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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that if your DC has chickenpox, then you shouldn't take them swimming?

33 replies

Whoamireally · 04/03/2010 12:14

I trooped to the swimming pool today with 9 month old DD2 (having clearly forgotten since the first time around how much hassle it is to take a baby for a paddle) and in the baby pool splashing about is a boy of maybe 2 or 3 with full blown chickenpox, bright red spots that didn't look at all scabbed over.

I said 'Excuse me, hope you don't mind me asking, but is your son still at the contagious stage?' to which his mum says 'Oh no, not for AGES' , but she then proceeds to bellow at him to come away every time he goes anywhere near another child or either of the two pregnant women sat there with their babies, which makes me think this was a blatant lie. You are still a bit contagious in the early, very spotty stage, no?

Now, DD1 has had CP, and I am not precious about DD2 getting it as they all will sooner or later, but there's a difference between that and deliberately putting them in a situation where you are exposing them to CP.

I also know how hard it is when you are trying to entertain an obviously boisterous child who, despite the spots, feels well in themselves - but surely, if you knew that there was a chance your child could pass it on then you'd just get the Aquadraw and a few jigsaws out and make them run laps of the house, and keep them out of the way of other children for a bit? Or AIBU?

OP posts:
emsyj · 04/03/2010 12:20

As soon as the spots are visible they're not contagious any more AFAIK... but I'm not a doctor. If he's got spots they probably itch like crap and the cold swimming pool water would be lovely!

YANBU to be concerned, but interested to see whether anyone can confirm or deny that visible spots mean not contagious....

Whoamireally · 04/03/2010 12:23

Sorry, pregnant ladies there with toddlers, it was me with the baby ....

I thought it was until all the spots had crusted over that you are contagious. I am sure it felt lovely being in the water but couldn't he have had a cold bath at home?

OP posts:
hormonalmum · 04/03/2010 12:25

yanbu.

dilbertina · 04/03/2010 12:27

I think they are contagious from 2 days before spots appear until spots have all scabbed, although I have also heard it's fine 5 days after 1st spots appear. Ds has just had it and dd2 now has it. I wouldn't take them swimming, but nor would I totally isolate them...eg I go and stand in playground to collect dd1, but try avoid them having direct contact with anyone.

Whoamireally · 04/03/2010 12:33

I think it was the lie that got me - it's just something I wouldn't do to another parent.

OP posts:
DorotheaPlenticlew · 04/03/2010 12:36

Not sure, but I would be a bit worried about taking DS swimming covered in even crusted-over spots, just because of the inevitable worried (or judgy) looks from other people, whether contagious or not.

Having said that, we have not actually had the pleasure of CP yet. Maybe it'll drive us so stir-crazy that I won't care any more.

bubblagirl · 04/03/2010 12:43

spots can still arrive up to 5 days from first spot and child is contagious until all spots have scabbed over

iliveingroundhogday · 04/03/2010 12:44

yanbu, on a similar note (and excuse the hijack) I was showering dd (almost4) after her swimming lesson and one of her "swimming buddies" took his trunks off to shower, revealing a HUGE ringworm on his bum. I recognised it instantly because I battled with them for a long time when dd was still in nappies and I couldn't bath my kids together because of it. I mentioned it to the mum in a "oh, poor kid" kind of way, only to be told that "it's a pain, we can't get rid of it and I have to bath him seperately from the other two because it's so contagious" but putting him in a tiny pool with other people's children, that's alright..

Again, apologies, but I know exactly how you feel, very inconsiderate

thedollshouse · 04/03/2010 12:47

They are contagious until all the spots have crusted over.

Ds had cp 5 months ago and is still covered in spots, when I have taken ds swimming I have had people ask me if he is still contagious which is fair enough I suppose. He did wear a tshirt to cover them at first but doesn't want to anymore.

I have no idea if they will actually fade. I feel quite sorry for him.

susiey · 04/03/2010 12:50

we had a letter home from school this week about chicken pox and I always theought it was the crusting over rule but they were saying 5 days after the last spot appears it is possible he was in that stage.

the ringworm thing though is really bad!

thedollshouse · 04/03/2010 12:51

It is usually around 5 days before the spots crust over but sometimes it is longer. Ds took about 8 or 9 days before his spots started crusting over, I took him back to see the GP and the GP said that he was still contagious.

StealthPolarBear · 04/03/2010 12:52

there were pg women there?

