Chickenpox and heading to CentreParks

[Mags2014]

So we are due to go to CentreParks on Monday. My daughter had a bit of a fever at the weekend, still ok though, a good few spots appeared on Monday but we put it down to a heat rash, by Tuesday it was clearly chickenpox. She's had a rough time of it the last couple of days, totally covered, already a lot of it has scabbed over. We're booked in to CentreParks from Monday and to cancel would mean losing 50% of the cost which we can't really afford and there's the Airbnb at the halfpoint etc. She will be past the infectious stage when we get to CentreParks but from speaking to other parents, it takes ages to clear up so the spots will be very much visible.

I need a second opinion, should we be cancelling and accepting no holiday this year or crack on, ignore the looks and explain ourselves if anyone askat

Do people have travel insurance for UK holidays 😅 I never knew that was a thing! Just popped her in bed and honestly it was a 180 on the child we had yesterday so def seems on the mend. Just chatted with my partner and if we are not sure, we will just chill in cabin and head for nice woodland walks which is our usual vibe anyway. Puddle suit and wellies already packed, my partner just got some new walking boots so might be a chance to break them in 🤷‍♀️

Yes. Travel insurance for any trips. Annual policy so you don’t miss one.

Other people end up really seriously ill from chicken pox - unless you’re going to quarantine there, dont go unless she’s totally scabbed over. If you are hell bent on going, which it sounds like you are, absolutely dont swim with her unless they are all completely scabbed and well scabbed at that. That’s a sure way to get the spots infected and end up in a&e on IV abx.

Noted going forwards, although as indicated above....we don't go away that often. We actually thought my daughter had chickenpox when she was 3 but it was always questionable as she's eczema prone and so it might have just been a heat rash/something rash that coincided with with a chickenpox outbreak at her preschool...now we know what actually chickenpox looks like 🫣

If they can’t move it you’ll go anyway because you have too much to lose?

I honestly despair of people nowadays

Yes we have annual worldwide travel insurance, I haven’t claimed for the U.K. as it has a £250 threshold but it does cover in theory, I’ve just never cancelled more than one night

All three of mine had chicken pox one after the other in January. They were all scabbed over after 5/6 days. So I think you’ll be fine, maybe just stick to outdoor stuff the first few days of holiday and yes long sleeves to avoid the judgement. Asking as you are sure she’s all scabbed. (Saying that sometimes the scabs come off and then they no longer look scabbed over!) it’s so hard to tell.

Please give them a call and see if you can reschedule if you’re in any doubt. My daughter (14 at the time) caught CP at Center Parcs. I appreciate her age may have been a factor, but she was ever so unwell with it and pneumonia. Hospital stay, antivirals and antibiotics. I hope your daughter continues to improve.

That was a shocking admission. I could be extremely ill if I caught CP when pregnant, possibly even die. I don't despair, I feel enraged at the utter selfishness.

My daughters took 4 days to scab fully from start to finish. Every one is different

I'm not sure yet but hopeful we should be ok by Monday, we are planning to avoid the pool anyway unless we know for sure as we dont want any infection. Will play it by ear, it'll be nice to get away from home even if we can't do everything 🤷‍♀️

We had a sink thing but were flying 10 days later. We were prepared to change flights but she scabbed after 4 days and we got a doctors note to fly. I will warn you though, the pool is not great for scarring so try and dry them as much as possible.

Ah I'm sorry to hear that, I promise you, my partner is risk averse to the extreme, I suspect we will playing it safe for the most part and just enjoying being somewhere that is not home. We won't be joining group activities unless we are sure, although I think most things we wanted to do were outside anyway so not the softplay vibe etc. My daughter was keen for swimming but will understand if we can't 🤷‍♀️

You’re far more likely to catch it from someone who’s not even showing spots yet than a kid who has been spotty for nearly a week and is very likely no longer contagious. If you’re that concerned why would you go to CP at all while pregnant, all those places are a hot bed of infectious diseases surely given the amount of kids?

OP in your shoes if you can’t get a refund and she’s mostly scabbed over I would go and not feel guilty. If the guidance is she’d be fine to go back to school then no reason to not go on holiday.

Someone unknowingly spreading it is totally different to someone who does it on purpose but doesn't care about the risk to others. You could say the same about someone who doesn't know they're pregnant.

Well yes of course - stuff happens in the UK too!! Just because you’re not needing a passport doesn’t mean cancellations and illness/injury doesn’t happen. As you are proving!

i hope you can go and enjoy it. Sounds like she’s on the mend and you have a few days yet.

NHS guidance states …

You can spread chickenpox to other people from 2 days before your spots appear until they have all formed scabs, which is usually 5 days after your spots appeared.

OP child shouldn’t be contagious by Monday.
Plus, they’ve already said they won’t go swimming and will mainly be doing outdoor activities and not joining groups.

Personally I would go and do lots of outside stuff like bike rides and the playground but cover up. For the pool cover up too.

bur I wouldn’t be booking her into arts and crafts etc and climbing lessons

The whole point of Center Parcs is the pool though

No, no, no to the playground if she still has active spots, covered or not!!

Go and have a great time. Sounds like you’re nearly there and would be more cautious than most anyway. I personally wouldn’t rule out swimming at this point 🤷‍♀️ She might yet be fine! But then all of my kids were vaccinated for it so never caught it so I might be being overly optimistic.

Honestly it’s likely you will be fine
you can delay swimming until Thursday.

I haven't commented on whether or not she should go. I just think it was shocking for her to admit she doesn't care whether it's contagious and is going either way.

For anyone booking expensive holidays with kids that haven’t had CP, pay for the vaccine if your kid is too old to have it given on the NHS with the new vax schedule. Well worth the cost to avoid the hassle and upset of ruined holidays (and also CP is shit for kids to have).

Yeh, except they never actually said that, did they?

Cared enough to start a post.
Said they were calling to see if it could be changed.
Said daughter seems a lot better already and some spots have already started to scab.