Chicken pox advice

[melrose]

Just discovered DS has chicken pox, is his birthday party today, still goinga head, up to parents if they come but have some questions:

• are they pretty much guaranteed to pass it on (was with his 2 best friends all day yesterday anyway)
• is it dangerous in pregnancy to be in contact if you had c.p as a child? (Mum of one of the kids he was with yesterday is 22 weeks)
• Can you get it as an adult if yu had it as a kid, I thought you could only get it once

Thanks

• Not always guaranteed to pass it on, but fairly likely if in prolonged close contact.
• Absolutely warn the pregnant mum, CP if contracted while pregnant can be very dangerous for both the mum and the baby. Chances are she'll have had chickenpox herself as a child, but if she hasn't and isn't immune she has 72 hours to get an antibody injection. PHONE HER NOW - PLEASE!
• You generally can't get it again once you've had it... HOWEVER, immunity is always worth checking if pregnant, simply because it has been known to get it again if first infection wasn't that strong (my niece has had chickenpox 3 times for example - the first two times she got it very mildly).

Hope this helps - sorry to hear about your poor little man - hope he feels better soon.

(that's 72 hours from exposure, btw, not from now - so it's really vital she contacts her midwife asap).

ds has chickenpox at the moment and it has taken him years to finally catch it so it isn't always guarranteed.
I am pg and the dr did a blood test on me to check my immunity as my parents weren't too sure if I'd had it - I am immune which was a big relief.
Some adults catch it again and get it as shingles which is horrible.

How old is your ds?

cupcakes: shingles isn't catching CP, it's the CP virus reactivating (when you're run down, times of stress etc)... however, people who HAVEN'T had CP can catch it from someone who has shingles :)

ah, a friend had shingles as an adult when his children had cp (he hadn't had it as a child). I'll have to tell dh that - he's paranoid he's going to get shingles now...

in answer ot your questions

• no not necessarily
• ds had it at around 6 months pg with dd and was advised no it shodule be fine as I'd ahd it as a child. Can be dangerous in first trimester or near birth if mother hasn't had it previously and would be unpleasant at other times (you can get it quite badly as an adult).
• you do get anecdotal instances of catching it twice or more

Have to say I'd be surprised if that many kids come along to a party with him having just come out in it unless they've already had it, especially with the holiday season coming up, but agree all you can do is ask. What have you planned and does he really feel well enough ? hope it passes soon.