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Original poster

Chickenpox

16 replies

koolaroo · 30/03/2011 19:59

Hi,
I have a 3 yr old who came down with chickenpox last thursday. My 6 year old hasnt had chickenpox yet so Im expecting him to come down with it BUT we are going abroad next week and Im beginning to flap because I know he cant fly if he is contagious.

How long does it usually take for chickenpox to take effect if he has caught it? If his brother started with spots last Thursday surely he would be showing signs by now if he had caught it....PLEASE??

OP posts:
DeWe · 30/03/2011 20:03

Incubation is 10-21 days so even assuming he caught it the day before the spots came out, he wouldn't be showing signs now. Saturday is probably the first day likely unless he's got it from someone other than his brother. If he doesn't get it for 3 weeks then you might be back by then.

whydobirdssuddenlyappear · 30/03/2011 20:05

No, he wouldn't, sorry. Chickenpox has an incubation period of up to 3 weeks, and it's contagious for around a week after the spots have appeared (and from up to 5 days before). So the chances are he'd either come down with it at the end of next week, or he'd come down with it on holiday and you'd a) have a miserable holiday tending to a sick and itchy kid and b) risk him not being fit to fly back. Oh, and by the way, he'll be most infectious before the spots show - that's when it's primarily an airborne disease and v v communicable.

SarkyLady · 30/03/2011 20:06

Our boys had a 7 days gap between their first spots. We assume that ds1 caught it from ds2.

And iirc most airlines insist on 6 days after first spots.

And check your travel insurance.

Sorry to be gloomy :(

Original poster
koolaroo · 30/03/2011 20:07

Oh thats worrying!! We fly next Wed so I really hope he will dodge it :(

OP posts:
whydobirdssuddenlyappear · 30/03/2011 20:23

Sadly, by next Wed, he's highly likely to be v infectious, even if he's not showing any symptoms by then (my ds had no symptoms at all pre spots). Sure, there's a slim chance he'll dodge it, but reasonably, it's a hugely communicable disease, and anything your 3yo has coughed on, spat on, chewed, licked etc will be infectious. Also, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but chances are, the viral load in your house will be pretty high cos your little one's got it, so not only is your 6yo unlikely to dodge it, he's likely to get a worse dose (studies have shown that the 1st person infected in a family - the one infected from outside - gets the mildest dose, subsequent doses within the family tend to be more severe). So even if he did look ok to fly next week, personally, if it were me, I wouldn't take him away, because a) chickenpox is really dangerous for adults who haven't had it (roughly 10% of the population), and it's really dangerous in pregnancy, and b) I really wouldn't put myself or my dc through a bad bout of chickenpox away from home.
On the plus side, this is by far the best time for him to get it.

abitwobbly · 30/03/2011 20:25

Get the vaccination tomorrow?? Might just avoid it......

whydobirdssuddenlyappear · 30/03/2011 20:25

Oh and I'm sorry :(
I don't suppose, as a backup measure, he has cp-immune grandparents he could go to for a week of cosseting?

thisisyesterday · 30/03/2011 20:26

incubation is up to 21 days.
sorry :(

Original poster
koolaroo · 30/03/2011 20:31

Dont mind if he gets it while over there, we are going to visit my mum so a few extra days wouldnt be too bad, its just the getting over to her that Im worried about. Thanks for the replies though x

OP posts:
Original poster
koolaroo · 30/03/2011 20:50

wdbsa:sorry I have just read your post. We are going to see his Grandparents, well the only ones that bother with them so there is no one here that could look after him. I will leave it to the weekend and see what he is like. We did think he had chickenpox last year but it was only 3 spots so assumed it wasnt but after speaking to my neighbour before she said her daughter had it and only had 4 spots so fingers crossed he is in the clear, although I just know with our luck it will all go wrong!!

OP posts:
SarkyLady · 30/03/2011 21:08

Agree they can have it without many spots. We only realised that ds2 had had it when ds1 got the spots. We though ds2 had just had a few insect bites as we were on holiday at the time (in uk).

Fingers crossed...

whydobirdssuddenlyappear · 30/03/2011 21:14

I had it as a kid and had 1 spot, so yes, it's possible (got a v mild dose again when my dcs got it and had one teensy blister and about 50 pinprick spots). Fingers crossed for you. If you're really worried, you might be able to find a private vax clinic that'll do an antibody test on him for you to see if he's immune already. I think Babyjabs do them, if you're in London.

monkoray · 30/03/2011 21:19

Koolaroo, please don't fly with your 6 year old if he could be infected. You could be putting everyone on the flight at risk. There may be people on the flight who have suppressed immune systems and an infection like chickenpox could be fatal to them. And as whydo said Chickenpox is also much more serious for adults who have not had it yet, and can cause birth defects if transmitted to pregnant women.
Airborne viruses are much more easily spread on planes because of the airconditioning.
You can get advice from the Health Protection Agency about when it will be safe for your son to travel without risk of infecting others.

Original poster
koolaroo · 30/03/2011 21:44

Think I may pop him down to docs tomorow. If they advise against flying Id rather know sooner rather than later

OP posts:
SarkyLady · 30/03/2011 22:28

Not sure the docs will appreciate a potentially infectious child coming in tbh. And not sure what else they can tell you. Maybe ring MHD direct instead?

SarkyLady · 30/03/2011 22:29

Why did my phone do that? NHS!

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