Travelling with Chicken Pox

[PoppyAnna]

Kacee caught it from Nursery and I knew he would do as there was a child there three weeks ago who obviously had CP but the parents kept saying that it was just a viral infection.

That makes me cross.

I hope everything pans out for you - fingers crossed

 

[cap'njack.]

Indeed no-one should feel guilty about living life before they know about it. That statement is the one which is almost convincing me that if Kacee has healed over and Macklyn isn't showing signs then we should take our holiday as planned as neither child will have anything obvioulsy wrong with them.

I got a little dissapointed by the parents reluctance to take the child out of nursery once the CP was confirmed, infact Kacee went in while having a few spots that looked like heat rash, but as soon as they were obviously CP he was straight out of there.

 

[Lisa_C]

Indeed no-one should feel guilty about living life before they know about it. That statement is the one which is almost convincing me that if Kacee has healed over and Macklyn isn't showing signs then we should take our holiday as planned as neither child will have anything obvioulsy wrong with them.

I got a little dissapointed by the parents reluctance to take the child out of nursery once the CP was confirmed, infact Kacee went in while having a few spots that looked like heat rash, but as soon as they were obviously CP he was straight out of there.

Once CP is confirmed the nursery should've stopped the child going - that's terrible!! And I seriously think that if Macklyn shows no signs and Kacee is comfortable then I personally would go.....and do DLP. Sure bab could come out with it, but as your TI have already said if he shows no signs then it's ok then I'd take that as a

If anyone gives Kacee a bad stare teach him to smile politely. And you can give an evil grin and think "tag, you're it"

CP is common, it's not something we like to get but it happens. Please don't let it stop your enjoyment of your trip. Anyway, my son (who's 13) laughs when he remembers how his hair was itching his face......then took a pair of scissors to it and er, restyled it. I say it's best to get it while you are young.

 

[scampbunny]

oooh john, it is hard to decide, but think ur doing the best.
no one can guarantee u anything, so, if kacee is ok and scabbed, then u shud continue.....
with my 2, fin got it just before christmas and only had a few spots, and they healed quick, it took cay nearly 3 wks to come out properly, he wud get one spot, then nothing more for 2 days, then he errupted!!! that was his 1st birthday - full chicken pox!!!
BUT, neither were off colour, or seemed bother by the spots, i did give pirton, and occ calamine, but tbh it was almost a waste!!! they were fine.

it really is hit n miss, i wud be inclined to think macklyn will not come out (if at all) until after ur back, and sumtimes there is a poss he is still carrying immunity from ellie - so he might not even get it!!!

keep us posted & will be sending lots of healing and drying up spots thoughts ur way!

 

[ToastedTeapot]

I do understand what you're saying, and don't want to ruin your holiday, but this link says that as one of your children has it, and the other hasn't, there's a 90% chance of passing it on

(sorry I don't have enough posts to add a link, it's the Sanofi Pasteur MD site, search for CP)

Therefore you ARE in the incubation period, and a danger to pregnant women, immunosupressed people and children who haven't had the disease. Yes, he might not get it, but 90% v 10% is pretty poor odds.

 

[ScottishThistle]

I do understand what you're saying, and don't want to ruin your holiday, but this link says that as one of your children has it, and the other hasn't, there's a 90% chance of passing it on

(sorry I don't have enough posts to add a link, it's the Sanofi Pasteur MD site, search for CP)

Therefore you ARE in the incubation period, and a danger to pregnant women, immunosupressed people and children who haven't had the disease. Yes, he might not get it, but 90% v 10% is pretty poor odds.

I agree totally, I'm afraid. Yes, there could be plenty of people out there who are in the incubation period without knowing but I couldn't knowingly go somewhere with the knowledge that I could potentially cause a child to become ill or endanger a pregnant woman and her child. You were understandably upset that the child who passed it on continued to go to nursery despite knowing they had chickenpox but you'd potentially be doing the same to someone else.

I know it's a rotten thought to have to cancel your holiday but for me, I wouldn't risk anything other than that option. At the very least your little 'un will be ill and miserable which isn't fair on him or any of the family as you won't be able to enjoy your holiday. At the worst, someone who has a weakened immune system or is pregnant becomes seriously ill. I just couldn't settle and enjoy my holiday knowing that risk is there.

