Should I let me son mix with a child I know has Chicken Pox just to get it out of the way?

[SarahL2]

A friend of mine has a baby with Chicken Pox. DS and I saw her and the baby last week but I think this may have been before the baby was contagious.

DS is 2 and has not had Chicken Pox - neither had my husband and we've just spent £75 getting him innoculated!! I had it twice as a child and had my immunity checked a few weeks ago when I came into contact with another child with CP because I am 14 weeks pregnant. The midwife was concerned that as I had it twice, my immunity might be a bit rubbish.

So I know I'm immune and the reading I have done on the subject would seem to say that I would protect my unborn baby from the bug and my husband is now immune too...

The question is - there is a lot of CP going round near us at the moment and it seems to be a mild strain. All the children I know who have caught it recently have been pretty much symptom-less except for the spots - do I expose DS to it and maybe "get it out of the way" now while he can have my undivided attention, sympathy and care or should I wait and see if he gets it 'naturally' - possibly at a time which is less convienient (not the word I am looking for but it will do) for our family?

Or is it dangerous - for DS and/or the baby to get it now? Should I really be trying to make my poor DS ill? Doesn't seem like a thing a loving Mother should be doing after all!

I suppose I'm scared that Sod's Law will mean DS will get it 3 weeks after DC2 is born when DH has gone back to work and I am tired and sore and trying to cope with a new baby and will then infect DC2 too!!

Just read some more. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists say that if you come into contact with Chicken Pox while you are pregnant - "If you have had chickenpox, you are immune and there is nothing to worry about."

They also say that CP is "contagious from 2 days before the rash appears" - in which case my friends DD would not have been contagious when I saw her.

DS is 6 and still hasn't had it, despite a fea outbreaks at his school and even at his nuersery when he was little.

Here are my musings.

Both mine (ds 4.11 and dd 16mo) have just had cp.

I never deliberately mixed ds with children with cp when he was younger, as cp Very occasionally causes complications and very very rarely can be fatal and I didn't want ti to be my fault iyswim.

However now they have both had it I wish I had for the following reasons-

Dd caught it from ds, and apparently if you catch it from a sibling you normally have it much worse, this proved to be the case and dd was quite ill, we would have avoided this if ds had had it before she was born.

It also meant I had to care for one just as the other was getting well, so another bout of sleepless nights, unhappy days and quarantine.

Although dd had it much worse with far more spots, it looks like she wont scar at all, whereas ds has some really nasty ones, we just couldn't stop him scratching. I know they will fade, but still I wish he didn't have them.

Just my thoughts on the matter.

So WildThings, you would say that it would be better for DS to get it before DC2 was born then?

That's what I wish I had done now yes, however this is just what I think about my kids. Like I said cp can sometimes be serious, you have to decide what you think is best.

My 2 had it when DS was in reception, fairly mildly, but DD (2) caught it from him and had it quite badly so that backs up Wildthings theory. It also meant I was virtually house bound for a month! Speaking from my own experience, despite my Mums best endeavours I didn't catch it until I was 15 and I don't think I have felt as ill and miserable with anything ever since! I honestly think it is better to have it when you are younger.

I wish he'd gotten it before I was pregnant. There is a part of me that's worried about him having it while i'm carrying DC2 even though from what i've read it's supposed to be safe...

If the catching it from a sibling thing is true it would be so much easier if he could get it now though...

As you're immune as you say your unborn baby shouldn't get it.

My eldest is currently on immune suppressing drugs - and c pox would be a big problem for her now. So v thankful she had it (mildly) at 18months.

But that's only my experience - only you can decide for your family.