Pox and Holiday stress

[poxworrier]

Hi

My toddler's nursery had a notice up yesterday saying a child there had chickenpox. It's also been doing the rounds locally (quite nasty cases). We are off on hols in 8 days' time for 2 weeks. I had booked him in today for the chickenpox vaccine co incidentally as the local cases have been v nasty. When I saw the nursery notice, I thought thank goodness I had booked the vaccine as hopefully it might prevent or lessen any outbreak if he is incubating it. But this morning on reading the PIL for the vaccine it lists an infectious pox rash as a rare side effect (less than 1 in 10 but more than 1 in 100). What if we vaccinate and he gets the rash and that stops us flying (or the hotel say we have to be confined to our room)? I have travel insurance but would be awful to cancel. We are going to a Neilson kids orientated holiday and hoping for some kids club! But they won't admit a rashy child i am sure! Aargh. Do i vaccinate and hope this side effect doesn't occur? Or postpone vaccine and cross fingers he doesn't get it and keep him off nursery till we go? He also has a slight snotty nose and we have all got a cough that won't go..no fever but ideally he would be well when getting a jab. But when are toddlers ever cough and cold free?! Please help..my brain is melting with it all! Has anyone had pox on holiday?

I would go ahead with the vaccination. When my dd had it, she caught it from nursery, it did the rounds and everyone got it in turn, she was the last one to come out with it so was incubating it for the longest. She had a terrible case and was covered, particularly her face. She was left with many scars which have taken over a year to fade (but the dented pockmarks are still there if you look closely). It's easy to catch chicken pox and he may already be incubation it. If you can have the vaccine, do. The side effects are less likely than him catching the pox I would say.

Love neilsons holidays! Did go one where there was a family with a poxy child, they had to stay an extra week till child was fit to fly. They are used to such things. Obviously can't mix with other kids whilst poxy.
But chances are that this won't happen to your child. Can ypu bring forward the vaccination so even if did get pox rash as a side effect it was done by time of holiday?
Hope you have a fab time 🎉

Thanks. Vaccine is today. We are flying 8 days later (a week this Sat) so can't bring it forward any more than that. Feel an idiot for not doing it earlier! Think u are right that catching pox more likely if unvaccinated than side effects.

Can you imagine not being able to mix with kids on the holiday though? No pool. No kids club. There's not much else to do!

Talk to the nurse about it. Tgey will give you medical advice on it and will know more about the likeliness of side effects.

Does your child normally suffer adverse reactions to vaccinations?
I would go ahead with the vaccination. My dc have been vaccinated against practically everything (we live in China) and no reactions to date.

No he is always fine with injections. I am assuming the nurse will quote the PIL to me. The receptionist said they have been doing the vaccine for years and side effects v rare.

I'm surprised it's stated as likely as that - when I looked at it there had only been 5 confirmed cases ever of it being transmitted after the vaccine.
You would know at least because it's usually several pox at the site of the injection which take only a couple of days to clear, vs actual pox which could be much longer if you caught it naturally?

Ds and I have been vaccinated and we've been fine. Also it takes 21-26 days for this rash to appear after vaccination and you aren't contagious unless it comes up so would you be home by then?
I'd have it. And I will have dd vaccinated if she makes it to 12 months without getting it naturally. It is in ds's school at the moment (seems everywhere actually, unusual for this time of year) and most cases have been mild but there has been one quite nasty case.

What did you decide OP?

Got the vaccine! Thanks for all the posts. Realised i should have got a blood test to check i am immune as parents not entirely sure if i had it as a child. i think i might have had this test done while pregnant though? Memory lapse!

Enjoy your holiday 💐
Which neilsons are you going to?

Good decision I would say. Have a lovely holiday :)

Thank you all! Lemnos Neilsons. We went last year and had a lovely time..kids loved it. Not very glam or luxurious but if the kids are happy (and in kids club part of the time) then we are happy! Just got to get rid of my chest infection (got antibiotics this morning) and hope that no pox crosses our door!

Been to the Lemnos one, yes you are right it's not luxury but kids love it and the tennis good and food very good and the little town nearby is nice. Love the bbq restaurant in the harbour. Only thing I am not keen on at Lemnos is the gritty beach with view of power station but apparently it's neilsons best beach!