I know it's probably not what you want to hear and that you'll probably go anyway but just my tuppence worth

 

[Dianetigger]

Good luck with your decision John, I'd be inclined to go if Kacee's spots have all scabbed over and Macklyn doesn't show any signs. My middle daughter actually went through two outbreaks of this at school (including her older sister getting it) and didn't come down with it. Then three months after the last outbreak she started with it! My older daughter suffered very badly with it but my other two had very mild cases, so mild in fact that last year DD2 came down with it again.

 

[cap'njack.]

I am really thankfull for everyone's input on this.

I'm still 50-50 on going. I'm going to go to the doctors on Saturday and see what he says about the chance of Macklyn getting it as that's what it rests on.

I understand what people are saying about knowingly infecting others but does that mean that we should stay indoors for the next 4 weeks incase he is infectious?

I just wish that there were signs before the actual chicken pox!!

 

[Jeccaboos]

My daughter has been through 3 really bad rounds of Chickenpox - twice at nursery and once at school - and has still not caught them. Her best friend - who she holds hands with, shares drinks with and all the child stuff - got them really badly but she didn't at all and neither did she catch them when my son got them. I would say though that she did show signs of having the infection - the runny nose, headaches, aches and pains - but just no spots.

It's not a foregone conclusion that just because Kacee has them, Macklyn will automatically get them. And it is sods law - you know if you cancel your holiday that Macklyn won't get them, and if you go he will.

 

[charlottek1980]

oh poor thing !
that it quite rare for so young


x

I know! Luckily the chickenpox was only mild, about 10 spots, but as she was born 4.5 weeks early it was worrying as she was still quite tiny. The shingles was a total shock, i took her to the doctors thinking it was excema as my other daughter suffers from it, only to be told by a very shocked doctor that it was shingles!

 

[tttessa]

Hiya -
the way I see it, it is Chickenpox "season" here in the UK, so anyone who has not had CP who goes anywhere there are kids could potentially be infectious right now....
I work in a school and the class I am in (5/6 yrs old) has had 3 off in the last 2 weeks, we expect more.... I don't think you can stop life because someone might be infectious. If they feel ill or get spots then don't go , if not I don't think it is unreasonable to go.

Tessa

 

[cookie334]

I haven't read through the whole post, so sorry if I'm repeating what's already been said, but if you remember, we had this problem in January (but we were flying). The airline told me that if we could get a letter from the doctor to say that she wasn't contagious we'd be fine to travel. Unfortunately for us we couldn't get one as it was over New Year hols (but we did get there).

I was also told that scabbing over takes around 5-6 days, although it depends on the number and severity of spots. If he's not got many you might be lucky, but I'd definitely get a docs appointment and contact your insurance company just to let them know what's going on. Mine were extremely helpful and told us that if we couldn't get on the plane just to get a note from the airline and we would be covered

Good luck, I know what a nightmare and a worry it is, so I hope you get it sorted either so you get there or you get your money back.

 

[Architect]

I agree totally, I'm afraid. Yes, there could be plenty of people out there who are in the incubation period without knowing but I couldn't knowingly go somewhere with the knowledge that I could potentially cause a child to become ill or endanger a pregnant woman and her child. You were understandably upset that the child who passed it on continued to go to nursery despite knowing they had chickenpox but you'd potentially be doing the same to someone else.

I know it's a rotten thought to have to cancel your holiday but for me, I wouldn't risk anything other than that option. At the very least your little 'un will be ill and miserable which isn't fair on him or any of the family as you won't be able to enjoy your holiday. At the worst, someone who has a weakened immune system or is pregnant becomes seriously ill. I just couldn't settle and enjoy my holiday knowing that risk is there.

I know it's probably not what you want to hear and that you'll probably go anyway but just my tuppence worth

I tend to agree with this, but moreover when ours had the first stages of the chicken pox neither was up to running around the house, never mind a theme park.

Check with your GP, if you haven't already. And bear in mind that severe (i.e. hospitalising) chicken pox is rare but that if you head over with an already infected child/children then your holiday insurance will not cover any medical treatment.