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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be a bit surprised that a mum brought her LO into the nursery room covered in chicken pox

21 replies

ilovejellybeans · 21/10/2009 20:14

today. It was only to drop of her older child but they were there for about 1/2 hour all round, both ends of the day and there are lots of pregnant mums at the moment dropping of and picking up. There is also a mum of a little boy with cancer at home.

Really think I probably ABU but something about it makes me think I wouldn't have done the same.

OP posts:
bigstripeytiger · 21/10/2009 20:16

YANBU.

scottishmummy · 21/10/2009 20:17

if the spots are visible and crusty then the contagious stage has past

most virulent and contagious when no spots visible before you know you have it

ThisPhantomPlopsPumpkins · 21/10/2009 20:17

She won't be contagious if she's spotty and crusty though.

scottishmummy · 21/10/2009 20:20

most contagious period is 48hr before rash develop, not when spotty and crusty

bibbitybobbityCAT · 21/10/2009 20:20

The older child is probably contagious now if he/she hasn't already had it.

Chicken pox is pretty much impossible to contain because there is no outward sign when the disease is infectious.

Twintummy · 21/10/2009 20:20

Still wouldn't have risked it. My pregnant friend hasn't had it and one of DC came down with it after spending day with her. Was a total nightmare, she had to have loads of injections and I felt awfully guilty although I had no idea he was brewing it. Luckily she didn't get it.

bigstripeytiger · 21/10/2009 20:24

The contagious phase has past when all spots are crusted, you can easily have visible spots and be contagious.

chegirlknowswhereyoulive · 21/10/2009 20:43

I thought it was when the crusts had dried and dropped off that the contagious stage was over?

Whatever, I wouldnt do it. But I feel v.strongly about it for my own reasons.

ThisBoyDerekDrew · 21/10/2009 20:45

Not contagious 5 days after first spot, so he may not have been contagious.

bigstripeytiger · 21/10/2009 20:49

I was once at a childrens party with my immunosupressed DD, and one of the other couples had chosen to bring their baby, who was covered in chiken pox spots. I asked if she was infectious, and they cheerfully said that she was, and was off nursery because of it, so it was nice to get her out to a party. I was a bit upset, as I had been told that if my DD got chicken pox she would neet to be admitted to hospital for anti-viral treatment.
Luckily she didnt catch it.

chegirlknowswhereyoulive · 21/10/2009 20:55

bigstripey this is exactly why I feel so strongly about it.

Original poster
ilovejellybeans · 21/10/2009 20:59

bigstripeytiger that is just terrible so glad your DD was ok.

OP posts:
mummygirl · 21/10/2009 21:13

OP, I don't think YABU but at the same time, being a mum of three in three different schools/nurseries with no family around, I kinda see why she might have had to do it.

Either I or DH do the school run every morning (we work different shifts) and it's a nightmare as we have to get all the kids out of the car and into school at the first drop off, put the two back in and so on. I have no idea how I would do the school run if one of them got ill. I would have to take them with me, as there's no way I'd leave them alone in the car.

Of course I wouldn't stay for 15mins, probably like 15secs.

newpup · 21/10/2009 21:13

Some people are really selfish when their children are contagious!

DD2's friend was sent home from school yesterday with headache, sore throat, fever etc. She was in today and clearly not well but mum was going to work and dragged her(literally) crying across the playground into school. Very inconsiderate to the other children and not very thoughtful to her poor DD!

Rant over.

It is selfish to take out children with chicken pox but I have seen children covered in pox spots in the playground waiting for siblings. 10 children in DD's class came down with it last term as a mum brought a child with chicken pox to the Summer Fayre!

Danthe4th · 21/10/2009 23:37

When my son was at playgroup we were all asked if we came into contact to let them know as they had a child attend who underwent treatment for cancer and could not risk coming into contact.If there was any chance someone may be contagious this child didn't come, but it made us all realise the importance of not exposing diseases to others. Chicken pox can be very serious and some people are very inconsiderate to others.

Blondeshavemorefun · 22/10/2009 15:13

yanbu

yes once spots have crusted they are not infectious

and highly infectious 24/48hrs before the pop out

i had oldest dc off school last 3 days and i left her in the car when i took/collected middle child

no point bringing her in and infecting all children with her virus

stayed in car to last second and dashed in,dropped off/collected and was back in car within 3mins

prettyfly1 · 22/10/2009 15:17

its also worth remembering that ALL the spots have to have crusted before you are not contagious any more. Even one means you can pass it on. YANBU.

chegirlknowswhereyoulive · 22/10/2009 16:59

My DD got chickenpox when she had cancer. She suffered a great deal of pain. Her luekemia relapsed but the complications of the chickenpox masked this and she was in agony for weeks before they realised what was going on. This was in late December. She spent new years eve in isolation, away from her family and friends. She died in April that year.

Not everyone can afford to be so casual about chickenpox.

Reallytired · 22/10/2009 17:11

It is hard when you have several children and life has to go on. For example I know someone with five children and one of her kids is infectious with chickenpox. She still has to take the older children to school because its the law of the land. She is a single mother so has noone to stay at home with the poorly child.

I agree that children with chicken pox should be kept away from others as far as possible.

Blondeshavemorefun · 22/10/2009 17:16

chegirl - so sorry to hear about your dd ((HUGS))

un mn like, but i dont care - sometimes a hug is needed!!!

mummygirl · 22/10/2009 18:03

So sorry to hear about your dd chegirl.

And you're right "Not everyone can afford to be so casual about chickenpox."

I wonder when the government is going to realise that and start immunising children in the UK, like it's being done in most european countries

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