my toddler has chickenpox...can I take him out!?

[geologygirl]

I have a good reason. Ive run out of growing up milk and he wont drink real milk. Can I nip over with him in the buggy to the nearby chemist? He is into day 2 of spots so contagious. ..but dont know what to do. Im a lone parent and all family working. He is a bit itchy but no other symptoms and in good spirits.

Is it ok to take him??? Or am I putting the public at risk??

[DreamsTurnToGoldDust]

I really dont think the op ds will be a risk, theres really not anymore she can do. Shes already said that no one can drop any over, she minimising any risk as much as she can, which is a lot more than many people do.

[MrsHoarder]

That sounds like a good solution op. Hope your ds feel better soon.

[crashdoll]

It's already 6 pm, he could wait till tomorrow?

[Sirzy]

I think the plan you have come up with makes sense as their is no other option, although I would have probably just said no milk tonight and got some delivered as soon as possible.

[AvonCallingBarksdale]

genuine question here - chicken pox isn't airborne, is it? Surely it'll be OK if the OP puts him in a buggy with a raincover on? I know it's highly contagious, but I genuinely didn't know that it could be dangerous for people other than pregnant non-immune women.

[teenagetantrums]

people are not going to get chicken pox from him if he is in a buggy under a rain cover, no close contact, do what you need to do.

[ilovepowerhoop]

chicken pox is airborne and yoy can catch it from being in the same room as a contagious person for 15 minutes. Putting him in a buggy with the raincover on should be fine especially if you are going to the chemist later on. Why not stock up on piriton and aqueous calamine cream while you are there?

[AvonCallingBarksdale]

THanks, ilovepowerhoop, I really didn't know that.

[crashdoll]

It's only milk. The NHS advise keeping your children at home while they are infectious. It doesn't say, stay at home except for shopping emergencies. It won't affect you but it might affect someone else. I would have thought it wasn't that difficult to understand but perhaps people would feel differently if it was their loved one. I'll bow out now because I can see some people can't see beyond their own needs.

[Shiraztastic]

Are you planning to give him the milk at bedtime? Do you realise that it is full of sugar, nutritionally unecessary and generally not a good thing? Toddlers can get all their calcium requirements from food (e.g. yogurt, cheese, cheese sauce, custard and of course, non-dairy sources of calicum, of which there are many). Drinking milk is really just a handy way of getting calcium into them, it's no biggie if they won't drink milk, provided you make sure they get enough calcium other ways.

I appreciate he may not like not getting what he's used to whilst he's ill, though. I do hope he feels better soon. Chicken pox is horrid .

[PoppyAmex]

OP I'm currently pregnant and have been stressing about chicken pox and measles like crazy.

I've never had either and I'm petrified with the current outbreak - please don't risk it.

[NorthernLurker]

Crashdoll - part of realising the risks of chicken pox includes accepting how it is transmitted. The OP is not going to put anyone at risk taking her ds out for a short walk in the pushchair. She doesn't even need to go in the shop to get what she wants because she's planned ahead. Mums with kids at school and a case of CP in the family do the same every day. Or do you expect the whole family to miss school too?

[geologygirl]

Thanks for all the comments everyone. I recently got back from the chemist. I went by the door just before closing and the pharmacist had milk bagged and ready for me! Bless him! In fact he was the only person I crossed paths with as literally across the road from my house. If I had to go some distance or if there were loads of people out then I would have just suffered all the tears. Of course I appreciate its horrid and contagious but I weighed it up and seeing as it was close by and chemist was ok for me to get the stuff by the door...seemed ok really. If there was someone pregnant I would have done a u-turn pretty swiftly!

[PoppadomPreach]

OP I think you did an entirely reasonable and understandable thing.

I cannot imagine how hard it is being a lone parent with a sick child.

I hope your DS gets better soon.

[geologygirl]

And by the way, yes I know there are other ways for him to get calcium. He only has milk before bed because he absolutely loves it and it settles him!

[Shiraztastic]

Please tell me you clean his teeth afterwards

[PregnantPain]

She took every precaution crashdoll, unclench.

[PoppyWearer]

OP, I hope you have a decent night, my DS barely slept with it, horrible. Take care.

[DreamsTurnToGoldDust]

I think while your ds is ill it would not be the best time to tackle stopping the milk at night, best done when hes feeling happy and contented.

Bless him CP is horrible and very uncomfortable, hope hes ok.

[crashdoll]

PregantPain Patronising, much? I assume you know allllll about living with an illness that means you are risk of infectious illnesses and the fear that goes with you. Some people like you really couldn't give a shit about anyone but you and your own.

[crashdoll]

Northern I expect people to follow NHS guidelines to protect vulnerable members of the community. It was not an essential trip, that's what is bothering me the most.

[PregnantPain]

No, I don't but honestly, "Some people like you couldn't give a shit about you and your own" Uncalled for and not pissing true and I would ask you apologize for that remark. Quite the assumption to make isn't it!

FWIW the child was under a rain-cover and as a pp mentioned it is airborne, so unless someone came and stuck their head under it I am sure the spread would have been minimal.

I agree that it is risky, but you completely battered the OP with your point unnecessarily.

[geologygirl]

Haha yes shiraztastic, we give teeth a good brush before bed....although I have to admit he wasn't happy about doing it tonight. The itch is making him rather grumpy!

Northern, Poppy, Pregnant, Dreams and everyone else - thanks for all the well wishes. CP is pretty unpleasant but I guess its better to get it out of the way. I hear that having it for the first time as an adult is even more unbearable.

[crashdoll]

I wasn't "battering the OP". My first post was very polite and I got increasingly cross with people who think they know better than NHS guidelines and my specialists. If someone here specialises in infectious diseases or immunology and tells me I'm wrong, I will wholeheartedly apologise.

Yes, the risk was minimal but it was still a risk, that what all I was saying and you stuck your oar in with no respect for what it's like living with a low immune system. It's not like OP had no food in the house or needed medicine for her child.

[ilovepowerhoop]

if he was under a raincover and met no-one and touched nothing then what was the risk?