Chicken Pox and Cousin

[Tinker2013]

Hi,
Just a little bit of advice really.

DS - 5 months

Going to visit DH's family, DS cousins, aunties, uncles at other end of the country at the weekend. Planned for ages, hotel booked etc family not yet seen DS

Dnep (3) currently got chicken pox Dnei (2) not yet showing signs of chicken pox but can only be a matter of time.

Should visit be cancelled?

We could potentially get away without seeing niece and nephew but will see their dad, not sure if he will be carrier?

WWYD ?

To be honest, think the trip needs cancelling.

Thanks in advance for any replies

Although Chicken pox can go through families, it doesn't always. If the spots are out by the time you get there, then the main chance of contagion has gone, so your DNeice is more of a risk than your nephew. Their dad is unlikely to pass the virus to your children.

The risk of chicken pox is much lower when your child is over six months, as they are able to regulate their own temperature by then.

Personally I would go - it sounds as if a lot of people will be looking forward to seeing you and your DS, and it is probably better to get chicken pox sooner rather than later.

Sorry that wasn't clear. The first paragraph means there is no guarantee your niece will get it because your nephew has - I know lots of families where one child had it, but a younger sibling missed out.

The second paragraph means the risk to your child of chicken pox is lower over 6 months.

Thank you for replying, I was hoping someone would say just go as it's a trip that DH really wants to go on

A benefit of a baby having chicken pox is that they're unable to scratch, pick and leave scars, unlike a toddler. Tbh I'd be inclined to go, if your ds doesn't catch it there then he likely will do somewhere else anyway. Your nephew won't be contagious any more by the time you go, though your niece may well be. Unless she doesn't catch it of course, and then you've cancelled a lovely trip for no reason. Chicken pox can be pretty miserable, but at this time of year there are so many, probably worse, bugs going around and you can't protect him from them all.

Thank you very much - we will go ahead with the trip.

Thanks again to you both

there is a 10-21 day incubation period and they are only contagious from 1-2 days before the spots come out and until they crust over, so even if you go your DNiece may not be contagious yet.