Scabies! how contagious is it????

[JudgeJudyKicksAss]

I'm picking my oldest DS up from the train station in a couple of hours and he's just sent me a text to say "BTW, that rash on my hands was scabies, just got some medicine from the docs".
OMG! I'm panicking at the thought of him bringing the little mites into the house, and I think my DH would quite like me to put DS on the next train back to Uni (I've told him in no uncertain terms to stop being an arse), however how contagious is it and what precautions can he/we take? He's only here for a couple of days.

Thanks in advance.

I don't think it's THAT contagious as long as you don't share bedding and towels.

My sister came back from Glastonbury with it but we were careful and no one else in the house caught it.

Oh and no hugging! And wash all bedding and towels on hottest wash when he's gone.

i would take it pretty seriously and put him in the bathroom when you get home, have him strip off and get all his clothes and shoes clean and or sprayed with permethrin. Then make him take a bath with a capful of household bleach added to the water. Make sure he uses the cream prescribed in a way that follows instructions,
GEt his other clothes washed too, even the ones that are clean.
Sorry but I am paranoid about this as scabies was the worst experience of my life.
Nonetheless I had a savage attack of it, and the children did not get it,

yy about the bedding

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Scabies/Pages/Treatment.aspx

Thanks, so hosing him down in the train station car park with toxic pesticide will be an over-reaction then?

lol yes haha

Sunny, I do feel like I want to do that but will it make any difference? and I don't want him to think I think he's "unclean".

Will deffo take mega precautions with bedding, towels etc.

(Weeping at guilt of having brought up an unhygienic child...)

you do not get scabies from being unhygienic.
I got mine at a horse sale or from straw mites afterwards.
You mean the bathroom thing? yes you must do it, he is 'unclean'!

although of course it would spread more quickly in crowded student accomodation

He's probably caught it from someone sharing his bed at uni! That's how a bunch of us caught it in my younger days. Tell him to wash all his bedding on the hottest setting, and he'll need to paint himself in scabies lotion and not wash for 24 hours.

it's passed by close physical contact, not by being unclean.

sadly it is a common myth pixie, but I was surprised to see it here after sharing my advice and experience,

.....to then be called a dirty fucker is slightly galling,

Noooooo! Am not calling anyone dirty, huge apologies if I've upset you Sunny, thank you for advising me, I'm really grateful for everyones advice and I would never deliberately hurt anyone's feelings, truly.

He volunteers at a charity shop, sorting stock, so it could be from there, or as someone else has said, from sharing beds. The main thing is I know how to deal with it so I can advise him/calm my DHs hysteria.

Thanks again everyone.

You can make the bath a nice experience, rather than a leper's "punishment" - run it for him (and add bubbles as well as bleach).

He's probably expecting you to do his washing for him anyway - that's what students do!

Yes, he is bringing washing home, but he doesn't usually bring his bedding. I will buy him some new to take back with him as I know he won't be bothered to wash his own.

Will check with the chemist to see if they have/can order some permithin for me to give him to use.

Hysteria and anxiety levels are calming now...

Thanks again

the permethrin spray can be bought over the counter at a country or vet store or chemist.
The most important thing is the bed base mattress and his shoes. You can spray them and then bag them and leave in a shed or garage for a week.
Paranoid, much? lol