To take child out with chickenpox

[10thlittlemonkey]

DD age 3 had chickenpox. Today is day 7 since they first appeared. She's loved the multiple pyjamas days but we are starting to go stir crazy! She had new spots appear yesterday overnight and I'm not sure any of us can handle another 5 days cooped up indoors. Other than spots she's here usual self (ball of energy!) I was thinking to go out for a walk along the river. Maybe grab a quick take away coffee and cake and perch somewhere outdoors. Thinking 'covid social distancing' style rules would apply here for our own sanity surely?
AIBU?

A walk outside is fine but park no and cafe no. Anywhere she could come into contact with surfaces or be near people is unreasonable. It’s rubbish for anyone who catches it but for some people it can be really serious

Please don’t do this. it’s so selfish. chicken pox is extremely dangerous to pregnant ladies and those with immune deficiency. often its worse if you get it as an adult. I know 3 adults that were hospitalised due to chicken pox.

Absolutely not, if you could drive to an isolated spot and go for a quick walk outdoors then maybe. You should just stay in the car and look at the scenery and play eye spy.

I’m really surprised you’re even considering going into a cafe to get a coffee as you’d have to take your 3 year old in with you and it’s very risky as there could be immunocompromised children or adults in there. Take your child for a walk somewhere like the woods and take a coffee and snacks with you!

All right, but if you’ve had chickenpox you’ll be okay

I’m immunocompromised and would say yes to a field, empty beach etc, no touching stuff and no cafe. Take snacks and a flask or have a car picnic

No to popping into a cafe for a coffee etc.

If you could guarantee going in the car, empty field/path, take a picnic then maybe. But honestly I don’t know anywhere we are where I could guarantee that so I wouldn’t.

Walk outside ok but please don't go in a cafe - this time last year, I was having chemo for blood cancer and catching chickenpox would have meant intensive care, possibly death. Consider other people. Wait until it's scabbed over!

How do you stop a 3 year old from touching stuff though? Tie their hands behind their back?! 🙄😁
Yes, I know you watch them but you can't watch their hands constantly, toddler hands have a tendency to sneak out and touch stuff even if you're being careful.

Somewhere remote, we have fields locally with nothing in or an empty beach. Or reins
or you stay in then if you can’t stop them touching stuff

Keep well away from other people, don't even think about going into a cafe so take drinks and snacks with you. If you see anyone while out keep well clear of them. If you can't find somewhere isolated enough then call it off and go home.

I don't discount the health and wellbeing of compromised/vulnerable people but OP's and her child's wellbeing are worthy of consideration too. Just give others a wide berth as much as possible.

A walk in the woods with no other people or an empty beach yes or deserted cliff path. We have dogs and I grew up with dogs so even with the pox, we had to leave the house. But never ever anywhere near other human beings!

If you can guarantee no other human beings on the river path, cool. If not, maybe drive somewhere where you'd be the only people.

I'd take a flask of coffee rather than getting one out and about though.

Oh also - if today's day 7 you're very nearly at the end of it anyway, they should be crusting up now-ish?

I sympathise with this entirely and it is a horrific situation. But equally, considering the most contagious phase is 1-2 days before any spots appear and there are likely to be many contagious people walking around every day with multiple unknown infections , would she not be keeping my severely immunocompramised child home and away from others anyway?

The utter selfishness of some people staggers me. Be a decent member of society and keep your infectious child at home! Yes, it’s difficult. Yes you might feel frustrated and like you are going crazy. But sometimes as parents we have to do things that feel difficult. It’s a matter of days, after which you will go out again, your daughter won’t even remember this time later on. Stay at home, be creative, find ways to change up the days and the routine.

would she not be keeping her severely immunocompramised child home and away from others anyway?

So what you're saying @10thlittlemonkey is that a person who is severely immunocompromised must stay at home forever, so you can take your infectious child out for pleasure?

Sounds very unreasonable to me. And selfish.

You know how you feel stir crazy after just 5 days? Imagine how that parent and child feels after months stuck in hospital.

If you must go out, stick to places like the woods and avoid cafes and play parks. Don't be selfish.

So people who have compromised immune systems (that includes folk who have had transplants) need to keep themselves in seclusion for weeks, months or even years (transplant pts) because others can’t cope with a fortnight’s quarantine? Oh alright then, seems entirely reasonable….not!

Don’t go into a cafe but do go out for a walk.

I agree, outdoors in open space away from others is fine, but I wouldn't take her to a park where there's lots of kids and she'll be touching equipment, even though park is outdoors.

Outside, no where near anyone else should be fine. I’m surprised you mention takeout coffee and cake though. Just take a drink and food from home!

Do not take her to a park or a cafe, even an outdoor one.

I would however take her for a secluded walk somewhere like some woods or over some fields, and did do this when dc had pox when they were little

Or more likely they would get a chickenpox vaccine....

Sounds fine to me. (FWIW I’m immunocompromised and it wouldn’t worry me if I passed your DD when out for a walk.)

Don’t be a dick. It can cause birth defects if a pregnant woman is infected before 20wks.

So you are finding it hard to stay indoors for a few weeks with your child yet you think it’s reasonable for an immunocompromised child to stay inside indefinitely