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Original poster

When to expect a sibling to catch chickenpox

79 replies

xxxJess123xxx · 01/04/2023 23:46

Hi all my daughter had chicken pox 12 days ago. My son hasn’t had it yet.
when can I expect him to catch it? Has anyone had siblings not catch it

we go away on Monday 🙈 no signs of it yet but he has just woke up which is unlike him, usually sleeps through

thanks x

OP posts:
Original poster
xxxJess123xxx · 02/04/2023 00:37

I feel on edge with spot watch!
due to go Monday with Tuesday being bang on 2 weeks.
would you still go if no spots by Monday morning?

OP posts:
IceCreamWithSprinkles · 02/04/2023 00:43

Bang on 2 weeks for us too, both times (DC1 had it when DC2 was 4 weeks old, DC 2 caught it super mildly at 6 weeks, and then DC 2 had shingles when older, and DC3 caught CP exactly 2 weeks later).

Where are you going? Is it just your family or with others? To a busy town or out in the country?
If it’s just your family, and not like a 10 hour drive away, then I would go if no spots by Monday, and just pack all the medications etc, plus take some extra stuff to entertain them in-house if needed - at least your eldest DC could have trips out with one of you (assuming 2 parents there), and if it was really bad you could cut your losses and come home!

Meandfour · 02/04/2023 00:45

xxxJess123xxx · 02/04/2023 00:28

No not due to fly, just a much looked forward to staycation

In that case I would still go. If you’re not at risk of infecting other children you should still go if he is still well.

Freshair87 · 02/04/2023 00:49

My DC2 didn't catch it when DC1 had it and they are very kissy cuddly with each other

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 02/04/2023 00:52

I caught everything two weeks after my big sister started school.

Please don’t be selfish enough to still go and spread it. He WILL get it.

Do you have holiday insurance?

Streamside · 02/04/2023 00:55

It's ricocheting through the children in my family at present and it's been 14 days in the case of 4 of them, fifth cousin reaches that stage in Monday.

Nat6999 · 02/04/2023 03:45

Both me & my mum caught chicken pox 12 days after my brother started with them.

Libmama · 02/04/2023 06:00

14 days exactly between my 2. Luckily 3 month old got it very mildly after catching it from her big bro.

barbiedinosaur · 02/04/2023 06:52

Exactly two weeks after my DS had it my DD got it. It was the day Ds went back to school DD got sent home with it, typical! Envy
DS had it fairly mildly at first but unfortunately ended up in hospital very poorly with a secondary infection. DD definitely has it worse in terms or how many spots and how itchy she is but I'm hoping she won't get poorly with anything else like DS. I would still go if no spots on Monday as it could be that he doesn't get them at all and then you've wasted a holiday. Will keep my fingers crossed for you!

randomsabreuse · 02/04/2023 06:56

2 weeks exactly here as well. In hindsight he was a bit cranky day 13. Was 2 weeks through the class as well!

SugarCraving · 02/04/2023 06:59

3 weeks between my eldest 2. When I had my 3rd I paid for them to be vaccinated!

myheartmyhead · 02/04/2023 07:07

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 02/04/2023 00:52

I caught everything two weeks after my big sister started school.

Please don’t be selfish enough to still go and spread it. He WILL get it.

Do you have holiday insurance?

He may not... when my DSs had it DD didn't get it

Limetreee · 02/04/2023 07:19

21 days exactly. Second child 18months old and much worse than the first.

Heatherbell1978 · 02/04/2023 07:33

Exactly 2 weeks for us. We ended up travelling for a weekend away the day DD was starting to feel unwell on the assumption she'd be ok as DS didn't feel especially unwell with it. Most stupid thing we ever did. DD was hospitalised with it for 5 days in the place we travelled to.

Original poster
xxxJess123xxx · 02/04/2023 09:01

2 hour car drive away, nothing on him this morning still. Day 12 x

OP posts:
shelbaba · 02/04/2023 09:12

My kids caught it from their cousin. I didn't know it took so long to come out and I thought we had got away with it. At the time my 10wk old baby got it first and it was 12days after seeing the cousin. My then 2 1/2 yr old got it 14 days after seeing the cousin.

If you can't get a refund then I would def go. Just hope he misses it or it comes out towards the end of the holiday. Some kids also don't get it as bad. My newborn didn't have a lot of spots and wasn't bothered by it but it very unusual for babies to get it that age at all. My eldest had it quite bad though.

incitethismeetingtorebellion · 02/04/2023 09:13

My eldest caught it at nursery in October. Youngest that is in the same room as her at the nursery didn't get it.

eleanoreleanoreleanor · 02/04/2023 09:32

Like many others mine was 2 weeks exactly from 1st spot on DC1 to 1st spot on DC2. I can't remember but I think youngest (who caught it second) was cranky the day or two before and he definitely had more spots, all over his face.

I was expecting it as they were not able to keep apart at all (and had been pretty much wrestling all week before the spots first appeared on DC1) and I would have been amazed if he didn't catch it!

Original poster
xxxJess123xxx · 02/04/2023 09:59

yes we can't get a refund. so I think we will just go as hopefully he either gets it at the end of the week, when we are back (3 weeks difference) or not at all xx

OP posts:
ChimneyPot · 02/04/2023 10:06

I didn’t get it when my siblings and practically the entire school had it.
Or when several of my flat mates had it in college.
I had my immunity tested as an adult and was immune so had it asymptomatically at some stage.

Original poster
xxxJess123xxx · 02/04/2023 10:11

Oh blimey I didn’t know it was possible asymptomatic xx

OP posts:
Seeline · 02/04/2023 10:14

14 days between my 2.
It was 14 days between my sister and me too. I was 15 and had been in contact with it numerous times - I'm old enough to have gone to the CP parties. Didn't escape it from 13yo sister though. IME it's definitely better to have it when you're younger.

lljkk · 02/04/2023 10:19

exactly 2 weeks for us, spots in one kid to spots in next kid

CoodleMoodle · 02/04/2023 10:29

14/15 days for my two.

DS had one spot on the Monday night, and was covered by the Tuesday afternoon. Two weeks later DD came home from Brownies (Tuesdays) and had spots on her tummy that hadn't been there when she'd left the house earlier that afternoon!

KnottyKnitting · 02/04/2023 10:39

I think it can be up to 3 weeks. I thought DD2 had escaped catching it from her sister ( I was still breastfeeding her) but bang on 3 weeks, the spots appeared!

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