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Original poster

DD has chicken pox....flying on Friday morning. WWYD?

79 replies

BunnyLebowski · 25/01/2012 13:58

I had a call today from DD (3)'s nursery to come and collect her as she had what appears to be chicken pox.

I've thoroughly examined her... she has 3 faint spots on her neck (2 small, one bigger). She's had a sniffle for a few days but she's in fine form, no temperature and appetite fine. She's never sick and seems to have a pretty hearty immune system .

Here's the clincher. We're meant to be flying to Ireland on Friday to stay with my family .

I have NO experience of chicken pox. If her face remains clear (don't know if that's at all possible) and she's still relatively chipper by Friday then I'm tempted to stick a polo neck and trousers on her and go ahead.

Any advice?

OP posts:
EdithWeston · 25/01/2012 16:23

Check your insurance and be ready to make a claim.

You'll know if it's chicken pox soon enough, as it has distinctive blister-like spots. It would be irresponsible to travel before that have all dried up and crusted over.

If there is a different disease pattern, I think you should check with your doctor for advice on contagiousness. Has she had MMR? Measles rash starts on the neck and you absolutely mustn't take that out and about.

SunnilyEnough · 25/01/2012 16:31

As others have said, you can't go if it's chicken pox; in a couple of days time she'll be covered in itchy spots, she'll have a fever and she'll feel horrible. My ds was ill for about 3 weeks with it. They only stop being contagious when the spots have dried out.

TimothyClaypoleLover · 25/01/2012 16:50

Hoping OP has gone off to research chicken pox/examine DD rather than just ignoring everyone's pleas not to recklessly and selfishly infect the general public!

Original poster
BunnyLebowski · 25/01/2012 16:57

Timothy I think you need to find yourself a hobby love.

Genuine thanks to all the non-hysterical posters for their informative and very helpful advice.

OP posts:
TimothyClaypoleLover · 25/01/2012 17:03

Not hysterical or bored, just had exprience of vulnerable people being exposed to chicken pox and it is not nice.

narmada · 25/01/2012 17:07

I didnt think timothy was being hysterical or bored, either.

It would be HUGELY irresponsible for you to take a contagious child on public transport of any kind. There are lots of immunosuppressed people around - including, for example, those with donor organs. If you take your child on a flight and a donor recipient is on it, you risk their health very seriously.

To go would be a reckless and immoral thing to do, if it is chicken pox.

MmeLindor. · 25/01/2012 17:09

I don't think that Timothy was overreacting.

You had posted several times suggesting different methods of taking your potentially infectious child to places where she would come into contact with members of the public.

It did not read as if you had changed your mind, more like you were still hoping to travel and hide your DD's illness if necessary.

KwaziiHunt · 25/01/2012 17:12

People aren't being hysterical. But if you take your child who has chicken pox out and you come in contact with someone who has a lowered immune system then you are putting them at risk.

You haven't acknowledged this and seem to be under the impression that if she looks alright then she'll be alright. But it's not your DD you have to worry about.

It is a pain in the arse when they have chicken pox. No one denies that, but you need to stay in and away from other people until her spots crust over and she is no longer contagious.

exexpat · 25/01/2012 17:16

Chickenpox prevention. Advice from the NHS is to 'stay at home' until your child is no longer infectious, which is about five or six days after the last spot appears. I don't think anyone's definition of 'staying at home' includes going on a ferry and visiting family in another country.

If you are lucky, it won't be chickenpox, and you will be fine to travel. But if it is, you are going to have to cancel - there is no way round it unless you are being thoroughly irresponsible.

FarloRigel · 25/01/2012 17:21

Timothy is definitely not over-reacting. There are 10,000 children being treated for cancer in the UK at the moment, chickenpox could kill or cause permanent damage to any one of them, or anyone else with a suppressed immune system. Don't be so narky about it, if you'd ever seen someone fight for their life against cancer and know that any day they could be seriously harmed by someone putting their wants above your loved one's safety you'd have a different perspective to.

That said, yes, there are other viruses that can mimic varicella, but the spots don't keep appearing, and fade away not crust over. What I'd advise is to call the nursery asap. Find out if there is anyone there with confirmed chickenpox. If there is, you'll have your answer. If not, then call the GP surgery and make it clear your child has suspected CP and can't wait in the waiting room, but you need it checked so you can fly if it's not. Our surgery lets patients come in a back door and wait in a private room in that kind of situation and hopefully yours will too. I hope you'll be lucky and your GP will be able to tell you it's something else, but if it is, please don't endanger anyone else.

sodapops · 25/01/2012 17:32

Timothy isn't over reacting. A lot of people underestimate the seriousness of vulnerable peopl catching Chicken Pox.

