Chicken Pox

[Paul Laycock]

My Son was diagnosed with Chicken Pox yesterday, he has the usual symptoms, covered in spots/blisters.

A doctor has given him lotion and what I assume are antibiotics. I had the virus/disease in my very young day's, my question is, how long should he stay away from school?

My understanding is this is a highly contagious disease and don't really want any repercussions from his illness.

[manfredtillmann]

by the time you see the obvious symptoms the contagious period is almost over. if he has been to school until last friday he would have infected everyone around him already.

be aware of contracting chicken pox after the age of 18, it can lead to all sorts of complications incl. epilepsy from scaring on the brain surface.

so getting infected young is to everyone's advantage.

[Paul Laycock]

Thankyou for the reply, I knew this, my question in your opinion and to anyone else, how long should I keep him from attending school.

[Gsxrnz]

Until the spots are gone and he feels comfortable, maybe up to two weeks. DON'T let him scratch them, he'll be scarred for life.

It begs the question WHY wasn't he immunised?

Should have been done at 18 months. If he hasn't had the routine immunisations for everything else by this stage, you better chase it up in a hurry.

And I'm no doctor, but even I know that anti-biotics are totally useless against a viral infection, so go and google the medication and see what he has been given.

Edited February 14, 2016 by Gsxrnz

[Paul Laycock]

He had all the usual jabs including MMR until the age of two, that's when we moved to Thailand, I have not honestly heard of a vaccine for chicken pox. Too late now but correct me if I'm wrong.

[sunnyjim5]

Thankyou for the reply, I knew this, my question in your opinion and to anyone else, how long should I keep him from attending school.

All you need to know about Chicken Pox is in the link

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chickenpox/Pages/Introduction.aspx

[Gsxrnz]

He had all the usual jabs including MMR until the age of two, that's when we moved to Thailand, I have not honestly heard of a vaccine for chicken pox. Too late now but correct me if I'm wrong.

MMRV includes the viral immunisation for chicken pox, the V stands for varicella. What country were you in that he didn't get immunised for it?

Some countries do it all differently so maybe your country did the varicella later then the MMR.

Anyway, as I said I am no doctor. But I'd recommend you figure out what he has had v what he should have had by your countries standards and make sure you keep up to date with the requirements.

Good luck.

Oh, and on a side note. I have had 2 cases of shingles - a related viral condition to shingles that adults can get when exposed to the CP virus if you've previously had CP. If I even think I've been exposed to a kid with CP I dose up immediately on anti-virals. If you feel any sort of tingling sore or weeping sore on your nose or face, get to the doctor quickly and get some medication. If you catch it and medicate within the first 48-72 hours you have a chance of stopping it developing.

Shingles is a nasty disease that you do not want to experience.

[Sheryl]

Should remain home until the skin lesions have fully healed. Discharge from them is highly infective.

[wpcoe]

He had all the usual jabs including MMR until the age of two, that's when we moved to Thailand, I have not honestly heard of a vaccine for chicken pox. Too late now but correct me if I'm wrong.

MMRV includes the viral immunisation for chicken pox, the V stands for varicella. What country were you in that he didn't get immunised for it?

Some countries do it all differently so maybe your country did the varicella later then the MMR.

Anyway, as I said I am no doctor. But I'd recommend you figure out what he has had v what he should have had by your countries standards and make sure you keep up to date with the requirements.

Good luck.

Oh, and on a side note. I have had 2 cases of shingles - a related viral condition to shingles that adults can get when exposed to the CP virus if you've previously had CP. If I even think I've been exposed to a kid with CP I dose up immediately on anti-virals. If you feel any sort of tingling sore or weeping sore on your nose or face, get to the doctor quickly and get some medication. If you catch it and medicate within the first 48-72 hours you have a chance of stopping it developing.

Shingles is a nasty disease that you do not want to experience.

Would a shingles inoculation help? Not sure if it merely ameliorates the symptoms, or actually prevents an outbreak if exposed.

[Sheryl]

Shingles vaccine is preventive, not useful once an outbreak occurs.

However, he is not going to get shingles as a near term result of exposure to his child. Chances are, he already had chicken pox as a child and like just about everyone else, the virus will remain dormant in his body and can erupt as shingles whenever the immune system is weakened or as he ages, the later due both to declining antibody titers and over all age related decline in immune function.

If he never had chicken pox then what he may catch from his son now is actual chicken pox (which is much worse in adults than children).

Shingles vaccine highly recommended after about age 55 for everyone (unless some contraindication to it)

[Paul Laycock]

My wife is Thai, I'm British, we lived in England before moving to Thailand. My son was born in East Surrey Hospital, we received a red book which is standard with all births in that area.

We received visits from our local midwife/nurse to see things were going ok, the book as mentioned described the immunization process. Being a responsible parent he had jabs until we left England and has had further immunization' since being here.

[Sheryl]

Incredibly enough, varicella vacvine is not ptovided under the NHS in the UK nor by the govt health system in Thailand, though those who can afford to pay can obtain it privately in both countries.

There was an article about this in the Guardian about a year or two ago.

[JohnC]

Get him some Piriton syrup, it relieves the itchiness thereby stops the need to scratch.

[wpcoe]

Would a shingles inoculation help? Not sure if it merely ameliorates the symptoms, or actually prevents an outbreak if exposed.

Shingles vaccine is preventive, not useful once an outbreak occurs.

However, he is not going to get shingles as a near term result of exposure to his child. Chances are, he already had chicken pox as a child and like just about everyone else, the virus will remain dormant in his body and can erupt as shingles whenever the immune system is weakened or as he ages, the later due both to declining antibody titers and over all age related decline in immune function.

If he never had chicken pox then what he may catch from his son now is actual chicken pox (which is much worse in adults than children).

Shingles vaccine highly recommended after about age 55 for everyone (unless some contraindication to it)

Sorry. I wasn't clear in what I was asking. After one has the shingles vaccine, does it totally prevent the onset of shingles, or does it just make the symptoms milder if one does get it?

[sunnyjim5]

Would a shingles inoculation help? Not sure if it merely ameliorates the symptoms, or actually prevents an outbreak if exposed.

Shingles vaccine is preventive, not useful once an outbreak occurs.

However, he is not going to get shingles as a near term result of exposure to his child. Chances are, he already had chicken pox as a child and like just about everyone else, the virus will remain dormant in his body and can erupt as shingles whenever the immune system is weakened or as he ages, the later due both to declining antibody titers and over all age related decline in immune function.

If he never had chicken pox then what he may catch from his son now is actual chicken pox (which is much worse in adults than children).

Shingles vaccine highly recommended after about age 55 for everyone (unless some contraindication to it)

Sorry. I wasn't clear in what I was asking. After one has the shingles vaccine, does it totally prevent the onset of shingles, or does it just make the symptoms milder if one does get it?

No vaccine offers 100% immunity, however, it could be expected that having the "shingles" vaccine would, at the least, lessen the severity of any occurrence.

[donnybay]

Anti antibiotics for chickenpox for a kid? change your doctor, don't ask for advise on a forum, or search on Google to get more advise

Really crazy

[Paul Laycock]

My son is 12 years old going on 13. I am very limited in my options of doctors in our area. I was not asking for advice on medication or where to take him. My original question "how long should I keep him from school" the question has been answered and I have made my decision.

[JHolmesJr]

A month is a good estimate