Whoamireally · 04/03/2010 13:01

SPB yes - and it suprised me TBH that I was the only person who even seemed to be vaguely bothered about the boy with CP which was partly why i was wondering if IWBU!

iliveingroundhogday haven't had to deal with ringworm yet but presumably you can have it for a while, as it can take time to clear up? Do you think you get to the stage where you are so 'used' to having it that you just think sod it let's just get on with life?

(Whereas hopefully with CP it's time limited and so you can isolate yourself for a shorth while?)

OP posts:
LittleMrsHappy · 04/03/2010 13:05

CP, are contagious until they are scabbed over and not weeping.

Why didn't you tell the life guard? they have a duty to H&S to make sure it is safe to swim in the pool, legally they have to do this, and if that means asking the woman to leave, then she has to, due to public health.

Whoamireally · 04/03/2010 13:25

That's a really good point LMH - tend to think they're just there to look hot throw rubber rings in emergencies and blow their whistle at heavy petters so interested to know their responsibilities go further than that.

Unfortunately they are only on duty when it's 'splash time' in the big pool which it wasn't today.

OP posts:
iliveingroundhogday · 04/03/2010 14:18

there are a lot of ways to get on with life without putting other people and their children at risk. If you know better than putting your other children in the same bath with the one with ringworm, then you should extend the same courtesy to other people, right?

DD had it on and off for about 8 months and we were not stuck at home, we were just not going swimming and I was vigilant about her clothes/sheets/the surface the nappy was changed on etc.

Shouldn't lifeguards be there whenever the pool is in use???!!!?

etchasketch · 04/03/2010 14:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

nickytwotimes · 04/03/2010 14:33

I would have had to have left the pool if I saw a kid with non-crusted over cp.
I cannot make immunity despite haivng immunisation and cp itsef several times. I am also pg and if I get it there is a sizeable chance that my kids will be deaf or blind or both, much like with rubella. Luckily that risk has reduced now I am further on, but it is still present.

DO NOT TAKE KIDS OUT until after all the spots have crusted over PLEASE! Yes, it is a pita, but not as big a pita as having my kid's sensory abilties ruined.

TottWriter · 04/03/2010 14:44

The contagion period is roughly seven days after the spots appear, or when the last one ha crusted, as it's when the spots rupture that they're most 'deadly'.

Even so, taking a child swimming with CP is insane. even if they had all crusted over (which, from the mum's actions, I suspect they might not have), surely common sense would lead you to realise that scabs soften and can fall off in water? To me, that's a golden method of passing it on right there.

I'm sorry, but that woman was completely out of line. Taking your child out when they're past the contagion stage is fine, but I would definitely say no to swimming.

WingedVictory · 04/03/2010 15:03

I agree with nickytwotimes. It's a horrible thing to do, not care about others. It's not as dreadful a disease as measles (but that's why we are vaccinated against measles), but the effect on pregnant women - which NO-ONE CAN TELL (who knows who's had CP in childhood?!) - is so dangerous.

We are due to go away this weekend, and the timing is just dreadful, as DS has been exposed to other kids who went on to develop CP, so could be contagious now... but might not be! Insurance won't pay out for us to cancel the trip now, and I don't want not to go, as he might not even have it. On the other hand, I'm just rather scared that he will develop it when we arrive, and then what will we do? Thank goodness our insurance covers the cost of being quarantined, as I understand the French a bit hypochondriacal (sp?) , and I don't want to cause a public health scandal.

NinjaChipmunk · 04/03/2010 15:11

ds has cp now. here a link to the nhs website about it. and yanbu i am going stir crazy but i wouldn't take him out while he has it, certainly not swimming.

ShadeofViolet · 04/03/2010 15:15

YANBU. Some people are extremely selfish!

MrsPixie · 04/03/2010 15:19

this is why i don't take dd swimming -

ringworm [puke]

Feierabend · 04/03/2010 15:20

Crikey. If he WAS still contagious then his mum was completely out of order. This kind of thing happens all the time though - I know parents who send their children to nursery when they are running a fever, just dose them up on Calpol in the morning. It makes me so angry. Having said that, it's true that the pox can still be visible for a long long time after the crusts have fallen off. DD1 had it really bad and when her crusts fell off they left red marks all over her body, which only faded very slowly over several months. But I am sure you could tell the difference yourself.

Katz · 04/03/2010 15:27

its people like this that make things harder for mums like me, DD2 has a rare condition which means most of her body is covered in non-contagious browny/red blotches which get redder in the water, we get challenged in pools because other people take contagious children in assume that we're all that irresponsible.

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