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CookieCutter
09-06-2014, 07:31 AM
I look after my own dd and one other girl around the same age, and she comes 5 days a week. Chicken pox are spreading quickly here, and mindee's dad and I were talking about it this morning. He made a comment about how it's best to get it out of the way when they're young, and also how it would be good if the girls could get it at the same time. Basically, he seems to think that I could still look after his little one if both girls get chicken pox. Can I? I know some children don't get very poorly with it, but I was under the impression that I can't look after any little ones with chicken pox, nor can I allow them to come to my house if my dd has chicken pox.

Mindee's family are really lovely, but do get funny about illness (try to send lo even when ill, get annoyed if my lo is ill, etc). My understanding is that I can't look after their little one if my dd has it, even if they want their lo to get it. Also, I can't look after their lo if both kids get it at the same time. Is that right? I could honestly see them trying to send mindee if she had it and my dd didn't!

Lal
09-06-2014, 07:42 AM
Show dad the HPA exclusion guide (think I've attached it). :)

Chickenpox can be ver serious. My little girl (3yrs) had it in march and was really unwell- throwing up if she ate more than a very small amount, no energy to do anything as well as the spots being really itchy. She is normally fit and healthy and it took in three weeks to be properly well again. My friend's 1yr old daughter had it at the same time and ended up in hospital with pneumonia (as a complication of chicken pox). We have the same GP who said chicken pox is getting worse and people are more likely to catch it twice.

http://www.hpa.org.uk/webc/hpawebfile/hpaweb_c/1194947358374

bunyip
09-06-2014, 08:10 AM
In some ways, the dad has a point: it is better to catch CP sooner rather than later. BUT, I agree with Lal: it can be very unpleasant and very risky for some groups of people, so not to be taken lightly. Add to that, the fact that the authorities require us to work to rules and regulations, which may or may not coincide with parents' wishes or 'common sense'. It's therefore worth being cautious.

Also, be aware that the diagnosis of CP is far from a nailed-on certainty. One of my mums sent her lo to play with a cousin who had CP. Mum was sure her lo had already had CP and therefore couldn't catch it again. He caught it, and I was obliged to exclude him. Mum wasn't pleased, but doctor told her it was possible to have a different virus that looked a lot like CP but wasn't actually CP. Just shows it's never safe to assume. :p