Chicken pox - think I may have caused bother at nursery...

[lovechoc]

DS1 had chicken pox at the end of February, so I kept him off nursery from the Friday til the following Thursday (he returned back on Friday). I checked thoroughly that all his spots had crusted over (obviously) before he returned to nursery, after chatting on the phone to the HV, was given all the usual advice, etc etc.

Anyway, today DS1 tells me Mrs X (one of the nursery staff) was checking over his skin to 'make sure the spots had scabbed over'. Did no one believe me?? I'm a bit miffed to be honest, and will have to say something tomorrow to his key worker.

There is no space to park the buggies in the nursery building, so everyone leaves their babies outside. However, I prefer not to do this with DS2 (who is nearly 20 months old) and carry him in with me to drop off DS1. Past three days I have done this and nothing was mentioned (DS1 returned to nursery last Friday so he's been back 4 sessions in total). DS2 is in my arms the whole time (never coughed or sneezed once) so I'm wondering what I've done wrong???

Any advice please?

They'll be checking, not because they mistrust you but because they will have had too much experience of parents who do send their DCs back when still infectious.

Ignore.

Thanks Edith. DS2 has not caught chicken pox yet, but to be honest, I'd rather risk him spreading the infection than leave him out in the buggy where anyone could take him where he's out of my line of vision.

lovechoc - unfortunately some parents do send back children who are still infectious (had a long long debate with a parent who insisted his childs spots were spider bites, funny enough lots of other children came down with spider bites shortly after ). Maybe he was scratching or said they hurt and the nursery checked? Also no bother about DS2, if he was in nursery before he had spots then was infectious then, in which case every child that had in then would need to be excluded! What makes you think this was an issue with them?

Of course ironically they are most infectious just before the spots start erupting and incubation is up to 3 weeks!

I think it's a work, health and safety checklist (kind of thing) that they need to sign off on known chicken pox being safe to return...

Unless they have upset him, or stripped him naked I would let it go.

And what's the story about DS2, take him in if he's not showing spots etc. If/When he does then address that issue, if you don't want to leave him then ask for nursery staff to bring him outside for you, or have a 10min difference in pickup for that week.

DS2 now has chicken pox! We noticed them on his scalp this morning. Ah well, DH is on days off until next Wednesday by which point (by day 6 should be scabbed over) DS2 should be fine to take with me into nursery again whilst dropping off DS1.

True, there's no telling what child in nursery was already in the incubation period anyway, so taking in DS2 isn't really making a jot of difference. I didn't think of that last night because I was up to 90 about what DS1 had mentioned, so I wasn't thinking it all through logically.

Am all calm now this morning now that DS2 has chicken pox, feel relief that he's now caught it and once he's got it will never have to go through this again(!!) hopefully.