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Original poster

Chicken pox on holiday...please help!

15 replies

ihearttc · 11/04/2017 06:21

We are currently on holiday in Dubai and DS2 has come out in chicken pox. He is absolutely covered but his face is the worst. They are at the red stage before they blister so his face looks like bright red cause they are all merging into one. I have a packet of Calpol melt lets which I take with me when we travel and a bottle of nurofen (which I know is a no go for chicken pox). DH went to chemist yesterday for some more Calpol and they gave him panadol liquid which DS is refusing to take cause it's vile. Only thing we can find over here is calomine which is doing absolutely nothing. We are due to go home Thursday which clearly he isn't going to be able to do. I'm going to have to take DS1 home and leave DH here with DS2. Actually want to cry...it's supposed to be a holiday of a lifetime and we've spent most of it in a hotel room. He got the first spot Saturday but didn't come out fully until today and they are literally multiplying before my eyes.

OP posts:
PetalMettle · 11/04/2017 06:22

Oh dear. Will your insurance ne able to refund you? Has ds2 had it? If not can he get the vaccine over there?

Original poster
ihearttc · 11/04/2017 06:30

Sorry think I got muddled up with my post! Must DS2 that's got it (he's 6). DS1 is 12 and has already had it when he was 3 but nothing like this.

OP posts:
JoandMax · 11/04/2017 06:38

You can't get Calpol over there so it's either panadol or Adol - both paracetamol but don't taste nearly as good! You can buy antihistamines over the counter though, syrup called Zyrtec which may help?? And bicarbonate of soda in the bath? If he's really poorly though ask the hotel to arrange a doctor, there's quite a few doctor callout companies and they aren't shy in prescribing either......

Can you check with your insurance if you can all stay longer? We were due to go away when DS2 had CP and insurance covered new flights for us all a few weeks later.

Crumbs1 · 11/04/2017 06:41

whyncant he go home? As long as he's not running around on the plane - airline might even give you an upgrade if you ask.
Sounds miserable but there isn't anything you can do here you can't do in Dubai. Go on Expat woman site and ask where to buy ordinary Calpol, buy some bicarbonate of soda for baths, you can still go to beach - just not playing directly with other little ones, still swim but not close up to others, still go to beach etc.

mcdog · 11/04/2017 06:50

Crumbs1, I don't think the airline would let him on the plane. He's got a very infectious disease currently.

Can you get oats OP? Oat baths helped mine. But if he's really suffering, he needs a Dr.

How utterly shit that this has happened on your holiday :(

newmumwithquestions · 11/04/2017 06:58

Oh that's awful. Def contact your insurance company and do see a doctor. We had a terrible experience in India once and our wonderful doctor silenced our stressing by telling us that our insurance company would pay for whatever is medically necessary and that decision was up to us not him. (Long story but there were clauses in our very cheap travel insurance that we were worried about - he dealt with them directly and sorted it all out for us).
And I agree with PP with can you get oats? Oat baths seemed to help us.

Iamastonished · 11/04/2017 07:01

Of course he can't get on a plane with chicken pox Crumbs Hmm

Chicken pox is extremely contagious, and a plane is probably the worst environment to be in as the air is recycled. The disease may be mild in some children, but adults can become extremely ill with it, and in immunosuppressed individuals it can be very dangerous indeed.

Original poster
ihearttc · 11/04/2017 07:02

Definitely can't go home...there is no way I would take him on a plane like that and they wouldn't let us anyway.

He is used to taking medicine as he has constant ear infections and is not normally bothered so it really must taste bad. Can I give him half a normal parecetamol tablet?

Hotel have just got nurse to see him and they've said to get the doctor as well.

The hotel is full of young babies and lots of pregnant women...I've stayed in the room with him cause I didn't want to infect anyone else.

DH works away and this is the only time we have seen him since Christmas so it really couldn't have come at a worse time.

OP posts:
Original poster
ihearttc · 11/04/2017 07:05

Without wanting to out myself...I assume the not being able to go on a plane is to do with infecting everyone on the plane. If (hypothetically speaking!) we could get home on a plane on our own (which isn't as far fetched as it sounds given DH's job) would we be able to?

OP posts:
apotheke · 11/04/2017 07:09

I'm sure the plane risk is to others yes so if you had a private flight that wouldn't be relevant.

I don't know anything about Dubai, however, there are bound to be loads of 'expat mums in Dubai' type groups on Facebook which might be able to help you out with things like stashes of Calpol and Poxclin (and you could send them replacements once home?) or try the living overseas forum on here, but I think Facebook would be much more active if you search for the above.

Good luck. I have this fear too as it's been in my DDs class and we are headed on holiday next week.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 11/04/2017 07:12

you'd need to talk to the doctor Iheart to see if he is well enough to travel.

wrinkleseverywhere · 11/04/2017 07:34

If there are other tourists in the hotel, can you ask them if they have any calpol? I would willlingly hand my holiday stash over.
This happened to us a few years ago. As others have said, speak to your insurers & find out what the deal is. Ours arranged for us to see a (very swanky, private) doctor (chauffeur driven limo to take us there!) as he had to confirm the c pox & then to go back three days & five days later. Our insurers would only pay for additional accom & flights for one parent & DD (at the time, we only had one child). I'm not sure if it would have made any difference if we had been any further away from home. However, they did agree to DH staying in the accom with us and then we paid for his flight home. Luckily, our bosses were both very sympathetic & just gave us the additional couple of days off as some form of discretionary paid leave.
If you can get a private flight home, look into it. I think there are two risks which is why you can't fly on commercial flights. The first is infection which would no longer apply; the second is risk of deterioration. The latter would still apply but it is quite easy to divert a private plane & there are many more airports although not necessarily close to city centre & hospitals.

Iamastonished · 11/04/2017 07:43

I forgot to add in my post that I hope he feels better soon. It's such a shame that it happened while on holiday Flowers

Original poster
ihearttc · 11/04/2017 08:57

Right Doctor has been (who was absolutely lovely) and said he would be fine to fly on Saturday as it's more than 5 days since onset. He has written a fit to fly certificate for Saturday. We've called insurers and they are sorting out flights/room for us all to stay.

OP posts:
OhYouBadBadKitten · 12/04/2017 12:54

good news :)

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