AIBU to take child with chicken pox to an outside event today?

[summerlovingvibes]

Husband has one opinion and I have another. WWYD?

Day 5 of chicken pox for oldest child.
I have 2 other younger children with no signs as yet. But neither have had in the past so probably will get it.

Some scabs starting to form but also still some fresh spots.

Today is booked to go to an outside running event (for kids) this afternoon and we have paid £60 total for this with all children. It was booked mainly for the oldest one who loves to run, but the younger ones will also come and enjoy so I had to buy tickets for all. Outside run with parents, refreshments, few little stalls etc.

Unfortunately oldest one knows about event and has been excited all week - told him about it 2 days before CP started so didn't know to withhold the info.

Would you still take him? Planning on going just for the run, will try to avoid being too close to others. Don't know any other children / parents going so not going to be "chit chatting". Won't go to the stalls / mix and mingle. Will do run then leave.

Husband has one opinion and I have another. WWYD?

So you know you shouldn't take them , it would be really irresponsible but you have spent £60 and they (well one of them) is really looking forward to it ..... so because of that one of the parents wants to take them .....

Beggars belief - yes I get £60 is a lot of money and your child will be disappointed but sadly these things happen in life and as a parent you deal with it

I expect if it were the other way round you/your DH would be complaining about the irrresponsible parent letting their child out with chickenpox, measles whatever which made their child I'll do it missed their 6th birthday party or wife ill do she couldn't go to her BF wedding or their 16 year old just as they were taking GCSES ....

An often forgotten risk is to pregnant women who catch chickenpox.
I would keep them home for this reason alone. Please ignore the people being overly harsh - nothing wrong with asking questions.

You could spend a lot more than £60 on a 'life coach' teaching them not to be selfish so they do better at teamwork.

This is an opportunity to model unselfishness and explore science.

You absolutely can't go!

WTF are you thinking?

Tell that to a pregnant woman who catches it from inconsiderate people

Absolutely not- you can’t the kid with active lesions

As someone who is pregnant and with a child with chickenpox currently. I wouldn't go.
Yes I've had CP previously and therefore guidance says me and baby are protected. But you don't know if other people there haven't had it. You would literally be infecting them for Easter then they will go to Easter events before they have spots and infect more.
It's ok to disappoint your child if there is a valid reason. You are teaching them not to be selfish and to think of others.

Chicken pox isn’t part of vaccinations through nhs is it? It’s only available privately

No. It would be selfish to take your child with chicken pox. One parent can take the other children to the event. Parenting is tough so you will just have to explain to your child that they are infectious and that they could make soneone very unwell. They can have a treat when they are better.

No

It's not cheap if you have zero spare money

If you can’t spare £150 per child then surely you shouldn’t be having multiple children?!

So you want to take a child with a highly infectious illness to an event where there will be hundreds of other children & potentially pregnant women &/or vulnerable adults, at the start of the Easter holidays?

WTF?? No! Of course you don't go! How is this even a consideration??

I hate, with a passion, people who take children with communicable diseases out socially and completely unnecessarily with absolutely no regard for the vulnerable people and children they are likely to infect.

Vile individuals.

Yet she’s still asking on here. Why not just tell him absolutely not? She knows the general consensus on here would be a big fat NO, so why even ask if it wasn’t to seek some sort of validation?

Oh, big no-no. It is so disappointing and frustrating (for you and your kiddos, and the money lost!) so I'd be pissed off in your shoes. But, it is pretty careless for others at risk. Some adults have never had it and it would be so dangerous for them to catch (a few of my family members are in that case) and some children and adults have conditions that puts them at high risk too. It's highly contagious and you can't prevent it spreading really, even if that's not a given (child holding a fence, then later on somebody else touching the same fence, etc.). Also, your younger ones might already have caught it and be contagious, without showing the 1st symptoms yet. It is a stretch, but it is a risk still.

FYO

Causes of shingles

You cannot get shingles from someone with shingles or chickenpox.
But you can get chickenpox from someone with shingles if you have not had chickenpox before.
When people get chickenpox, the virus stays in the body. It can be reactivated later and cause shingles if someone's immune system is weakened.
This can be because of stress, certain conditions, or treatments like chemotherapy.

Don’t go. What if there are immunity- compromised people there or pregnant women? Fresh spots?! Stay.at.home

No he didn’t as you cannot catch shingles.

Shingles is a reactivation of the dormant CP virus from your own body. There is always so much misinformation on these threads!

Of course you don't go.

It's also not too late to get the younger ones vaccinated - it's most effective if given within 3 days of exposure. You can book them in on the superdrug website really easily. (Or other chemist's, just superdrug is who we used)

Seriously?

Feel free to check your privilege

And then do some thinking

I had very mild CP as a child, then caught shingles at 18yo, it was awful awful awful and I failed all of my uni exams that term because I was so ill. I still remember the pain 😵‍💫

I’ve got one in July and decided I’m going to stay home for a bit before as I can’t risk it. Been 18 months wait so far so would rather do an online shop and hibernate for a bit!

The other children shouldn’t go either as they likely have it too and are even more infectious before the spots appear.

Gosh, I am pregnant and not immune to chicken pox (I've had it as a child and been vaccinated twice but my body doesn't produce the antibodies on an ongoing basis). Pregnancy is a nerve-wracking time as a result and I do my best to avoid risks. Your family's choice could have immense impact on the health and wellbeing of a mum and baby like mine.