To not even bother packing - Chickenpox?

[Eyeofthelamp]

My son was sent home from school on Thursday with the dreaded pox. He’s absolutely fine, but we’re due to
go on holiday in just over a week. I know I can get a fit to fly note before we go, BUT my little girl hasn’t had pox yet. She currently shows no sign of getting them but she will, won’t she? I know I can’t cancel our holiday due to exposure, but I also don’t want to go with the impending risk of her getting them abroad and then being stuck in another country for a week on my own, whilst my husband and son have to
go home.

If we cancel we stand to lose £4.5k, but I just can’t bring myself to even start packing. AIBU? What would you do in these circumstances? I’m feeling pretty crap as this is our only chance to get away this year due to other commitments, so it would be another full year without a holiday if we can’t go 😔

I live in Kent and over last six months I've been checking regularly, neither Boots or Superdrug offer it anywhere near us and I can't find anywhere else that does either. I would have to travel by train so that means easiest would be to go to London, twice. Maybe OP has a similar issue.

Yes there’s a lot of misinformation about the CP vaccine (some of it deliberate of course) but it’s a routine vax in many countries with far better health services and outcomes than ours. Personally I think if you can afford it financially, it’s silly not to get it for your children. Especially if you’re buying holidays worth several thousand pounds that can be totally derailed by it,

And I live in pretty rural north-east Scotland and can get it done in about five places within 20 mins of here. So many independent pharmacies offer it here. The one in our village even does it.

Can you get her vaccinated tomorrow? Not ideal to do it after exposure, but there’s evidence it reduces risk and if she does catch it, it’s likely to be less severe.

Our child got chickenpox on day 2 of a 6 day holiday abroad. They were then confined to the room for the week, couldn’t go to restaurants/entertainment/pool. Partner and I had to take it in turns to go for meals and we had to bring food back to the room on plates for child. They weren’t allowed to fly home when we should have so partner had to stay out there for another 3 days. Lots of the holiday was spent liasing with insurance company, holiday company and a doctor (needed to be officially diagnosed and then cleared for fit to fly). Honestly was not a great time! Very stressful.

@ARichtGoodDram - you maybe right. But tbh is is a Western European country I’m talking about, with high standards of healthcare, not like remote unheard off country.
So maybe the advice has changed in the last 2 years, I will ask him again. But he’s given all other vaccines even if private ie he recommended ie the other meningitis, and tick vaccine ( as high risk area). So he’s not anti vaccine in general.

I am really surprised at that. Boots in Bexleyheath has vaccines available tomorrow, and every day next week. Along with many other Boots branches across Kent.

https://www.boots.com/online/pharmacy-services/chickenpox-vaccination-service?srsltid=AfmBOopJP5T_o0Bs3fnzLMmHymqlFxrfG8yv8vqpRUwdD4pddMCeyf-I

The most recent studies (on those who have had the vaccine for 20+ years now) are very recent. The JCVi in the UK only made the recommendation for change in Nov 23 and that was right after the studies.

It's not a criticism of somewhere, or calling it a backwater, to point out that very recent studies have new data.

Especially with this vaccine when there is so much misreporting (by papers and websites that should know better option) with it being said that it only lasts 10-20 years. They should always make clear that it's at least that time as it's very different and could be important in people's decision making.

Get Poxclin from a pharmacy, keep your kids apart if possible, give them plenty of rest, good food and tlc and pray! As soon as they are mostly scabbed over, they're good to go. And like others say, talk to your travel /travel insurance provider

Thank you. I'm not clear on the shingles risk though, as anyone who has had chickenpox is at risk of getting shingles. In fact surely if you were vaccinated and it wore off you would have to contract chickenpox first, and then shingles later.
(I have one dc who had chickenpox, and one who was vaccinated)

There was a fear when the vaccine was first brought in that it would put people at higher risk of shingles.

In the Uk that was one of the main reasons the vaccine wasn't recommended to be part of the childhood vaccines - shingles is (generally) more serious so it was better for children to develop CP than have adults at higher risk of shingles.

