Advice please - chicken pox

[LolaBags]

Hi all

Would appreciate any advice. My son has been in close contact with his cousin (goodbye kiss on the lips!) 2 days before his cousin came out with pox rash - I found out today that he's had the rash all week.

If my son has contracted it, then I have calculated that he is likely to be infectious from this Monday.

I have a hospital op on Thursday booked. Another childminder was covering my children and now she can't because the parent's of her mindee have told her they don't want her coming into contact with my son, or my other mindees if there is even a chance he has contracted it. Because of that, I am now going to have to cancel 5 full-day mindees that day, give refunds and still pay my assistant, so as you can imagine I am out of pocket already.

Although I have no idea if my son is going to contract it, I still want to warn all parents of my mindees, (one of which is pregnant and one mindee is immuno-comprimised). But knowing the parents of my kids, there is a high chance they will not want to come in.

Now, the predicament is, do I say that I am officially open for business until I know he has the pox and therefore if they choose not to send their kids then I will still charge them, or do I accept the fact that if they do not send their kids then the reason has been caused by my end and not charge them. A week of refunds isn't going to make for a very merry Xmas, that's for sure.

Sorry for the blurb...I would really appreciate your views :)

[Vickster]

Open , my son went to nursery and survived three outbreaks of pox...close contact too over 2.5 years. They could get it from anyone that they are contact with if they are with them for 5 mins or more, He finally got the pox when I was 38 weeks pregnant. We are all here to tell the tale, even if the other children get it from your son, they won't get it over Christmas as the incubation is 10-21 days I think.

[Vickster]

PS if he actually gfets the pox close, don't close as a precaution

[Goatgirl]

Hi all

Would appreciate any advice.

Now, the predicament is, do I say that I am officially open for business until I know he has the pox and therefore if they choose not to send their kids then I will still charge them, or do I accept the fact that if they do not send their kids then the reason has been caused by my end and not charge them. A week of refunds isn't going to make for a very merry Xmas, that's for sure.

Sorry for the blurb...I would really appreciate your views :)

Hi :),
If you feel you must tell them, then .... in your position, I'd make it clear that he may well not have caught it at all, so you wont be officially closing unless he does become poorly, get spots etc. So if they keep their children away they should still pay you whilst you are open, you're just giving them the information so that they can make an informed decision...?

It is a tricky one...
Good luck, hope he's ok :)

[Playmate]

Definately open, until you know he has definately got it. I went all the way through my childhood not getting it and then age 30 caught it :(

[miffy]

There's no point in closing, your son might not even get chickenpox.

Only close if he definitely has it.

Miffy xx

[clio0602]

3 times this yr dd's nursery have warned me that chicken pox is going around, only 12 children at her nursery, and she has been in close contact with some of these children. She has so far not caught it, touch wood for over xmas. I would not close as there is a high chance it has not been passed on anyway and just warn parents that it is going around to leave them to decide. If they then decide to keep Lo's off thats their decision and you remain open Xxx