Sending a 3yo to nursery with chicken pox

kat360

On tuesday morning my lg got up with spots all down the one side of her back, the same day a HV (not my normal one who's on holiday) came to weigh my 6 week old. I showed her the spots and she said they were chicken pox (the third time she's had them). She went on to tell me that I shouldn't keep her home from nursery as "most children need to get it before they are too old"

I haven't sent her but am I the only one who has a problem knowingly infecting other children?

chunkychocky

Most nurseries wouldn't accept her until all her spots are scabbed over. Any that do should be ashamed of themselves.

Gillyx

Completely unprofessional for a health visitor to advise that imo.

It's not just the children at the nursery that have to be thought of, there will be workers or parents there too who could have underlying health issues/pregnancy which can make chicken pox very serious indeed.

You have done the right thing by keeping her off, and like the PP said, any decent nursery wouldn't accept them anyway.

kat360

I'm glad it's not just me, like I said she wasn't my normal one. She told me I was feeding my 6 week old too much when I was told by the doctor at the hospital to feed him as much as he would take.( He was premature,just about 37 weeks).

Gillyx I hadn't thought of that, one of the workers at the nursery is pregnant, I'm glad I phoned them and told them about it anyway.

mysk_girl

As the chair of a preschool, we wouldn't accept a child until the spots are scabbed. How unprofessional of her to suggest that you send her, she has no idea who could be immune compromised and vulnerable.

And if I choose to deliberately infect my children with chickenpox, that's my decision not the decision of a parent to send an infectious child to nursery.

Limey

Have you spoken to the doc about it? It's unusual for someone to have chicken pox 3 times. The symptoms sound a bit more like shingles which is the 'adult' version of chicken pox.

And yeah very silly advice from the HV. It is true that it's best for kids to get it young so as to develop an immunity. Getting it when you're older can result in worse effects (fertility problems).

andygb

Report the health visitor, saying exactly what they had told you to do.
The World would be a far better place if people like that were not around to give "advice".

gunsandbanjos

That's crazy! I'd be livid if a parent knowingly sent a child to school when they were infectious. Terrible advice from your HV.

McKneff

It used to be the norm to be quite honest in the past.

Doctors used to tell you to do this because children used to get over the diseases quicker than they did when they grew older.
Especially Mumps.....

marleyboy

Albeit I have heard of Chicken Pox Parties, no nursery would or should partake in them. Your Health Visitor should know this is routine.

gunsandbanjos

McKneff wrote: »

It used to be the norm to be quite honest in the past.

Doctors used to tell you to do this because children used to get over the diseases quicker than they did when they grew older.
Especially Mumps.....

That's true, but it is the choice of the parents to take their child and willingly infect them at these parties. Not having an infected child forced upon them at nursery.