chicken pox

[Pandora]

What is the incubation period for chicken pox?

When I picked up DS from creche today there was a notice up that someone in his room has chicken pox (reported yesterday).

So I figure he was probably exposed to it last week or the week before?

Who is it spread? Would he have had to make contact with an infected child, or is it airborne?

DS went to playgroup on Tuesday, do I need to ring them all and let them know that he has potentially been exposed, or only if he gets it?

I am so mad. He is scheduled to have his chicken pox immunisation next week - does this mean he can't have it until we know for sure whether he has caught it or not?


Sorry that's a lot of questions, I know!

[MelS]

Rayray - Chickenpox is contagious from about 2 days before the rash appears and lasts until all the blisters are crusted over. It's easily spread by touching the person who has chickenpox or from fluid droplets in the air from them coughing. My DD got chickenpox when she was 2, just before I was about to get her immunised too! It was very frustrating. I don't think you can immunise them if you think they have it, but you could check with your Health Nurse. My DD didn't have it too bad, but it was hard trying to stop her scratching. Fingers crossed for you that DS doesn't get it.

[Yael]

Rach - i believe if you have them immunised within the first week or so of being exposed their reaction to it is a lot less than normal.

We thought DS had been exposed, and had him immunised a week later (he had a temp, but was too early for spots), this was at 12 months, but he never got it in the end.

You can have the immunisation done early, the only reason why they don't do the CP at 12 months is there is already 3 other needles, thats why they space them.

[Pandora]

oh Yael, *love* the ticker!

I was planning to take him on Saturday 23/6, so I will call MCHN on Monday and find out what she thinks.

[Lucy]

Oh Rach, I hope he doesn't get it, for your sake and his.

If I was you, I would call PlayGroup and let them know, JIC: that way, if any other Mums have cranky littlies, they may be able to pick up on it quicker?

Charlie got HORRIFIC chicken pox at 14 months.....he was VERY unhappy 2 days before spots arrived. (When the spots appeared, he was actually quite cheerful.....but prior had a temp and was v.unhappy..)

I am not sure about the immunisation. Olivia had hers at 12 months (before it was on the schedule...we paid for it ourselves.....long story!). Charlie was due for his at 18 months but as a result of his bout of the chicken pox he doesn't get it. (Olivia still got a touch of it, even though she was immunised, but it was very very mild.) Lexie was a newborn and managed to not catch it, thank goodness........

If he does get it........Pinetarsol (sp?) worked wonders to alleviate the itching....makes the bath water go bright fluro yellow, and pongs a bit, but it did the trick........Charlie even had blisters on his willy, poor wee man..........

[Lilly-Pilly]

DD got the chicken pox and her aunty had been looking after her the day or two before she came out with it.
She was told to have the chicken pox vaccine ASAP, but within 72 hours of being around it.
She ended up getting chicken pox still, but just a few spots, not sick or anything else.

[Tracey]

Make sure he has plenty of fluids.

Maddy had been with my niece & nephew 1 day & then the following day they both came up in spots, I called the Dr's & they told me they couldnt immunise if there was chance she had it. A week later still no spots & so we were boarding a flight to Bali, she seemed hot & by the time we landed she had about 12 blisters!
The following day she was covered in spots & blisters, it was so hot, we let her lay in her undies on our bed wtaching DVD's & covered her in a traditional mulched up leave & poweder that my MIL recommended & she never itched any, she actually was quite happy, but slept heaps we gave her plenty of Vitamin C too. within 5 days they were all dried up & so we went to the beach at 5am the next few mornings where she swam in the salty water & she has no scars!

But a few days later DH came up in them & was really ill, even though he'd had them before!!!

I hope he doesnt have them for both your sakes!

[Pandora]

Me too!

I rang creche this morning. Apparently the little boy had some spots on Wednesday, and was sent home that day, didn't come on Thursday as thats when it was confirmed as chicken pox.

It was his first day there. Poor thing.

So anyway this is good and bad news - bad because DS has been exposed so its wait and see (but he can still go to daycare) but good becuase he went to playgroup the day before, and 2 of the mums are pregnant. So at least they have not been exposed by him as the little boy never started until the next day.

So now I don't know what to do. Creche say its fine for him to come and he doesn't have to be excluded as we don't know whether he has it, and apparently he wouldn't be contagious anyway until minimum 11 days after exposure, which is around this weekend.

meanwhile playgroup is tomorrow, they have an excursion.
I don't want him to go because of the 2 pregnant mums and the fact he hasn't had the immunistaion yet, but my mum, who takes him reckons he should be able to go cos 'he might not even have it, if he does its still incubating and he won't be contagious'. TBH if creche don't exclude him I don't see why I have to exclude him form everything for 2-3 weeks for something he might or might not have, but I am far more worried about the 2 mums than the other kids.

what do I do?

[~Jo~]

Ugh you poor thing..i hope he doesnt get it..it is so awful for little ones. Our whole family had it last Christmas and poor Sammy was only 4.5 months old..he was covered and fully breastfed too..it provided no immunity at all. Its so contagious too, so if he was exposed last week Id say hed definately get it. Like someone has mentioned, pintarsal can work a treat in the bath. Best of luck.

Jo

[Yael]

Rach - call your dr about getting him the shot early, i know my dr said it is supposed to help a lot.

Maybe call the 2 mothers and find out if they are immunised (i was checked first pregnancy for it), because then it shouldn't be a problem... But if not i would think about leaving it just this week, as CP of all the virus' is pretty bad for pregnant mums, as it can cause birth defects.

[Pandora]

Yep Yael thats why I am concerned. I am going to ring to find out today what to do, but becuase he was exposed last wednesday it might be too late to have his immunistaion.

[LisaBear]

off the topic of kids, but why are mums not allowed around nayone with shingles or chicken pox?

i had chicken pox very badly when i was abot 10 so wont i have immunity? i just dont get it. when i was little it was practice for everybody to get it - not have injections...

[Pandora]

If they have had it already and/or have immunity thres no issue.
Its if they haven't got immunity that chicken pox in pregnancy can be a problem. I don't know the exact details but it can be fatal for the unborn baby.

I don't really know the mums at playgroup, cos my mum takes DS, and I have no way of contacting them as I don't know there phone numbers, and the group orgnaiser is not answering her phone.

[Keira]

Hi rayray,

I hope your DS doesn't have the dreaded pox! They're awful!

I had them for the 1st time when i was 21 (found out on NYE too!) I had never had them before, and i hadn't been around anyone (that i knew of) that had it when i got them, so i'm assuming its an airborne thing.

They're much worse in adults though, i had them in my mouth, my ears and in my eyes! They were everywhere! So i would take your DS ASAP to get his vaccination, it may reduce the severity if he does have it.

And Pinetarsol is great for taking out the itch, they make a bath formula and there's a gel type which is like a liquid soap consistency, i find the bath formula stains the skin yellow, but the gel one doesn't stain.

Hope that helps a bit, hope your DS is ok

[Lucy]

i just dont get it. when i was little it was practice for everybody to get it - not have injections...

Until I had children, I was of the same mind.........me and all my sibs all had chicken pox, I thought it was "just another childhood illness" IYKWIM? Then when I was in the NT there was a bit of an epidemic......loads of babies contracted it with dire dire results......

[Pandora]

I rang the Immunistaion officer at the council, who said its good to have the immunistaion in the first three days, but within 5 dayss of exposure (which is today) can be OK.

So I've booked him in for 3pm today, my poor mum, she's going to have to take him

I hate getting immunistaion in the afternoon, we always go in the morning to observe.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts & advice.