Chicken Pox and week old baby???

[cassi*girl]

Hi.
I am needing some advice...............!! My DH works in a supermarket and a girl yesterday went to work with chicken pox (der!!) and he worked with her. Our concern is would he been likely to have caught it from her??
Some info - he worked in her department with her for about 10 minutes and didn't get within about 1metre of her.........she has the rash on her tummy, back and in her mouth (ewww!!, again WHY go to work??).
Another staff member from the store has rung in today after being off sick for 2 days saying that she also has chicken pox.
Sounds like it is going to go through the whole store - NICE!!

So my question is how likely is it that our 1 week old bubs will get it? How long till we know if she does have it (I have read 10 - 15 days and 15 - 18 days??) and also how dangerous is it for her if she does get them?
Our 3 year old has been imunised so that isn't such a worry and I have had them so fingers crossed we will be ok.

Any help you can give me would be great. I have rung my Dr and Nurse on call (where she read out to me all that I had already read on the internet - not much help at all) but I just wanted to hear what you ladies think as you are all so helpful and clever :smiliedance:

Sandi :)

[priya]

Hi Sandi,

I just want to know whether your DH had prior chickenpox infection then i can add. Gotta go now. Little miss is crying. Will login tom.

[cassi*girl]

Hi Priya,
Well I am not sure, his mother can not recall - yep I know hard to believe a mother would forget this sort of thing:no: :rolleyes: LOL
His Dad seems to think both him & his brother had it and I know his sister hasn't had it as she had the shot for it a couple of years ago I believe.
DH is the 3rd child so I put it down to last child syndrome.....he he he :p

Thanks for any help.

[Funkychicken]

My DH contracted chicken pox at age 23 and he was sooooo sick. Couch ridden for over a week. So if he contracts it, be prepered for a sick DH!

Have you had it before? if so, and if you are breastfeeding, then your baby will most likely be receiving your immunity. This isn't gauranteed but she has a much better than even chance this way.
The contagious period usually begins from the onset of spots and continues for three weeks. if you get past three weeks with no spots, then your baby should be clear.

Hope that helps you. :)

[Funkychicken]

Oh, and I almost forgot to say.

Congratulations on the arrival of your pink bubba! :smiliedance: How lovely for you to have one of each. I bet her big brother is very excited right now!

[bekkyboo]

A friend of mines bub had it at that age (she had it when she gave birth)... The bub got sick, but pulled through really good. They said it can be serious, but they gave the bub some shots and she was ok.

Hope everything is ok and that no one gets sick!

[cassi*girl]

Thank you for your help. I am not breastfeeding which is a bit of a bummer, but we do what we have to do hey!! (I chose not to bf)
I will keep an eye on Charli for the next month or so I am sure. (more than I would have!!)
DH will just have to fend for himself I certainly won't have time for THREE kids to look after lol......:fingerscrossed: he won't get it because I know they can be absolute sook's when they are sick :rolleyes: Just as well they don't have to give birth hey.

[Ky]

Having had chickenpox recently, I will share my experience!

My kids spent time with a friend from my dd's class at school who had chickenpox and we thought that they would be ok as they had had a mild dose when they were 5mo and 2yo ... I was so wrong!

Two weeks later, dd came home from school with spots and I started feeling really sick (migraine like headache, aching bones, muscles and joints). DD was ready to go back to school the next tuesday (had a week off) and I was ready to face the world (well, as ready as I could be while looking hideous!) on the following friday.

Exactly two weeks after DD got spots, DS got a decent dose! I made him run around naked (he's 3 ½) and spend plenty of time in the sun. I also had a tub of water with Pinetarsol in it which he could jump in and out of all day. He got spots on the tuesday (he had the most of all of us!) and they were completely crusted over by the saturday! He was back at pre-school on the following monday. I think that the sunshine and no clothes helped an incredible amount!

There is no way of telling that you are contagious initially, as it takes a few days for the spots to come out. You are ok to go back to work/school/pre-school/mixing with others, once all of your spots have crusted over. You still look like you have a bad case and are really spotty, but are no longer contagious at this point.

Now, 4 weeks later, I still have some spots that are finally lmost gone ... there is no way that I would have confined myself and the kids to home for longer than absolutley necessary. I am the kind of person who always rings my friends and anyone I have had contact with if my kids or myself get sick, so I don't take this lightly.

Maybe the woman who went back to work just still looked spotty, but is over the contagious period? Just a thought ...