The newest studies have shown that actually those vaccinated are not at higher risk of shingles. Plus we also now have developed shingles vaccines as well.

There is a strong train of thought that the next studies will actually show a lessened risk of shingles, but we have to wait the time so see if that plays out as how it looks like it will.

Thank you for all the helpful advice!

The pox only came out as a couple of spots in Thursday and we didn’t know for definite until Friday. Nowhere vaccinates over the weekend so I couldn’t have done anything anyway.

Based on your advice I’ve booked her a vaccination tomorrow morning. Even if it can help lessen symptoms it will help. I’m keeping everything crossed now. It’s obviously out of my hands.

Of course he is 😅

We vaccinated our child five years ago (because I had chicken pox in my early 20s and it was horrible, plus the risk of having to take two weeks off work).

We were told there was as yet no evidence of a drop-off in immunity, but as they only had 30-odd years of data they advised we checked how things were going before he went to uni (in 17+ years) If data by then shows a drop-off get a booster before he goes. They also said it was likely to be added to the NHS vaccine schedule in the next few years - I think the pandemic put paid to that for a while, but I'm sure it'll be added eventually.

It's on the childhood vaccine schedule in the US, Australia and Germany. No sign of an increase in adulthood infections in those countries.

Fingers crossed for you!

@CountryQueen - erm he is. We were referred to him by the main hospital in the country after Ds had a serious allergic reaction as a baby. He’s a regular paediatric doctor.

I have said I last asked around 2 years ago, so maybe it’s changed recently and I will ask again.

They also said it was likely to be added to the NHS vaccine schedule in the next few years - I think the pandemic put paid to that for a while, but I'm sure it'll be added eventually.

the JCVI recommended it be added in Nov 2023.

It generally takes a couple of years for things to change. Most likely it'll come in next year when here are other changes happening already.

Yes this my understanding too.

You will be asked if any recent exposure and will be advised against. It's also 2 doses 4 weeks apart .

Thank you for vaccinating - spread the word 👏

Please bear in mind that immune-compromised people (e.g. people like me, with cancer) are at extreme risk from 'simple' childhood illnesses such as CP.

I've recently taken a couple of flights, and it's terrifying to think that there might have been parents 'chancing it' with their infected child.

An unvaccinated child may be OK themselves, but they (i.e. you, as the parent) may be responsible for inadvertently killing someone else, like me.

So, please can folks bear that in mind before choosing not to vaccinate their child, or themselves, from a preventable disease.

It is 70 - 100% effective after the first dose, even after exposure. Definitely worth a shot.

Incubation time is 2 weeks.

I would factor in these things:

the 2 yr old is likely to come out with spots 13-14 days after spots appeared on the boy.
My kids were not very ill with CP. We could still go out & do stuff away from other people (walks in the woods, etc.). We never stayed home completely, it wasn't in anyone's best interests.
CP stops being contagious abt 5 days after spots appear (or whatever latest advice says).
If I could basically go places & stay away from other people on the holiday if she did get CP, like still go in a private villa pool or enjoy parks, beach, hilly walks.

Because maybe your planned holiday would not require close contact with anyone or travelling on days when likely to be contagious.

Canterbury Boots has appointments from Wednesday this week. I don't know exactly where you are, but worth calling a store if there isn't availability and they can order in for you or suggest a location.

I was in a similar position with my older DDs. My youngest at the time 2yo got them the day we left, we literally saw the first spot as we were boarding. Luckily I’d preempted it happening given my oldest had just had them and packed all the appropriate lotions and potions just in case. For the most part it was fine, we did our best to keep her cool, lots of ice lollies, shade calpol. We even managed to get some oaks and kept a bowl of cool water we just kept adding ice too so we could cool her down with the milk from the oats. Hardest part was no air con in the south of France and night times, but once she was asleep she managed to stay that way.

it certainly wasn’t the holiday we planned but it worked.

also, she may not get them, my youngest has been exposed dozens of times and never got them.

Sorry, what country are you in? In UK you would need to report him to the GMC for giving erroneous advice if this is true, because doctors are actually obliged to give truthful information. Perhaps there is a different standard where you are.