there is an option to do so.
Obviously if just 'happens' that children get chicken pox then it is impossible to control, but if it is done knowingly with a real risk then it is only fair to inform others at risk.

Chicken pox can be grim and although several chidren have had it at nursery DD still had not caught it so I thought sod it, and got her immunisised. I was 1 when I had it and don't remember it, neighbour had shingles and was in agony and my friend told me her daughter got it in her mouth and all up her fanjo at 14 and the itching was awful and you can't get chamomile liquid up there!
Oh yuk, that's why I wimped out and got DD the injection before she goes to school.

YABU. It's best to get it as young as poss. When you're older it can be much nastier - I know, I had it in my teens, AND the scars are worse and tend not to fade.

Besides, your dd could have caught it from somewhere else and you'd be none the wiser. Get it over with I say.

YABU. It's best to get it as young as poss. When you're older it can be much nastier - I know, I had it in my teens, AND the scars are worse and tend not to fade.

Besides, your dd could have caught it from somewhere else and you'd be none the wiser. Get it over with I say.

OMG.. i could never purposefully infect my child with chicken pox! Yikes

I see where you're coming from and likewise would not intenionally infect my dd's however

at least she has it now before the holidays

seriously i hope she feels better soon

some people do advocate deliberate exposure.kind of get it over with. i can see both POV.hope wee one ok

YABU, I'm afraid. As others have said, this is definitely something best caught young. When DS had it (on his third birthday), some other little kids did avoid us, but for understandable reasons: about to go on holiday, newborn in the household, etc. However, I couldn't believe that the mother of one of DS's bigger friends (age 10 at the time, and hadn't had chickenpox) kept him away from his usual weekly playdate with us. I appreciate that she's a single mum, and that if her DS becomes ill, she has to take time off work - but it would be so worth him getting it sooner rather than later.

I vaguely remember being sent over to my friends house to catch German Measles when I was younger (pre-vacc times I think).

YABU. Your dd and her classmates could have caught it from anyone, at any tme. You are actually very lucky that they have been exposed at a young age, for all the reasons mentioned - MUCH worse to be left without immunity and catch it as an adult, especially for girls wrt pregnancy.

(ohtobe, I remember thinking german measles were FAB - felt no worse than a cold but got two weeks off school. Result!)

indeed folk had chickenpox parties

I encouraged a friend whose daughter had CP to visit us just before Christmas in the hope that DS2 (then aged 3) would catch it.

When he went back to nursery school in January there was no sign of it, but that same afternoon I was summoned to collect him because he had suddenly got very poorly

CP then went round and round (in ever-decreasing circles) over the next few weeks until everyone had had it. I did feel bad but on the other hand it got it out of the way for them all - and all their sibs too, probably.

YANBU

I disagree with the majority on here quite her business if she wants to expose her child to illnesses if she willingly did then she should have kept her away from others/school.
HOw does she know who has a new baby/who is pregnant and never had it/who is immunosuppressed/or just going away on holiday.

I've always thought chicken pox parties were being confused with rubella parties, there was a very real reason why people wanted their (usually) daughters to get rubella as a child pre vaccination, however chicken pox was very common, therefore most got it as a child and it was a lot less infectious once the spots were out anyway.

Wonder if I'm right.....?

nettiehay my dbs got a bad dose of chickenpox, I had nothing. My mum and sister shared a bed and my aunt got one of the worst doses of chickenpox - in the year she had it - hospitalised etc - my mum never caught it.

When dd1 was about 18 months old - she had a good dose - spots everywhere - mouth, ears, etc. Dh had it as a child - I did not and I did not get it.

YANBU - I'm shocked actually that people think YABU.

I had chicken pox as an adult and it was awful. I had over a month off work and wouldnt wish it on anyone as an adult. However, I have had the opportunity to see friends whose children have chicken pox but I have deliberately NOT exposed DDs. DD2 was only a few months old at the time so why would I get DD1 to catch it and then affect her tiny sister. Next time I had a friend whose DC was having chemo so again I wouldnt choose to let my DD get it as then we couldnt have visited my friend when she needed us.

As it happens I posted in chat last night as I think DD1 came down with it yesterday - I am waiting until the morning to see

Its all very well saying 'but they'll get it at some time' but as in your case where you have an immunity compromised friend who you now cant see then I think it was irresponsible of this woman to not tell you that her child had been in contact with chicken pox.

I have no idea where my DD has caught it from but I am telling all of our friends so that they can be ready.

Hope your child is feeling ok.

NOT unreasonable, to intentionally infect a child is wrong on so many levels.

My neice is severely mentally and physically disabled from the pox, she was intentionally exposed to it very shortly after havinf the mmr. The combination blew her immune system, we went from a perfect child to a terribly ill child over night.

If they get it, they get it, but my sil's both feel terrible terrible guilt. One neice had it and they let them mix so the other could " get it over with "

Her dd, her choice. It's impossible to control every risk, and anyway, with many illnesses, the intectious time is before any symptoms appear. So all our children are exposed to potential risks in every day life. I have never had any immunity to Rubella - my body never produced any antibodies despite repeated vaccinations. As a teacher, I was mildly anxious with each pregnancy because obviously I was in contact with an awful lot of kids. It's one of those things; you just have to accept that this friends made a choice about her dd.

WiiMii - CP is not infectious throughout the incubation period, but only a couple of days before and after the appearance of the rash.

I think that your DD would most likely have caught the pox anyway because these things usually go through most of the class. I wouldn't deliberately expose my kids to any illness but i take the view that they are going to catch things along the way and you can't always pinpoint where that will be - it's unlikely to be from one person.