Chicken Pox

[Moos]

Thanks Pickle!

That was my view too - however, have just come off the phone with the GP who advised quite firmly that I should keep him at home. I asked how he could infect anyone if inside his sling or buggy, and she responded that it was possible via flakes of skin.

Boo. Home it is.

[buggie]

...flakes of skin?? WTF?!!!

Chickenpox is droplet infection (breath/sneezes/licking/snogging kind of thing!) Don't quite know what kind of flakes of skin the GP is expecting twosling to shed (or anyone with chickenpox for that matter!).

I would say in sling/buggie will be fine for short trips, and am sure you'll use your judgement wisely.

Know this contradicts what the GP has said, but don't know where s/he's coming from - would be curious to ask him further on this!

[Pickle]

Ha ha, I'm glad you said that Buggie, I was thinking the same thing!

[Moos]

Was a bit bemused myself. She said the virus can come out through the skin...

[Saffron]

...presume GP meant micro-particles of skin, not visible dry flakes. Micro-particles would contain fluid that could become airborne and potentially infective. However is it a bit of a long leap to infection if baby is contained in a sling and you've been doing lots of hand-washing yourself? I really couldn't say one way or the other. Probably GPs want to give the most conservative advice b/c of their Hippocratic Oath.

[jollybaby]

The virus is present within the fluid in the spots so not totally unreasonable to say it is transmissible via the skin. Though agree that if baby is in sling chances of him infecting anyone via this route are minimal. If it was me I'd be happy to take my baby out for walks but would avoid crowded areas - coffee shops, buses etc - lots of pregnant women in this area!

And as for the advice that the GP gave. It is sometimes better to give simple clear advice ie stay at home, so there is less scope for confusion.

[edanna]

My GP said outdoors was OK. I've been hanging out in a lot of cemeteries lately because there's hardly anyone to infect there. Nunhead Cemetery is lovely for a walk and quiet in the week. I keep to the main paths if on my own. If your baby's in the buggy the chance of them infecting anyone outdoors must be minute. Just keep them away from other kids.

[The Nappy Lady]

It is all laughable as the most infectious stage is before you even know they have it - when they have the runny nose and are sneezing etc. in the week to 10 days before spots appear and you think they just have a cold. That is why it goes around school/nurseries etc. the way it does.

Having said that my 2 year old didn't catch it from the other child at the childminders, despite being with her for 4 days during her infectious period - no idea why not, quite honestly I'd rather she caught it so we know it is out of the way (DD1 came down with it a week before we were due to fly with her for the first time and really messed up the family holiday so I am rather paranoid)!

Once the spots come out it can only be caught via direct contact with the spots themselves so being in the park, in the middle of a field or whatever on your own with them would be fine. We ended up taking a ferry to France with DD1 still in the spotty stage - with an OK from the GP that it was fine as long as we kept ourselves away from general contact with others....common sense basically.

Honestly, the world has gone mad you can't possibly keep a child cooped up inside a house for an entire week, especially when they are often fine in themselves, just spotty, spotty, spotty.

[Moos]

Thanks very much everyone for your thoughtful suggestions.

I think I have come to the same conclusion as jollybaby, and the GP was being cautious. One could easily imagine someone going for a sanctioned walk in the park, and then thinking 'Oh, I'll just pop into the caf? for a coffee' or 'I'll just get that thing I need' and being careless. The trouble with the modern GP system is that GPs don't really know their patients so she has no idea whether I'm reasonably sensible or a total twerp.

She did, quite rightly, point out that chicken pox can be dangerous not only to pregnant women (who've not had it, I think??) but also to anyone whose immune system is compromised: cancer sufferers and so on.

Anyway, am keeping a pretty low profile. I do have to do the twice-daily nursery run but I've got a deal with another mother whose No.2 is also poxy: I lurk with the babies in the carpark, while she picks up the big 'uns. Very suspicious-looking! :)

Poor little Twosling looks worse and worse: today is day 4 and he's still getting new spots. His beautiful head is covered in lumpy red blisters, and his fluffy hair is smeary with cream. Big blue eyes are peeking out of swollen, spotty eyelids, but he's still pretty smiley, which is comforting.

[edanna]

Oh dear Moos, that's probably as bad as it's going to get. I bet it will be uphill from here. Hope he gets better V soon.

[Fuschia]

My understanding is that there is a possibility use of thd vaccine can increase the prevalence of shingles later on

Re whether it's spread mostly through nurseries? Our twins had a mild case at 8m just a few spots each ... Despite being bf... No idea where they got it

Will be interesting to see if they get it again,., there are cases at their creche

[Moos]

My elder definitely got it at nursery, they went down like ninepins one by one - and then passed it on to all their younger siblings. Oddly, the severity of the cases seems to be running by families, so the little boy aged 4 who was illest is now better, but his younger brother is the illest of the babies. Their poor mother!