Chicken pox "parties"

[EmmaReed84]

So Cameron (6yr old son) had chicken pox at 18 months, nothing to write home about, just the usual, he coped pretty TBH. Anyway Caiden (3yr old) still has not had them.

In September Mindees Mum mentioned that her friends child had chicken pox and she was tempted to take mindees there to catch it early... I said personally I would not take my child to catch something... no matter how "mild" so mindees Mum didn't either (I didn't tell her not too, just said about me personally)

Just recently there was an outbreak of chicken pox at the playschool that Caiden and Mindee both attend... however still no chicken pox...

What would you do? Obviously I am pleased he has been well, but a bit concerned because people say it is worse the older they get and the advantage I had with Cameron was he was so young so hardly scratched and has no scars whatsoever.

[Tink]

My dd was really unwell a couple of weeks ago. Took her to the GP who said it was viral if no better come back, I went back as she had a very high temp that Calpol wasn't touching, he said she had a form of Chicken Pox with no spots:eek: He said after new research there are three types:

1 - Poorly before then spots appear
2 - Not poorly but spots
3 - Poorly with a fever No Spots!

I was amazed so weather she did have scenario 3 I'm not sure but he was adamant it was chicken pox!!!

[EmmaReed84]

Oh funny you say that, Caiden has been ill where he literally laid on the sofa for 2 days straight, he had a fever (although came down with calpol) but we put it down to a cold or tonsilitis which he is quite prone to. This was the same time as the chicken pox going round the playschool.

[singingcactus]

My son was really ill last year, and I was convinced he was going to break out in chicken pox.....but he never did. I would still swear that he had chicken pox that time. He was so ill. He is 6 now, and if that wasn't chicken pox then he still hasn't had them. But I wouldn't take him somewhere to actively catch them, the kids can get really really ill with the fever, doesn't happen that often but it can. I would hate to think I had deliberately caused him to have an illness that could have such serious complications.
But at the same time, there is that thing about it being worse in adults....lol. So many opportunities for parental guilt.

[mama2three]

I had it at 18 - it was awful - I dont think there was a centimetre anywhere ( including in my mouth and other inner areas!:blush:) without spots. Istill wouldnt deliberately cause my children to catch it though.

[FussyElmo]

Nuts totally nuts how can you determine how poorly they would get :panic:

[The Juggler]

my mindee had it badly recenlty (loads of spots ) was really poorly for 2/3 days and unwell for a week - not herself

[loocyloo]

i had a mindee a few years ago who had chicken pox very badly, and his spots didn't scab! they stayed as blisters and then went down and faded, it was very odd. i didn't have him at all, as he was still having high temps etc and also i was worried about his blisters getting infected if he caught one or something!

[mindingmummy]

My daughter got pox yesterday!

She was off school a couple of weeks ago with flu like symptoms and water infection, now the spots are here and shes covered!

you never know, your son might get the spots soon..

[alwaysright]

i.ve been minding for ten years and had a few outbreaks of chicken pox over the years and its also gone around nursery and school, the only child who-fingers crossed-never caught if each time was my own daughter! shes ten now, i've heard certain people can be carriers but i think i just put it down to luck, i wouldnt even consider taking her anywhere to try to catch it as who knows how ill it could make her! i didnt get chicken pox until i was 27 and they were "everywhere" i was really ill for three weeks, passing out and very weak, i was unfortunate to catch them then, i just happened to be in contact with sil's nephews who came down with it a few days later, i had a really bad hangover and so felt very rough so i think thats why i got it!! my two sons then caught it from me! so i would definately say avoid anyone who has them!

[AliceK]

Oh funny you say that, Caiden has been ill where he literally laid on the sofa for 2 days straight, he had a fever (although came down with calpol) but we put it down to a cold or tonsilitis which he is quite prone to. This was the same time as the chicken pox going round the playschool.

Same here. There has been a LOT of chicken pox at nursery over the past few weeks but a few children there, DD and 1 mindee spent about a week totally wiped out, fever, lethargic, just wanting to sleep. I wonder if the 2 things are related. DD is 5 this year, has been around chickenpox a lot and still not had it :cool:

xxx

[Nick22]

In a minority of cases it is possible to develop complications such as encephalitis (brain infection) or pneumonia with chicken pox, therefore avoid deliberate contact and let nature decide. My eldest daughter is now 16, she didn't catch it (or certainly didn't get spots) when my husband caught it from my shingles (he felt very poorly too - but then he's a just a man - what can we expect!) and my youngerst daughter caught it a few years later and she still didn't get it. I did wonder if she has immunity as I was breastfeeding when I developed shingles.
I do hope she doesn't ever get it, she has had quite enough episodes of pneumonia and other illness bless her. Chicken pox is a funny virus, so many variations and effects for different people.

[Bridey]

I had chicken pox at 17 and can honestly say it was the most painful and miserable two weeks of my life. I made sure my son caught it just before he was 2 years old by exposing him deliberately. He was a bit hot and bothered for a couple of days and the spots didn't seem to bother him at all. He's now immune and can't even remember having it so I have no regrets at all!

[jumping j]

I've had all my mindees off at some point over the last month with high temps, calpol not bringing it down, totally wiped out.
One went to the hospital and was told it was chicken pox, but no spots, the other's went to the docs and told it was viral!

I've had chicken pox twice, first time I don't remember and second time I was 12 and in agony, again spots literally everywhere, couldn't even brush my hair, I then went on to get shingles at 16, which is meant to be linked to chicken pox but it didn't effect me at all!!:rolleyes:

Think it just depends on the individual

[nikki thomson]

I probably wouldn't take them to a chicken pox party but I would want them to have it as a child, my dh caught chicken pox of our 3 children a few years back and he was so poorly he had to have anti viral drugs, I had to take him to the docs every day for a few days before surgery opened because he was that unwell and the spots covered every inch of his body and I wouldn't of wished it on anyone ,my brother when he was about 6 had chicken pox really bad and all his spots got infected and he ended up in hospital.
I think if they get it they get and if they don't they don't. Apparently your more likely to catch it from a sibling than from someone not related to you. X