Chickenpox Panic

[pinkposey]

We are planning a long journey in 10 days time. We live in Africa, and will be flying to USA. We are relief workers, and this is an annual trip. It will be the first time my parents in law meet their 1 year old granddaughter. Yesterday, we spent all afternoon at the birthday party of a girl who has this morning woken up with chickenpox. I read that contagious = 1-2 days before the rash, so we were there right at the worst time. Also, I read that contagious = being in the same room for 15 minutes +. We were. Also, that incubation period is 7-21 days. I am totally panicking. Our journey will take 32 hours, 4 flights. We can't change the flights. We have two kids, one aged one, the other three. What on earth should I do? Am I right to be totally panicking? How likely is it that my two will get it?

Can you get them vaccinated now to reduce the chances of them coming out with it? Then even if they do get it, it will hopefully be much milder and over and done with between flights?

My children spent 2 whole days in very close company with a child who then broke out in spots and would have been highly contagious during those days. It's been nearly 4 weeks since then and neither of them have caught it. Also, many people have told me it normally takes much longer than 7 days (more typically 2-3 weeks) after exposure to appear. If you can't cancel then just wait and see and you may well be fine.

Speak to a doctor and ask for immunoglobulin injection. This willl prevent chicken pox developing. I had the jab when i was exposed while pregnant. THe jabs need to be given soon after exposure but are effective.

its more than 10 days usually before they come out in spots and they might well never

there is vzig injection (maybe private?) needs to be given soon tho

Agree with others, it's usually longer than 10 days. Between 2-3 weeks from my experience so they may get it while you're away. Would that interfere with you getting home though?

My children were in contact with children who came out in cp in the same way as you describe many times, ds1 fund' together it until this year, aged 8 so there is no certainty. I do not know where ds1 got it from, but dd came out with it 13 days after his first spots appeared and ds2 got them the day after that, so around the 2 week time scale. It is just a case of wait and see.