Hi Mammas!
So, I found out that a little girl in my son's pre-school class has Chicken Pox, and was having her first outbreak of the pox's on Tuesday, when my son was of course at school. So, she was contagious. Now, my son has already had the illness, when he was just 4 months old. I'd call it a moderate case. Here's my question....how likely is it that he brought it home to his 9 month old brother? Are the bugs that resistent to survive on my son and his clothes, and come home and infect his little brother? I did have him remove his shoes and wash his hands the minute he walked into the hosue. Also, what is the likelyhood that my older son could catch it again? He never had the Vacc since he got the illness.
Now, his dad and I both have had the Pox TWICE!! I had it when I was in grade school and I also got it again 2 weeks after my older son had it when he was 4 months old (about 4 years ago). I took Acyclovir and that stopped it's progression in me, thank goodness, but I'm just wondering if I still got the titer benefit, so I don't get it a 3rd time! And, Murphy's Law, the timing is crappy becuase my hubby is coming home from Iraq in 30 days on his R and R vacation, and we have a trip planned! I don't want the kids sick for that!!!
Thanks, Ladies! I appreciate any input you have!
Thank you so much for all the info, Ladies! You are right when you say it does no good to worry, if it's going to happen there's nothing I can do about it. My son was not at school on Monday, when she was most likely the most contagious, so maybe we were spared. And some of you have asked, but, yes, she WAS vaccinated! I guess this does show the virus is mutating from the Vaccine strain, and the vacc is becomeing less effective! Anyhoo, when I got it from my son when he was 4 months old, my first Pox welt showed EXACTLY 14 days to the day he showed his first. So I think that's a realistic incubation period time for us. And I did have the Flu like symptoms about 2 days before that. So I'll be looking out for cold/flu symtons from him starting around the 14 or 15th of this month. If we stick the 14 day incubation rule, which we did before, then even if my 9 month old catches it from my older son, then he should be on the mend already by the time daddy is coming home! Just barely! And I'll call my Doc and have a Rx for Acyclovir on the ready in case I start showing symtoms again! If taken when the flu-like symptoms start up, the lesions most often don't even "sprout". ;-) Thanks again ladies!
-- A., dear heart- I'll be praying SO much that you have THE most wonderful vacation with your wonderful husband.
Blessings on all of you--- and I'll bet big money all will be well--
:-)
old Mom
aka- J.
hi gals.
I don't have a response to A.'s question,.. but an added question.
I had my sons (5 & 2) vaccinated for Chicken Pox.. are you all saying the vaccine does not work well enough, or did you not have your kids vaccinated; and/or the other little girl in your preschool was not vaccinated.
thanks for the info.. I'll be more on the look-out if need be.
regards,
Margaret.
I don't think he will catch it, but try and plan for the best scenario, because worrying about it won't help. You don't know how much contact he had with her at preschool and the situation is unpredictable. Enjoy your time with your husband.
Hi A.,
My kids are of such an age that I am trying to give them chicken pox so I've been reading up on this. Chicken pox is most contagious before the pox break out when most people just get mild cold like symptoms (sneezing and coughing). It is transmitted in the droplets from the mouth and nose.
The usual incubation time is up to 24 days. And I don't think an episode lasts longer than a week. (Help me on this one ladies!)
I think you will be fine since you have already had it twice. I do think the vaccinations are weak because they were from a different strain that what is going around now. That would explain all the adults getting it again and even people who have had the vaccine getting it again. Each time I am sure gives you a little more immunity to it. And I doubt your son could have carried it home. Often siblings give each other a little immunity so they don't always have to all get sick to get the benefits.
Best wishes on your time together.
K.
Your son is likely to get it again because he was so young the first time. Children are contagious long before their first spots show up, so your son likely was exposed more than you think. Chicken pox is an airborne virus, so while washing his hands is always a good idea, changing his clothes or removing his shoes won't matter. If your son doesn't get it, he won't pass it either. If he is going to get it, it will be about 10 days after his exposure. You don't mention how young your baby is, but I am sure you know from your other son's experience that chicken pox can be dangerous in very young babies, so if yours is very young, you'll need to keep the pediatrician updated. Also, since you have had the virus, if you are breastfeeding, it is passed to your infant as well which would protect him (not 100% though).
Good luck and thank your husband for me for his service
Hi A.. Wow, I have been hearing of a lot of chicken pox going around right now. I am actually trying to expose my twin boys but the timing is always bad. I have done a lot of research on chicken pox exposure and the contagious period.
The incubation period is an average of 14 days. It can be up to 21 days. Or as short as 9 for some people. They are contagious a couple days BEFORE they break out, so its hard to judge. Often they get sick with a runny nose and fever right before, so that is when they are coming down with it. Then they are contagious until their blisters dry (usually 3-5 days).
The best way to catch chicken pox is through saliva or direct contact with the fluid in the pox blisters. I suppose you can also catch it just by being around another child with pox, but I think it is much harder to catch that way. Hopefully you are spared this round and I wish you a wonderful reunion with your husband.
If you happen to hear of any other cases of chicken pox, I would love to have a play date for my boys and a child with an active case. Let me know if you hear of any, thanks.
I think even if they do catch it, it will be gone by the time your husband comes home. I don't know for sure, but I imagine that chicken pox contagiousness is similar to a staph infection, which I have dealt with for my daughter and she caught it simply by crawling on the same floor as another kid that had it. So I do think it's possible that your son could "carry" it home. If you had him strip down and wash up immediatly without touching anything, then there is a good chance that it stopped there, unless he did "catch" it again himself, which is possible. Generally people only have to catch it once and will never get it again, but the severity of it when they get sick matters a lot. A mild case has a large chance of getting sick again, a moderate case has a lesser chance, but a chance none the less. A full blown case like I had when I was two is least likely to get infected again. I have never had the vaccine, but I had chickenpox pretty bad when I was about two and I have never had it or anything like it since. I would just keep a close eye on the both of them and yourself. Maybe let your doctor know ahead of time that they have been exposed and see if he has any suggestions. Good luck.
