What do I do?? - Chicken pox scare

mckayleesmom wrote: My brother just called and said that my nephew Timmy has chicken pox. My brotherand his kids stayed this weekend at our house for Mckaylee's birthday party. I already messaged that came to the party to watch for them. Mckaylee has flu like symptoms right now so i will be watching her close.

She was in school today and was sent home sick. Now here is the dilema...Chicken pox can take up to 2 weeks to appear. I can't keep them out of school for 2 weeks. What do I do?

mckayleesmom replied: What I mean by what do I do is....If she is better in a couple days and has no signs...do I send her to school and just wait. Do I warn the school now or do I warn them if she gets them? I don't want the school to go into panic mode if she doesn't have them...kwim?

CantWait replied: As much as I am anti send your sick kid to school, send her. You can't keep her home waiting for it to appear when it may not even. At this age, CP is nothing more serious although just as annoying than the common cold.

And don't tell the school, no need for it.

mckayleesmom replied:
I asked a couple parents that go to the school and they said to send he also..if they are going to get it...they will. They only have 2 more weeks left of school...so I don't want them to miss anymore. I'm hoping no bumps appear in the morning...Why couldn't this happen in the summer???

CantWait replied:
Sucks. I know how much stuff Anthony has missed with kids being sent to school sick coughing all over the place and him getting it, but CP you just never know.

mckayleesmom replied: Russell keeps getting everything...His poor immune system just wasn't ready for kindy.

CantWait replied:
Robbie has the immune system of an Ox just like his dad, he hasn't been to the doctor except for immunizations since he was probably 2 or so.

Anthony on the other hand, although doesn't go to the doctor much gets every cold known to man kind like myself

amymom replied: In my experience, chicken pox comes on almost like clockwork, 14 to 16 days after exposure. And if the kids exposure was to Timmy's visit this weekend, then you have time before your kids are even contagious. If Timmy and your kids were exposed at the same time, then your kids will come down soon or not at all. Were they vaccinated? It is a school required vaccination now in NYS.

MaryBeth got chicken Pox exactly 14 days after exposure and Billy was exposed by her and sure enough 14 days later he broke out. She was just shy of her scheduled immun at 1 yr old when she got them and Billy had the vaccine. He only got 6 or 8 pox. He had a very mild case.

I forgot to say, I would send them to school.

luvbug00 replied: Ita with all .. send her...actually send her here too. Mya still needs to get the darn things!

boyohboyohboy replied: I hope everyone is feeling better. Have either of the kids had their chicken pox vaccine, I've heard some kids don't get the virus now even when exposed and some just very lightly get sick.
I don't personally use this vaccine, so I don't have any experience with it.

I think sending the kids is just fine, and I wouldn't mention it to the school either.

You certainly have your fair share of stress right now!

my2monkeyboys replied: I am with everyone else. Send her unless there is a reason not to. I hope she doesn't get them at all!

mckayleesmom replied: Yes...both have been vaccinated for them. I don't mind if she gets them....I just hope she gets them after the 25th...which is the last day of school...

PrairieMom replied: If she has been vaccinated, then she shouldn't get them. Even when exposed. that is the whole point of the stupid vaccinations in the first place. ( can you guess how I feel about vaccinating? LOL) Send her. I woudn't think twice about it. Even IF she were contagious, 99% of the kids at that school would have been vaccinated too.
I WISH mine would get CP, At least Charlie, Ben has had all his vaccinations, and Al is due for hers next week. Getting the actual virus is supposed to be better protection than the vaccination anyway.

mckayleesmom replied: I read that 1 in 4 kids can still get it and alot do get it after the vaccinations. Isn't the vac just suppose to prevent them from getting a strong case of it? I thought they could still get a milder form. My nephew had the vac and he is the one that has it and my brother said he has it really bad.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Yes, this is what happened to the boys too. Tanner got them, then exactly 14 days later Aiden got them. Tanner had a first round of the immunization. Aiden had not been immunized at all (chose to skip it) at the time of the outbreak. Aiden's were worse than Tanner's, but honestly I'm glad they both got them over with naturally...it wasn't all that bad.

I agree about sending her too. Send her to school if she gets better. Chicken pox, if I remember correctly, are contagious most at the height of the disease. So, when and if she starts breaking out in pox, she will be most contagious then and until the pox scab over.

FYI: You can still get the pox even after getting immunized. However, it would probably be a very mild case. Tanner's was VERY mild and not all that bad to deal with.