Please don't fly, go by ferry, pop to Tesco, the library etc etc. Stay in and wait it out.

queenebay · 25/01/2012 17:37

I think if it was chickies then she would have more by now. I know when my dd got it it spread like wildfire.
Also my sister was able to stay in the car when her ds had chickies on the ferry

sittinginthesun · 25/01/2012 17:45

OP, if it helps diagnose, chickenpox often starts with a large spot/scab/scratch on the neck. In my experience, the spots will be out in a couple of days.

As I say, it is a complete pain. I spent two weeks worried sick about what to do. We then ended up stuck in a hotel room, with a sick and uncomfortable baby, and couldn't go anywhere anyway.

Only blessing was that he was so young, the spots were scanned working 5 days, and by the time we flew home, there was hardly a mark left on him.

I would book a GP appointment now for Friday, in case you need your GP note.

sittinginthesun · 25/01/2012 17:46

"scabbed over within"...

hazeyjane · 25/01/2012 17:53

you know, queenebays if you call it 'chickies' it doesn't make it seem like a cuter disease!

If it is chickenpox (and you should know by Friday) please don't try and thnk if ways round it, just don't go, nhs advice is to stay away from people.

ImpatientOne · 25/01/2012 17:56

I know it's hard but I really strongly disagree with infectious people being out and about!! I spend the winter in fear of people with 'colds' as I am asthmatic and will always get a chest infection from having a cold - there is nothing big and clever about 'soldiering on' with illnesses when this involves spreading it around...

A few years ago I had to miss a flight (that I'd already checked in online for) because I was sick and was concerned that it could be contagious. It was a pain, we lost money and had to rearrange some major plans but at least I wasn't responsible for a plane load of sick people!

PattiMayor · 25/01/2012 17:59

chickies??!

I am talking from my unpleasantly extensive experience of travelling on cross-channel ferries and I know you are most definitely not allowed on the car deck during the crossing because it's dangerous. They lock the doors to the car deck. I can't see why Irish Sea ferries would be different.

WowOoo · 25/01/2012 18:01

Hope it's not chicken pox.

If it makes you feel any better I had to cancel a summer holiday - I looked like the Elephant Woman on a bad day. Every posssible bit of my body was covered. Was gutted as I missed out, but felt miserable anyway.

Ds2 got it and had it really mildly. Only a few spots and was fine other than the spots - but clearly still contagious as I caught it off him.

CoffeeGoneColdAgain · 25/01/2012 18:07

Could it be Hand foot and Mouth?

DressingGownQueen · 25/01/2012 18:08

Chickies?! Gah...

I agree with everyone else. Stay inside. My sister looks perfectly healthy but she has a condition that means she could be seriously buggered by someone taking an infectious child out.

annalovesmrbates · 25/01/2012 18:22

My brother and SIL took their daughter on a flight as you describe with a polo neck, tights and pulled down hat when she had a few spots. Stupid and selfish of them. When they got to their holiday destination, she was so ill and miserable that they stayed in their hotel room for the duration. So reckless actions and a ruined holiday for them. Don't do it!

annalovesmrbates · 25/01/2012 18:22

My brother and SIL took their daughter on a flight as you describe with a polo neck, tights and pulled down hat when she had a few spots. Stupid and selfish of them. When they got to their holiday destination, she was so ill and miserable that they stayed in their hotel room for the duration. So reckless actions and a ruined holiday for them. Don't do it!

Tenebrist · 25/01/2012 18:48

I caught chicken pox when I was six from someone I was standing at least 6 foot away from and he was well wrapped up - the transmission is not called 'air-borne' for no reason.

Wolfiefan · 25/01/2012 18:55

My DS caught chicken pox while on a drug used to treat cancer (he has a kidney condition). We had to race him to hospital and hold him down while they gave an injection in each thigh. We were told it could kill him.
Timothy is NOT overeacting.

ginmakesitallok · 25/01/2012 18:59

Just take her on the ferry if you can rearrange. Similar thing happened to us a few years ago - DD1 came out with chickenpox while we were visiting family in Ireland. I flew back alone and DP and DD caught a lift with a friendly lorry driver who was going our way. It was a great adventure for DD, great for me (I got a few hours peace), not so great for DP who spent the entire journey squeexed into the sleeping bunk bit.

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