Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Original poster

To expose to chickenpox or not to expose to chickenpox....

15 replies

Squirdle · 28/03/2009 08:16

...that is the question!!!

Help me make a decision here ladies...I'm a dithering!

DS3's best friend (or best girl as he likes to call her ) has just come down with chickenpox overnight. Now DS2 and DS3 aged 6 and 4 haven't had it yet and my friend was bringing her daughter over today.

DS2 has just told me a girl in his class has it and we went to the theatre with DS3's best girl and my friend last Friday in the same car.

Part of me wants to say lets get this over and done with, but the other part is saying...oh no illness!

Now there is every chance that they will have already caught it from my friends daughter or in DS2's case from girl at school.

But if they do come down with it, it nay well be in a couple of weeks when DH and DS1 are away on an Aikido week.

So what do I do?

Help!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Squirdle · 28/03/2009 08:23

Come on peoples! She'll be here in an hour and a half!

OP posts:
littlelamb · 28/03/2009 08:26

There's a chance they wouldn't catch it anyway. But if you can take the time off work (dd had it mildly but I was still off for 2 weeks) then I say go for it. It's horrible to catch as an adult. Having said that, it is entirely possible that thye may already have had it but so mildly that you wouldn't know. My mum is convinced I have never had it but I tested positive to the antibody when I was pregnant

sarah293 · 28/03/2009 08:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
Squirdle · 28/03/2009 08:35

I'm pretty sure they haven't had it yet. DS1 (now 15) had it when he was 3, so I know what it is like.

I think I may have said no, if DS2 hadn't just told me about the girl in his class, but if it is rife around school. then I may as well get it over with.

Also DS2 was complaining of a headache and tummy ache last night. Could that be a sign?

OP posts:
Original poster
Squirdle · 28/03/2009 08:36

Also, I work at weekends, when DH is home, so time off wouldn't be a problem.

OP posts:
piscesmoon · 28/03/2009 08:41

My mother exposed me to chicken pox when I was about 7 and both my brothers got it but I didn't. I got it when I was 14 and didn't know where I got it from. I would say get it over with, but be prepared that they might not get it.

Original poster
Squirdle · 28/03/2009 08:46

Oh yes, I'm not bothered if they don't get it! I think I'll just get it over with...like I say tehy may have already got it anyway.

My friend is quite pleased as she now doesn't have to do book character day or easter bonnet day this week

OP posts:
OhYouBadBadKitten · 28/03/2009 09:26

We have done this numerous times and dd has not got it yet at age 9 (I say this on every cp thread - I'm becoming obsessed1!!)

last exposed 22 days ago and 12 days ago and still no spots. I've decided you can't schedule nature after all. So if she doesnt get it by mid teens I'll look into vaccination.

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 28/03/2009 09:30

It's not always mild in children you know, my friends dd 4 was hospitalised for a week with chicken pox, I would never deliberately expose my children, if they catch it then so be it, but if there were complications I wouldn't want it to be something I had given them on purpose IYSWIM.

purepurple · 28/03/2009 09:33

the most infectious preiod is before the spots appear and it can take a couple of weeks for a person to come out in the spots after being exposed to chicken pox

and yes, a tummy ache and headache might be a sign

neversaydie · 28/03/2009 09:53

I never had chicken pox as a child, and finally caught it from DS when he was 6 and I was 47. He was over it in a couple of days, while I was ill for nearly 3 weeks. Worth getting it over with as a child in my experience.

Blondeshavemorefun · 28/03/2009 10:26

as others have said children are most contagious before the spots appear, so prob likely that they will catch it

but saying that i have been trying to catch cp for my youngest 2 - 3.5 and 9mths and missed 6 rounds of it

def better to have cp as a child rather than an adult

Original poster
Squirdle · 28/03/2009 13:35

Well, they have played together now, so if my 2 get it then they do.

Like I say, they have seen each other in the past week anyway and it is going around school, so DS2 in particular has no doubt been exposed to it already.

I know there are varying levels of severity in children, but one of my best friends had it as an adult and she was very ill.

OP posts:
Original poster
Squirdle · 28/03/2009 13:36

Also, if they are going to get it, then both at the same time would be preferable!! I know there is no guarantee of this, but it may hapen!

OP posts:
BCNS · 28/03/2009 13:39

I'm in the they'll catch it when they catch it camp. wouldn'y force it but would overly avoid it either

New posts on this thread. Refresh page