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probably daft question about chicken pox 'etiquette'...

We went to a class on Friday and have since found out that a couple of the children there have since come down with chicken pox.

Firstly, how long roughly til S starts showing symptoms if he's got it?

Secondly, what's the deal with us getting out and about in the meantime? We go to lots of baby groups, swimming etc and don't know if I should avoid them if he's contagious? 

I actually don't have a clue about what the right thing is to do! Sorry if it sounds daft!

Replies

  • Awkward one. In my experience folk try and stay away from pregnant women but are less concerned about kids with other kids (which seems weird when you look at it in the cold light of day).

  • That's one of my concerns Counter - I wouldn't want to go to one of my groups and bump into a pregnant lady, as I know it's dangerous if they've never had it, which I obviously couldn't know if they had or not.

    I'm not particularly worried about S having it although it would be horrible for him I know he's going to get it at some point so might as well deal with it and I'd he gets it, at least it will be done and out of the way. But I don't want to assume other mums would feel the same. I'll go stir crazy if I miss my groups for even a week though, gah! X

  • Iirc it could be 21 days until he shows symptoms so I definitely wouldn't be avoiding any groups unless he actually has spots.  My 4 year old has been in close contact with chicken pox lots of times and has still yet to get it

  • 14-21 days is the incubation time, my son came out in it 16 days after his brother.  I wouldn't be doing anything different until he actually comes out in it, i think he's only infectious 2-3 days before the spots anyway so wouldn't worry about it yet.  My niece spend two hours in the car next to my spotty son and didn't catch it so you might be lucky.  We were in Spain when T got it so had just flown at his most contagious time which I felt a bit guilty about!

  • Oh 3 weeks is a long time for a self-imposed quarantine, I'm obviously being over cautious! Thank you for that ladies, I nearly became a hermit!

  • My 2 have just had it. G got it first so i kept her in till the spots had all scabbed but did go out and about with P even though there was a good chance she would get it (and did). Ypu could come into contact with it and not even know! I wouldnt stay in on the offchance you get it. G was exposed 3 times before getting it herself x

  • Well a week on and he's still fine. I've carried on going out and about, it's too nice to stay in at the moment!

  • My 2 year old has it at the mo. Felt awful last week as we'd seen babies, friends etc in the days before but I wasn't to know he would get it. So now my 8 year old will probably get it! But I can't keep her off school 'until' she does so I think you're def doing the right thing! It's just one of those things! I'm hoping my daughter is immune like me as she seems to have dodged it quite a lot...although not when it's been in her house!! It's the wait that is so annoying!!  

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