Chicken pox

[heartofjoy]

I think my ds14 has chicken pox. He's running a fever and has a few small blister-like spots on his trunk and face. He says they are a little itchy.

My oldest has been vaccinated. Do I need to quarantine her?

My younger three have not. Do I quarantine them until ds is better? I know you can be contagious for a time before you show symptoms.

---------- Post added at 10:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:51 AM ----------

Also, do I have to take him to the doctor for "proof" that he's had the chicken pox so that he doesn't have to get the vaccine? We've been catching up on vaccines this year and we hadn't gotten to varicella yet.

---------- Post added at 10:57 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:52 AM ----------

Also, do I need to quarantine myself? Can I pass it on? Co-op is tomorrow and I could potentially go teach and dd could go and I could leave the rest of the kids at home with dad. Is that considered okay?

Sorry for the questions. I don't think we've ever dealt with an infectious disease other than a cold.

[Katigre]

I would ask for an Rx for an antiviral if that can help learn the severity of his symptoms - iirc you have to start it right away for it to be effective. At his age the disease is more likely to be painful and miserable. Otherwise I'd call your doctor and see what they say. Incubation period is 14-21 days so you may need to quarantine for awhile.

---------- Post added at 11:16 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:11 AM ----------

Honestly, if I were in your shoes I would get the younger the vaccinated asap to hopefully prevent them acquiring the disease, I'd also skip coop tomorrow because potentially exposing others isn't something I'd feel comfortable with unless you know they're OK with chicken pox (many parents aren't these days).

[heartofjoy]

Originally Posted by Katigre

I would ask for an Rx for an antiviral if that can help learn the severity of his symptoms - iirc you have to start it right away for it to be effective. At his age the disease is more likely to be painful and miserable. Otherwise I'd call your doctor and see what they say. Incubation period is 14-21 days so you may need to quarantine for awhile.

---------- Post added at 11:16 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:11 AM ----------

Honestly, if I were in your shoes I would get the younger the vaccinated asap to hopefully prevent them acquiring the disease, I'd also skip coop tomorrow because potentials exposing others isn't something I'd feel comfortable with unless you know they're OK with chicken pox (many parents aren't these days).

Really? Vaccinated asap? If they've been exposed and are already sick without symptoms, won't that be a bad thing?

I did call the doctor's office and talked to a nurse. She didn't mention an antiviral.

We are definitely quarantining the younger three. I just found out that the oldest isn't considered completely immunized because she only had one dose of the vaccine. She's 16 and involved in everything under the sun. She's going to freak out if I quarantine her and she doesn't end up getting it. I will though, if that's what I should do.

[Katigre]

Depending on how long they've been exposed the vaccine might be able to prevent getting the disease - if their exposure is from your DS which means they have 2-3 weeks until they'd get sick. If they were exposed from the same source as your DS then there vaccine wouldn't change anything.

For your Dd I'd get her the second shot asap and probably feel comfortable with her not being quarantined.

Antivirals are given only in higher risk situations so you're DS isn't in that category.

Note: chicken pox is a vaccine that I changed my mind about last year and started vaccinating my children for it.

[heartofjoy]

Originally Posted by Katigre

Depending on how long they've been exposed the vaccine might be able to prevent getting the disease - if their exposure is from your DS which means they have 2-3 weeks until they'd get sick. If they were exposed from the same source as your DS then there vaccine wouldn't change anything.

For your Dd I'd get her the second shot asap and probably feel comfortable with her not being quarantined.

Antivirals are given only in higher risk situations so you're DS isn't in that category.

Note: chicken pox is a vaccine that I changed my mind about last year and started vaccinating my children for it.

Well, I looked up the antiviral and it's recommended for otherwise healthy persons over the age of 12. I just called the office and told the nurse to ask the doctor about it. And I asked her to ask the doctor about getting them the vaccines. I'm waiting for her to call back with recommendations from the doctor.

My friends's kids have had chicken pox, but her daughter got shingles last week. Ds babysat for them the week before. So could that be the exposure? If so, both my sons were there, but daughters were not.

[OnAMission]

My understanding of shingles is that only touching the rash itself can be contagious. In other words, it is not airborne. However, if the girl had touched her itchy spots, then touched something else that your son touched, then maybe your son could have gotten it.

[heartofjoy]

Technically, I'd have to keep my kids away from people for 21 days after the last contagious day. So that's over a month. I don't think I've ever heard of that kind of quarantine for chicken pox. I asked a few local people and they don't seem to think I have to keep them away until I see symptoms.

[mamacat]

That sounds reasonable because they may not get it.Would only start to quarrantine if they have any cold symptoms at all start - runny nose etc.Also have always heard that once sores have scabs on them you are good.esp. for a kid your sons age - not like he would be in daycare sharing toys

[ECingMama]

You don't need to keep them home before 10 days after exposure...and from 10-16 days is probably enough. We had it blowing through the crunchy community here.

I'll be back with links for treatment.

It was no big deal for absolutely everyone here...was uncomfortable for 3-4 days.

My BIL who is nearly 50 got it last year and was out for two weeks. My sister didn't want links when I offered them. Their loss.

[squirt_mama]

Ummm... Can I bring my 2 littles over for a chicken pox party??
#kiddingnotkidding #lifelongnaturalimmunity


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[heartofjoy]

Originally Posted by squirt_mama

Ummm... Can I bring my 2 littles over for a chicken pox party??
#kiddingnotkidding #lifelongnaturalimmunity


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'd love to meet a gcm, so come on!

[mamacat]

How is he doing?

[heartofjoy]

Originally Posted by mamacat

How is he doing?

He's pretty miserable. Yesterday was the worst so far. He woke up two nights ago and threw up. He felt better afterwards. He's been taking benadryl at night and I think that helps. We've done an oatmeal bath, but he said the itching was worse while actually in the bath, though better afterwards. We've done baking soda dissolved in water and dabbed that all over and let dry. That helps. I've given him Tylenol a couple of times just for pain relief and fever relief, though were mostly letting his fever do it's work.

He missed Disciple Now this weekend which is a local youth retreat where they stay at host homes and do community service with a group of kids their age. I'm upset for him that he had to miss it. He's already missed one baseball game and will probably miss all three this coming week. I think missing stuff is worse than dealing with the chicken pox.

He's been binge watching his favorite tv show, Psych. So there is some upside to it all. I might get him his favorite ice cream or something today.

And I think he feels hideous with pox all over his face.

---------- Post added at 10:06 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:52 AM ----------

This morning his throat is hurting so bad it's hard to swallow.

But no new spots on the section of his back that we circled with Sharpie marker.

[mamacat]

bentonite clay in baths and then used as a paste instead of using something like calamine is really supposed to help with itching and healing process.As hard as it is it doesnt sound like he is ill in a concerning way with high fevers an that kind of thing.After sores are more scabbed over using raw honey will really help not to have scarring.

[Katigre]

He might have pox inside his throat - that tends to be more common with teens who get it (at least the people I know who got that were teens). I hope he feels better soon!