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Original poster

Would you take your dc to Tesco if they had chickenpox?

180 replies

QueenEagle · 29/01/2007 11:12

ds3 came down with chickenpox on Saturday, bless him. Hopefully ds4 will catch it very soon as I am due to start work in 4 weeks.

I need ideas on what I can do with the two of them for the next week. I think we will go stir crazy if we don't go out! Today is first day off playgroup and I am getting frustrated already!

Of course, I need to get some groceries in, it will be ok to nip in and straight out wouldn't it, if I kept him in the trolley and didn't let him run around?

dh is not available until late on Thursday this week and I am severely limited to what help I can draw on from family members due to their own health problems - dad has leukaemia so he just CANNOT come anywhere near atm.

OP posts:

wire · 29/01/2007 11:29

Sorry but how are you thinking of others, you are thinking of your family which is great but you are not thinking of other people's families. If my post seems aggressive it is only because I could not believe that someone could be so unthinking. If you have experienced seeing your child very,very sick and know that this virus could also make her sick, it is very difficult to read someone purposly going out with their very contagious child.

bandstand · 29/01/2007 11:29

poor you, however you dc probably doesnt feel up to tescos having chicken pox anyway..

dejags · 29/01/2007 11:30

Also agree that there are too many "at risk" people out there who would benefit from you staying indoors.

This brings up another question - the CP vaccination is now offered routinely. I regret not having my kids vaccinated because of the scarring. DD (yet to be born) will definitely be vaccinated.

How do you all feel about the vaccine?

SecondhandRose · 29/01/2007 11:31

QE - open sores means your DS is open to catch infection. You should be more worried about this.

arcticroll · 29/01/2007 11:31

No I wouldn't-you may be putting others at risk, isn't there any friends/neighbours you can ask to help out?

Chandra · 29/01/2007 11:31

Yes, but at the end of the day, another child is going to place his hands on that same trolley bar an infected child had been before. I suspect mine got it after playing in a park, even when he never touched or was too near to other children.

Original poster

QueenEagle · 29/01/2007 11:31

Listen I totally understand and accept that I should do what I can to prevent him spreading it.

BUT - I had to go to the chemist on Saturday to get some calamine and piriton and I had no choice but to take him with me - should I have not done this wire?

I will have to get some groceries at some point before Thursday and I have no help available as I described in my opening post. Hence the question of popping in and out....

I was thinking about going for a walk round the block to get some fresh air - should I not do this either???

OP posts:

bandstand · 29/01/2007 11:32

in usa i heard they have chicken pox parties, so the children can catch it.. get it over with.
someone did mention online shopping, that is probably y our best bet.

bandstand · 29/01/2007 11:33

think, we are luckier than previous parents, we relaly only have chicken pox to worry about as a childhood illness.. no mumps or measles etc.,

belgo · 29/01/2007 11:34

I was offered the vaccine for my dc. I seriously considered it, but decided against, because we live in a country were children are not routinely vaccinated. If they are vaccinated, they can still get shingles and still get chicken pox as adults, especially if they are immuno compromised. It's not clear how long the vaccine lasts for.

It seems to me that naturally acquired immunity is better.

If all children in this country were vaccinated, I would have had my dc vaccinated as well.

Chandra · 29/01/2007 11:35

QE, I think you have had a lot of opinions already, but at the end of the day, nobody is going to stop you from doing it, if you had already decided on that.

Sugarmagnolia · 29/01/2007 11:35

No, not with chicken pox I wouldn't. Yes he was infectious before he had any symptoms but you can't do anything about that - you didn't know. Now you know for a fact he is infectious so you would be doing it deliberately. I'm not saying you're selfish or thoughtless - I know we've all been tempted! - but I really do think it's a bad idea.

If you're getting stir crazy wrap him up and take him for a walk, outside and not to a park or playground. And get Tesco to deliver. If that's impossible then nip to the corner shop to get a few bare essentials and then wait until Thursday to do the rest. That would be my advice.

Kaz101 · 29/01/2007 11:37

I'm with Wire here. My son has an autoimmune condition and chickenpox can be very dangerous for him. He caught it before Xmas and had 6 days in hospital.

Hulababy · 29/01/2007 11:37

I am not sure the supermarket is a great idea. Local shops might be better such as grocers/bakers/butchers as they are usually smaller and less busy, and then time it at a quiet period of the day - avoid first thing when full of old people!

I did take DD out for walks for fresh air. We stayed on deserted streets, and if anyone did head our way, we crossed over. We also took her in the local coffee shop - it was empty bar the waitress, who had already had chicken pox - we were going to sit outside, but she told us to come in. One person came in when we were there, but he sat at far side in smoking section - so no risk there.

DD had very mild chicken pox luckily so we weren't kept in too much.

frances5 · 29/01/2007 11:38

Good grief, Some of the posts are scary.

In an ideal world I would not take a child out with chicken pox unless there is TRUELY no choice. Have you considered internet shopping for your groceries?

Yes chickenpox is dangerous, but for some families needs must. I know someone who is a single mother without internet access who HAD to do her shopping. Otherwise she and her daughter would have had nothing to eat. The lady in question also had no family near her to help with shopping.

The only suggestion I can make is that you pick a time when the supermarket isnt too busy and really fill up the trolley.

Do you have a garden that your children can play in. Prehaps your children could enjoy painting each other with calorime lotion. A bath with bicarbonate of soda (ie. the stuff in backing powder) will help the spots and itching.

wire · 29/01/2007 11:39

You know what QueenEagle, do what the hell you want as you will anyway! I just hope you are never in the situation where you have to watch someone you love seriously unwell because of someone else's stupidity and selfishness. Just can't believe you don't see this when you have someone in your family who is at risk as well but enjoy your trip out!

bandstand · 29/01/2007 11:40

Chandra · 29/01/2007 11:40

ISn't Tesco open 24 hours? I would go once the children were in bed.

Original poster

QueenEagle · 29/01/2007 11:41

I am quite surprised at the forceful nature of some posts. How am I selfish for saying that I need some essential groceries, have no help available to me, and posting here to ask opinions on whether to nip in and out at top speed?

btw I totally understand about having vulnerable kids - dd was once one.

OP posts:

bandstand · 29/01/2007 11:43

QE, bet you wish you hadnt asked?

LIZS · 29/01/2007 11:44

no, it is airborne so keeping him in a trolley would n't work. You can't know what other vulnerable people he may pass it on to, and this time you are knowingly taking that risk . Surely dh could bring in the necessaries, or pop to Tesco or a petrol station for you later on and/or do an internet shop.

Chandra · 29/01/2007 11:45

Well, it was not the reasurance you were expecting but hey, what can you do about it?

Original poster

QueenEagle · 29/01/2007 11:45

wire - I am sorry that your dc is so vulnerable, I truly am. And I have been in your situation with my own dd. With or without illness, you can't wrap them up in a bubble fgs.

But, your posts are rather agressive and unnecessary in their tone. You could have said exactly the same thing in a much more pleasant way.

OP posts:

dejags · 29/01/2007 11:46

QE - I'd order online if I were you.

I feel for you - CP is crap and it makes the kids so miserable. Not surprised you feel like getting out.

On the plus side, normally it's 5 days after the first spots appear that they are no longer contagious.

Chandra · 29/01/2007 11:46

QueenEagle, would you be so kind as not taking your DS to Tesco yet, please?

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