What's your policy on chicken pox?

[cuffleygirl]

Hi

It seems to be that time of year and chicken pox is rampant!

All my own children and bigger mindees have had it.

My feeling has always been as long as the child is not unwell (apart from the spots I am happy to have - as they have been mixing before the spots appear when they are at their most infectious)

I have two little mindees who haven't had it yet, both tired and not quite right before easter. One family's feeling is that if the other child gets it then fine I carry on having both children. The other, however, doesn't want her child to get it. I feel I have to respect this point of view at the expense of the other family, but I am positive that when push comes to shove that this mum will still expect me to have her child should she come down with it.

I explained MY policy but I respect her view its her child I have said to her that if she wants me to exclude the other child then I will have to exclude her child in the same situation - she was not altogether happy with that! (not a lot comes between Mum and her job):( I also suggested the other option of her taking her child out of my setting if the other child was ill.

What should I do

[christine e]

I think you have explained it very well to parents but at the end of the day it has to be the child with chicken pox who doesn't attend.

Cx

[miffy]

I think you have explained it very well to parents but at the end of the day it has to be the child with chicken pox who doesn't attend.

Cx

I agree.

Miffy xx

[Roseolivia]

My policy is any child who is infectious does not come to my setting but to be honest i see what's wrong first. I only have a couple of mindees so when one had the pox she still came as the others had already had it and i wasn't bothered if my daughter caught it.

[Pudding Girl]

I use the guidleines table for exclusion that most people will have already - which states 5 days after spots formed and crusted over (from memory havent got it to hand) remember a child isn't just infectious before they come out but it's easily spread by the "pus" stuff that comes from the spots, imagine that smeared on your toys ew!

[deeb66]

Once it is known that a child has chicken pox then they are excluded until all scabbed over and dry.

I know we have already been exposed during the last week leading up to the break out but is very easily transferred when the scabs are wet.

As well as for the other families I also exclude for myself - I have never had chicken pox. The truth be known I am more than likely immune to it but I am not willing to take the chance. If I end up with chicken pox then I would have to shut down which would disrupt all families and also mean that I do not get paid.

Dee

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Children want mum when they are ill.

If you have one child with chicken pox how can you go out and look after the one who hasn't.

My policy states that I won't have the child until ALL of the spots have scabbed over.

[tinkerbelle]

i would never have a mindee with chicken pox my step neice had chicken pox and my 11 month old neice didnt get them instead it gave her meningacocil septecimia (spelling) we had to sit with her in ICU unconcious for almost a week
we were very lucky as my sister had taken her to hospital prior to the rash forming so she has no lasting affects from it
the hospital confirmed the illness was caused by chicken pox and if you had seen a baby in this situation you would never risk it

[Blaze]

Once it is known that a child has chicken pox then they are excluded until all scabbed over and dry.

I know we have already been exposed during the last week leading up to the break out but is very easily transferred when the scabs are wet.

As well as for the other families I also exclude for myself - I have never had chicken pox. The truth be known I am more than likely immune to it but I am not willing to take the chance. If I end up with chicken pox then I would have to shut down which would disrupt all families and also mean that I do not get paid.

Dee

I'm the same as Dee...but I have had chicken pos (as as adult & was hospitalised)...I however do not fancy getting Shingles (nor being responsible for my children or mindees getting them).:panic:

[Blaze]

i would never have a mindee with chicken pox my step neice had chicken pox and my 11 month old neice didnt get them instead it gave her meningacocil septecimia (spelling) we had to sit with her in ICU unconcious for almost a week
we were very lucky as my sister had taken her to hospital prior to the rash forming so she has no lasting affects from it
the hospital confirmed the illness was caused by chicken pox and if you had seen a baby in this situation you would never risk it

Was just going back to edit my post & say that there are far more serious complications when I read your post....glad your neice made a full recovery.:)

[hectors house]

I'm the same as Dee...but I have had chicken pos (as as adult & was hospitalised)...I however do not fancy getting Shingles (nor being responsible for my children or mindees getting them).:panic:

My dad was very ill after catching chicken pox as an adult too and was always worried about catching shingles from my children when they had the pox, but you can't catch shingles it is something that is in your body from when you had chicken pox and sometimes something like stress or another illness causes you to have shingles

YOU CANNOT CATCH SHINGLES FROM SOMEONE WITH CHICKENPOX but someone with shingles can give chickenpox to someone else (who hasn't had it). I looked it up an a NHS website once when I thought I had shingles.

[Blaze]

My dad was very ill after catching chicken pox as an adult too and was always worried about catching shingles from my children when they had the pox, but you can't catch shingles it is something that is in your body from when you had chicken pox and sometimes something like stress or another illness causes you to have shingles

YOU CANNOT CATCH SHINGLES FROM SOMEONE WITH CHICKENPOX but someone with shingles can give chickenpox to someone else (who hasn't had it). I looked it up an a NHS website once when I thought I had shingles.

I am not a Dr, but it was explained to me that the CP virus stays dormant under your skin & can be re-activated by being re-exposed ti CP, stress etc which causes shingles...not explained that very well, but hope you get the gist!:)

[PixiePetal]

Once it is known that a child has chicken pox then they are excluded until all scabbed over and dry.

I know we have already been exposed during the last week leading up to the break out but is very easily transferred when the scabs are wet.

As well as for the other families I also exclude for myself - I have never had chicken pox. The truth be known I am more than likely immune to it but I am not willing to take the chance. If I end up with chicken pox then I would have to shut down which would disrupt all families and also mean that I do not get paid.

Dee

Same here, not had chicken pox myself. My kids and all I have ever looked after in 27 years have had it so guess I am ok, not willing to take more of a risk though. Friend had it as an adult and was hospitalised and sedated.:(