Holiday with chickenpox

[monkey117]

Hi, I'm wondering what everyone else would do in my situation as I am finding it so hard to make a decision. My family are due to go on holiday to Menorca next Monday. My 3 year old DD1 came down with chickenpox last Thursday so by Monday she will be on Day 12 since the rash started. We are currently on Day 7 and most of the spots seem to be scabbing over so I am hopeful that by next Monday she will no longer be contagious and safe to fly. I plan to go to the doctors this Friday to ask whether he can give us a 'safe to fly' letter just in case we experience any problems. However, I am assuming that it will be highly likely that DD2 (18 months old) has caught chickenpox from her sister and will currently be at the incubating stage. Therefore it is very likely that she will come out with the rash while we are on holiday, most likely during the first week of our 2 week holiday. I am finding it so difficult to make a decision as to whether we should try to cancel the holiday, however if my DD1 is no longer contagious and DD2 doesnt yet have chickenpox at the time of our flight then we may not get our holiday paid for by insurance if we cancel. But the thought of travelling abroad with my 18 month old highly likely to come out with chickenpox is also not very appealing! Any opinions would be greatly received as I am so stressed right now and dont know what to do for the best! Thank you.

I do however think it is reckless to fly with a child in ecomony......first all the way ladies.

Well said mrsdevere
How ignorant can you be

5madthings - you say you would tell people that your child might be incubating something contagious - do you think that the OP should do the same, and tell the airline? Or should she keep schtumm because there's a risk that the airline wouldn't let them fly?

I am getting DS vaccinated. A significant reason is for convenience after a suspected bought of cp, but also because having weighed up the risks I think it's the right thing to do.

My ds currently has chicken pox he is 3 and he has been the poorliest I have ever seen him, dd had it aged 6 when ds was 5 weeks old and he did not catch it nor was I breast feeding.
However he caught it last week and over the bank hol I called out of hours gp for advice as 5 days in he was still so unwell had the spots all in his mouth etc with such high fevers he was getting delirious, they wanted to see him so said bring him in.. When I questioned where to go with him was it ok to just walk in with him being infectious? the GP said don't worry this is a hospital it is full of infectious people... They didn't give us anywhere else to wait.. No massive concern by the health professionals there!

In a perfect world everyone would be considerate and never go out spreading germs and illness but that is never going to happen, you can all argue till your blue in the face.
Everyone is always going to have an reason or argument as to why they are more important than someone else so someone else should or shouldn't be doing this and that!!! In other words everyone thinks of themselves.. It's a dog eat dog world and anyone who denies that is lying to themselves..
I know if I was vulnerable to illness I would be taking all precautions to protect myself, whether that be by vaccinations or otherwise.. Because there is no way I'd be relying on other people.

You can't be vaccinated against chicken pox if immunosuppressed. You can't take that precaution unfortunately.

I'd be very surprised if another sibling doesn't get it. 2 of mine had been vaccinated but all three got it. I'd not want a holiday with a child with the pox

Twighlight that doctor was a fucking idiot and I assure his oncology colleagues would think so too.
How odd that you dc is the poorliest you have ever seen him - a healthy child with cp - yet you show zero empathy for children who would be so much worse off if they caught it.
Dog eat dog world? Is that how you sum up the death of a child?
Nice

Luckily jolly I was given the option before I went on steroids, luckily for me.

Oh do admit... What are you looking for an argument???
Read my post nowhere does it say I agree with taking children out while unwell!!!!! What I'm saying is you CANNOT rely on everyone to be the same!!! People do what suits them that is why it's a dog eat dog world.. Which is why there is no point everyone trying to argue it out. In no way was I not showing empathy for the death of a child..my point was my dc was so poorly and a well child. I would certainly not be taking him out contagious.

My DS was really poorly with CP as well. He had a febral convulsion - not his first! (but strangely his last!) and I managed to stop it in 3 minutes. I rang NHS direct for advice who advised hospital. I said was it necessary as he was fine, temp coming down and obviously highly contageous. I asked for a Pead from children's ward to ring. She did - we agreed if he had another ambulance and isolation but that as he was fine and all they'd do is check him over and send us away again it seemed more of a risk to the other patients than him. (BTW I'm not totally blase about DS health but we had rectal paractamol at home prescribed for when/if he did have another.)

With regards to going out - we didn't. My neighbour got me milk, bread when needed, my parents offered to come and sit with him so I could go out if needed, friends called me frequently to check I was OK etc.

I am a LP, DS was 3 at the time.

What we need is more of a community feeling to develop - not to knowingly risk the one we have.

wendy I hope your DS improves soon.

We decided not to take DD on a plane this week as she was infectious but pre spots. While I have to grit my teeth at the money we lost I just felt I couldn't knowingly put others at risk, even if there was a small chance she wasn't infectious and we were being over cautious.

I think that pre spots there's no absolute right answer, but it is about what is sensible and fair to others. I am very aware that being immunocompromised for any reason is shit enough as it is

Ipaniked Does she have spots now? Does she have the CP? If so you can claim on your insurance. Just get the GP to say she was unfit to fly. You don't have to give the date the spots appeared just state she was unfit to fly to to CP. Sorry you missed your holiday and hope DD is better soon.

