Page 4 | Son has chickenpox party scheduled for next week

Cliffordthbigreddog · 2025-03-07T07:34:17+00:00

Hi guys, My son was sent home yesterday from nursery with chickenpox and we have a birthday party planned for him next Saturday (8 days away). Should we cancel, or go ahead as planned? Has anyone else experienced this? Should it have cleared up by then? AIBU to go ahead with the party. Thanks in advance.

Ilikegreen · 07/03/2025 09:36

My DD unfortunately kept on getting new spots for ten long days, and it took a long time to fully scab over. All my friends said it’s be over in a few days but my experience was several weeks, and a very unwell child. If easier to reschedule with notice, I’d be tempted to change the date

Apollo365 · 07/03/2025 09:37

In eight days he will be well over it. Expect a few friends to cry off though as the class seem to go down big time in chicken pox season!

NeverDropYourMooncup · 07/03/2025 09:37

Depends. How keen are you for his classmates to potentially lose an unborn or newborn sibling, have their mother on oxygen or lose another clinically vulnerable relative?

niadainud · 07/03/2025 09:38

SemperIdem · 07/03/2025 07:36

I read your title as you had a scheduled “chickenpox party” and thought you were mad!

I think after 8 days he won’t be infectious anymore but might still be a bit scabby.

Edited as I realise now that you are in fact the hosts 🤦🏻‍♀️ give the parents of those invited the heads up and see what they think.

Edited

Let's eat Grandma.

Dramatic · 07/03/2025 09:38

I'd say you'd be quite unlucky for him to still be contagious by then, I'd give it til Monday and by then you'll know if he's got a mild case or a bad case and you can make the decision then

Dramatic · 07/03/2025 09:39

NeverDropYourMooncup · 07/03/2025 09:37

Depends. How keen are you for his classmates to potentially lose an unborn or newborn sibling, have their mother on oxygen or lose another clinically vulnerable relative?

How ridiculous.

FreeWave · 07/03/2025 09:40

You should wait until he gets better, it's not safe.

Dramatic · 07/03/2025 09:43

Belaymehearties · 07/03/2025 09:19

I thought you were infectious until everything scabbed up? If you go ahead FGS warn the parents and anyone attending so they can decide whether they come.
We had someone drop a spotty DC off at our DS' party and run and say nothing until the spotty DC was showing everyone his spots to his friends at the end of the party! DAunt who was helping us at the party was immunecompromised and caught shingles.

You can't catch shingles from chickenpox

NeverDropYourMooncup · 07/03/2025 09:44

Dramatic · 07/03/2025 09:39

How ridiculous.

Show quote history

My mother nearly lost her newborn to chickenpox.

I ended up on oxygen when I caught it when pregnant - DD was ok purely because I was 27 weeks, rather than early pregnancy or towards the end of the third trimester.

I really can't recommend having chickenpox lesions inside your throat, lungs or vagina, either.

Howmanyflags · 07/03/2025 09:53

Chicken pox can have serious complications for young babies/pregnant women. If your son is at nursery there's a good chance that some famillies will have baby siblings/ones on the way, so if you're considering going ahead you must let all the parents know in advance so that they can make an informed decision whether they want their children to come...

medianewbie · 07/03/2025 09:57

Please be aware of adults in this situation as well as other children.
Similar circs: my baby Ds caught chicken pox which ExH caught from him.
It became shingles in ExH (GP told us that was what happened anyway)
He was really unwell (lesions in throat and under eyelids, lost 1st in a week)
We were having icsi IVF at the time and of course it prevented that too.
Consequences entirely unforseen and unintended but nevertheless quite real.

User860131 · 07/03/2025 09:58

We had exactly the same dilemma a couple of years ago with my dd! Tbh even if your daughter is ok by then it's highly likely it will have spread around half the class. My dd's class of 30 was down to 12 kids by the weekend of her party! We rescheduled her's and luckily the entertainer and the venue were happy to do this. I'd have a chat with providers and see what can be done

Booboobagins · 07/03/2025 10:02

It'll be fine. 5 days and its not contagious

Ritzybitzy · 07/03/2025 10:04

It’s too early to tell. Realistically he should be fine but he might not be. See how he goes over the weekend. If all spots are scabbed over you’re good to go.

Ritzybitzy · 07/03/2025 10:04

Booboobagins · 07/03/2025 10:02

It'll be fine. 5 days and its not contagious

That is false. It’s not contagious when all spots are scabbed over.

Ritzybitzy · 07/03/2025 10:05

medianewbie · 07/03/2025 09:57

Please be aware of adults in this situation as well as other children.
Similar circs: my baby Ds caught chicken pox which ExH caught from him.
It became shingles in ExH (GP told us that was what happened anyway)
He was really unwell (lesions in throat and under eyelids, lost 1st in a week)
We were having icsi IVF at the time and of course it prevented that too.
Consequences entirely unforseen and unintended but nevertheless quite real.

You do not catch shingles from chicken pox. Shingles is chicken pox reactivated.

Sunisshine · 07/03/2025 10:06

Ask GP when he won’t be infectious anymore and warm the parents.

Ritzybitzy · 07/03/2025 10:06

Just to add you need to tell parents regardless as if any of the children are immunocompromised the cannot go even if he has scabbed over.

User860131 · 07/03/2025 10:08

Sunisshine · 07/03/2025 10:06

Ask GP when he won’t be infectious anymore and warm the parents.

As a GP my advice is that you really don't need to bother a busy GP. Just google it and follow the NHS advice. That's all I'd tell you anyway 😂

Shintoland · 07/03/2025 10:11

Ritzybitzy · 07/03/2025 10:06

Just to add you need to tell parents regardless as if any of the children are immunocompromised the cannot go even if he has scabbed over.

Plus nursery friends could well be at a more active stage even if he is not.

Bunnycat101 · 07/03/2025 10:13

I think you’ve got a good chance of being ok by then but there is also a chance that the rest of his classmates will go down in the next few days so you might have more of an issue with guests.

Ritzybitzy · 07/03/2025 10:13

MoleAtTheCounter · 07/03/2025 09:04

Babies are at risk but it is not a serious illness for party-age children. It is, though, a very nasty virus. It stays with us, lurking in our spinal nerves until our immune system is weak enough for it to strike and give us shingles.

Do not make the assumption it’s not serious for party aged children. It’s incredibly serious for immunocompromised children.

Peaceandquietandacuppa · 07/03/2025 10:14

I would postpone for a week or two sadly. Even if I was reassured they had scabbed over etc I wouldn’t want to take my kids there.

it can be very dangerous for pregnant women, elderly, babies. Just not worth it.

Peaceandquietandacuppa · 07/03/2025 10:15

Sunisshine · 07/03/2025 10:06

Ask GP when he won’t be infectious anymore and warm the parents.

Really?!

bookmarket · 07/03/2025 10:16

It's cutting it fine. You have no way of knowing when the last spot will scab over. It can be 1 to 2 weeks. Does he have any siblings? Chicken pox kept me indoors for 3 weeks since DD2 caught it from DD1. DD1 had fewer spots but as a 4 year old, it took much more out of her and a few weeks to recover from the virus. She'd seem okay, I'd send her back to nursery and she'd fall asleep there and I'd have to pick her up. If you can change the party date I would.