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Original poster

would chickenpox in a 3 month old be serious?

18 replies

divastrop · 06/06/2007 19:41

my dd2(18 months) has chickenpox(the rash first appeared last night)and im concerned that my baby may have caught it.she will be 3 months on saturday.

is chickenpox more serious in young babies?anyone who's dc has had it at a young age?

any advice/info/experiences would be most welcome.

OP posts:

foxcub · 06/06/2007 19:51

I've been told by various Mums that babies cannot catch it until 6 months, as for the first 6 months they have immune anti body thingies from when they were in the womb!

Has she shown any symptoms?

southeastastra · 06/06/2007 19:51

bump for you

NKF · 06/06/2007 19:53

I think it's supposed to be less serious the younger they get it. My daughter had it at about four months. No trouble at all.

belgo · 06/06/2007 19:54

babies under the age of six months can definately catch chicken pox! Even a newborn, breastfed baby can catch chicken pox.

If a young baby catches chicken pox then there is a chance that they won't become immune and they may catch it again at a later age.

belgo · 06/06/2007 19:56

as for how ill your dd may be, that's difficult to predict, but if she does catch it, she will need to be seen by your GP.

star1976 · 06/06/2007 19:57

My DD caught it at 5 months.

I called the Doctors and they said she couldn't possibly have chickenpox so young, and I should take her in for them to have a look at her. When got there, confirmed that yes it was chickenpox!!!!

She DD was a screaming whinging baby who cried non stop, till she caught chickenpox! After that she was a delightful little thing! I know it is probably just conincidence, but at the time would have bottled chickenpox and sold it if I could!

Have taken DS, 15 months, round to spend time with anyone who has chicken pox since he was a couple of months old, but with no success so far!

foxcub · 06/06/2007 20:00

Belgo/Star - thanks for clarifying that

jenkel · 06/06/2007 20:12

My friend sons had chicken pox just as she was had her 2nd son, he caught it when he was 2 weeks old, he did have it very mild, I think the younger they are the more of their mothers antibodies they have in their system which makes it more mild. My dd had it when she was about 8 months old and she had it very mild. Be warned though, if they have it before they are 1, there is a chance they could have it again as they are too young too build up their own antibodies.

missgriss · 06/06/2007 20:15

My DD caught chickenpox at 5 months and she was bad. I was told that because I had never had them she didn't have any immunity at all from it.

I really hope she doesn't get them again!

TooTicky · 06/06/2007 20:17

The younger they are, the less serious it tends to be. Can be horrid in the nappy area though - lots of bare bum time needed!

Trinityrhino · 06/06/2007 20:17

any child can catch chickenpox
Gecko(fully breastfed) caught it from dd2 when she was weeks old(can't quite remember now but there was a thread about it lol)
she had it very mildly which was good but may mean she could get it again when slightly older

KerryMum · 06/06/2007 20:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

goingfor3 · 06/06/2007 20:19

My daughter had it when she was 4 weeks old despite me being immune and breastfeeding. She was fine didn't seem ill just spotty.

Kathyis6incheshigh · 06/06/2007 20:21

Divastrop, have you had it and are you breastfeeding?
If so, she ought to get it very mildly.

This is what happened to us - dd had it at about 20 months and 3 month old ds got it very lightly - just a few spots and not many other symptoms.

We took him to the doctor about something else and the doctor said we should have brought him in for the chickenpox as he was so young, but he had honestly had it so lightly we hadn't realised we should

Wolfgirl · 06/06/2007 20:21

My DD had chicken pox at about 3 months, very mild, but def had it. No probs.

lucykate · 06/06/2007 20:23

my ds had it at 7 weeks old, caught from his older sister. apart from the spots he was fine , he got loads of spots though, it was over a week before they even started crusting over, worse on his face and head. we had to buy a load of tie front body suits as it was too difficult to get anything over his head without knocking the spots and making them bleed. he does have quite a few scars but they have faded over time. the doc said that a mild dose at a young age will probably mean he'd get it again later on, but he had it bad so hopefully he'll be ok.

i've had it twice, mildly as a child, then again caught from my youngest brother at 24!.

Original poster

divastrop · 06/06/2007 20:58

thanks everyone.

the gp said that its unusual for babies under 3 months to get it.he said if she gets it just keep an eye on her and take her in if she has trouble feeding or has any breathing problems.

i have had CP,am not bf though.

she has been unwell the past few days,yesterday she had a temperature and was either sleeping or screaming.she has started to get a rash on her tummy and legs but she had a similar rash a few weeks ago and the doc said it was heat rash.

dp hasnt had it and is now worried he will get it .my heart bleeds.

OP posts:

sazzybee · 06/06/2007 21:04

diva - posted on the other thread

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