Twighlight. No!!!
I don't look for arguments. Your post was worded in such a way as to make you seem as if you were supporting posters who think 'not my problem if someone is vulnerable'
I apologise that i misunderstood.
This is an important subject and I am constantly amazed at how very stupid people are about it.

sdtg would i tell the airline? not sure, probably not i mean what difference will it make unlesss they make an annoucnement givign other passengers the chance to not go on the plane? i dont htink they could stop you getting on as there is NO way of knowing if the child is incubating chickenpox, hence why the insurance company wouldnt pay out as well.

its a tricky line, as i said i will not take an ill child out, hell when mine are a bit ill ie a cold etc if i have friends i am due to meet up with or come round i will let them know and give them the chanec to change their minds, most dont care, but obviously a friend with a newborn may decide not to visit. i was very careful not to go out until i knew my boys were not infectious anymore, equally i was also very careful when ds1 had impetigo not to do anything that could spread it which meant no soft play etc, i did take him out for walks etc, but nothing where he could physically be in close contact with other children/people as impetigo is contagious as well. as i said i try to be careful but where do you draw the line? if it was me i would still go on the holiday, my children didnt catch chickenpox from each other, its not a guarantee that they will and whilst i would be careful to warn people i know etc its a bit different with an airline where its not going to make any difference, unless like i say they inform other passengers taht there is a child on the flight that may be incubating chickenpox and give them the opportunity to not fly?

My boys have recently had CP. DS2 had it first, no idea where he got it as he would have got it over the Easter half term. He passed it to DS1 who had it exactly 2 weeks after DS2.

Neither of them were ill with it at all just spotty. So I had 10 days of sitting about at home with them. DH was at home for DS2 so one day we took him to watch trains in the middle of the moors and we stayed in the car. DH had gone back to work when DS1 had it so my Mum helped out with taking DS2 to playschool.

It was a pain as they were their usual mad, full of energy selves but we stayed at home. It really isn't hard.

Lovechoc, I personally think it is ridiculous for you to say your DH couldn't get bread or milk. There are probably 1000's of 24 hour supermarkets in this country. If my Mum hadn't been able to help me then I would have just had to do an internet shop.

A child in the same holiday complex as us had chicken pox , she was kept in the flat but when she emerged it looked as if the spots had dried over, scabs gone etc however , 15 days later I got a bout of shingles and my vaccinated dd got a very mild dose of CP... However both of these came out 3 days after we had flown back to the UK.
I had a gp check my dd as I had no idea what these odd spots were she had about 8 in total no temp and no discomfort at all.....

youare yes, she does now, I hadn't thought of that, good idea, thanks!

rosa interestingly, exposure to chicken pox as an adult (if you've already had it) boosts your own immunity to CP and makes it less likely that you'll develop shingles (it's one of the arguments against the CP vaccine in the UK) so that's rotten luck. I see the DCs as doing me a favour. Shingles is AWFUL.

Sorry to hijack, but can I just check what I should do with DS?

His best friend from pre-school can out in spots last thursday and they spent Mon & Wed morning together. He isn't showing any symptoms at the moment. Do I keep him inside, just in case he is infectious. If so, how long do I do that for?

The only thing is you cannot know that he is incubating the virus. Some people would stay in for the 2 weeks (incubation) + 1 week of spots, many would go out and stay in if the child showed any cold like symptoms as this could indicate he's got it. You MUST NOT go out if he becomes ill and/or has the spots - this is likely CP because you know he's come into contact with someone who has the virus.

I would avoid anyone who is pregnant as in being in the same room and anyone who you know is immuno comprommised. The jury is still out on only avoiding those who haven't had it yet - and I do not have the knowledge to say either way -sorry.

As it's been over 10 days since he came into contact with someone who has it now is the time you'll see symptoms if he has caught the virus. (please bare in mind not all children show symptoms so do check him regulary for spots as well)

Thanks I was actually very lucky as it was very mild as well , just 2 small patches but I have every sympathy for anybody who gets it as it bloody hurts.

The vaccination clinic here ( Italy ) was very surprised when I said that dd had had a bout , all be it very very small - I had a letter from the Uk gp to confirm it. Plus all the dates tied in with when she was exposed. She had had the vaccination 3 months earlier.
Here the CP vaccine is automatically given with the other vaccines , both of mine have had them , it was introduced about 6 years ago.

"In a perfect world everyone would be considerate and never go out spreading germs and illness but that is never going to happen, you can all argue till your blue in the face.
Everyone is always going to have an reason or argument as to why they are more important than someone else so someone else should or shouldn't be doing this and that!!! In other words everyone thinks of themselves.. It's a dog eat dog world and anyone who denies that is lying to themselves.."

Agree with this POV. You cannot be naive and just expect that others will be wise enough. So many people are unclear with what to do when there child may have CP, there is not any clear guidance about it. Hence why there are seven pages of a discussion about it on this particular thread (and probably countless others).

Of course you agree with it because you are desperate to prove you are right. The poster has already explained she wouldnt take an actively infected child out.
Unlike yourself.

Thanks mrsdevere. He's doing really well with it all and we've been lucky as he has been pretty textbook throughout, but it's all still a bit shit, isn't it? We are home now with a massive bag of medication and fingers crossed he doesn't get any other nasties.

For what it's worth, before the leukaemia if my children had been exposed to chicken pox at nursery we lived life as normal, but when they did get chickenpox we stayed home for the duration. That's all I would expect now from the general public actually, although I would expect people I was spending time with to warn me that they had been exposed so I could keep DS away.