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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to take my 2yo with suspected chicken pox to the park?

26 replies

pippylongstockings · 20/07/2009 14:26

My DS2 has got a few spots on his back this morning that look like it might be chicken pox.

Today is going to be the only day all bloody week that it isnt going to rain - so as I am going to be stuck in all week. Can I at least go to the park this afternoon ?

Is it really irresponsible ?

We took him swimming yesterday when we didn't know, so is it worse to place him in the vicinity of children now we do ?

OP posts:
ilovetochat · 20/07/2009 14:30

yes it is worse now you know and selfish imo sorry.
there may be a child with a poor immune system there who could be really ill from catching chicken pox, or a pregnant lady.
let him play in the garden but dont put others at risk unnecessarily.
my dd had it for 2 weeks recently and it was hard/boring but we stopped in.

Thunderduck · 20/07/2009 14:31

YABU.

FAQinglovely · 20/07/2009 14:31

very unreasonable and selfish.

chegirl · 20/07/2009 14:31

IMO yes it is.

Sorry but I do feel really strongly about knowingly taking infectious children out.

I know CP is usuall a mild illness and most kids will get it at some point BUT

It is very dangerous to a significant amount of people.
Kids are starting their summer holidays and is it fair to risk infecting them (and consquently their siblings).
You cant trust the weather reports anyway - it might be fine all week.

Hope your DS is fine and it turns out not to be CP. If it is I hope its mild and he isnt too poorly.

Frasersmum123 · 20/07/2009 14:32

YABU if you know he has Chicken Pox

MovingOutOfBlighty · 20/07/2009 14:33

Can't you go somewhere that is outdoorsy but not a park.

He may have infected everyone at the pool yesterday, but you didn't know that so morally its OK.
But now you know, think it would be a bit to take to the park as there will certainly be other dcs there. And, yes, of course they are goign to get it at some point but it seems a bit selfish to take them to somewhere where lots of kids will be.

dmo · 20/07/2009 14:34

i'm a cm and one of my mindees has a hole in the heart, and must go to hospital if he goes nr someone with cp

Stigaloid · 20/07/2009 14:35

YABU - you risk putting other people's health at risk because you are bored? Selfish. selfish. selfish.

Pikelit · 20/07/2009 14:36

Chicken pox is horrid when caught by older children and adults. Really, really horrid! So unless you are without conscious (and if you were, you wouldn't have asked the question) I'm sure that you know it's totally unreasonable to wilfully go out and infect the innocent!

Bakersman · 20/07/2009 14:36

Can't you take him to a quiet park and only go to the playground if there is nobody else there? Obviously use antibac wipes after hes been on the swing etc
Otherwise take him out to other places where he can run about without being in contact with anybody - is there a common or green type place nearby? A woodland? River?
When my ds had CP I took him to a bridge to watch and wave at the trains which provided entertainment and prevented cabin fever but meant we were not mixing with other people.
Hope he is OK

katiestar · 20/07/2009 14:37

YANBU in a wide open space it will be fine.Just don't let him kiss anyone {wink}

MovingOutOfBlighty · 20/07/2009 14:39

We did alot of woodland stuff as well, as little contact with folk. It was a bit further out to drive but what else was I going to do all day apart from go mad! Hope you are not too badly affected by CP

Original poster
pippylongstockings · 20/07/2009 14:40

Your right - we will just go for a walk to a local lake where we can feed the ducks not to a play park.

I was unwittly putting people at risk for the last 2 days so shoot me - as were the parents of the child from where he got it.

OP posts:
Thunderduck · 20/07/2009 14:41

I don't think that anyone has blamed you for having him out in public when you were unaware that he had signs of chicken pox.

LIZS · 20/07/2009 14:42

with all the other bugs going round, holidays planned, I don't think you should knowingly inflict c'pox on anyone else. It can turn really nasty.

chegirl · 20/07/2009 14:46

But you didnt know then so it was v.different. No one has had a go at you for taking your child out yesterday.

I dont know if you have older children so you may not realise that kids are about to break up school or may have done so already.

What if your LO infected a child with two or threes siblings and they all went on to get it? That family would have to stay in for the whole summer holidays.

Its not just CP, the same goes for any infectious illness. Its common sense to keep away from other people till the risk has gone.

I hope you find somewhere safe and entertaining to take LO.

audreyraines · 20/07/2009 15:09

i felt really awful when i was in early pregnancy (not showing yet) and i sat down in a cafe with ds and a woman said 'oh, you might not want to sit too close as my dd has chickenpox'. in a tiny local cafe with a communal table. i thought it was a bit inconsiderate tbh.

jellybeans · 20/07/2009 15:13

YAB very unreasonable and selfish. I hate people who do this, so horribly selfish. And I see it so often.

wonderingwondering · 20/07/2009 15:19

CP is extremely infectious, and I understand that you don't want to stay in for a few days - but nor does anyone else, so keep your poorly child away and let them rest for a few days.

My recent gripe is the bringing of a swine flu infected toddler to sports day (inside) as 'he didn't want to miss his last day'.

stuffitlllama · 20/07/2009 15:22

Yes, doesn't matter about the weather, that's life, hard luck. Lots of parents end up being stuck in or out alone miles from anyone for three or four weeks because of sibling chicken pox and it's just part of life.

Different if you ask people do you mind? and they ask you over or come round. Surely you must know some people who've had it.

MorningTownRide · 20/07/2009 16:01

YABU - DD had CP, swiftly followed by DS.

DH (SAHD) kept them both in for nearly two weeks.

Bonnycat · 20/07/2009 16:09

Thought this was a wind up at first.
Of course it cant be helped when you didnt know about it but please dont do it now you do.Its very dangerous to some people like my DD

littlelamb · 20/07/2009 16:12

You took him swimming yesterdy? If that is the case I'd say he probably doesn't have chickn pox. My dd felt awful for 2 or 3 days before her spots showed. Assuming you're not joking, then yes YABU. We were at the library this morning when a child arrived who was quite obviously still contagious. I fail to see what is so essential about a trip to the library or the park that you would put others at risk by going out

yappybluedog · 20/07/2009 16:16

I was going to post the same thing, littlelamb, my dd wasn't well before the spots turned up

Thunderduck · 20/07/2009 16:42

Even if he felt fine yesterday he could still have chickenpox.
When I caught chickenpox as a child I was on holiday, felt fine the day before, woke up the next morning covered with spots, so it is possible that he has the virus.