Exposed to chicken pox - OK to attend school?

[4Marmalade]

Ds1 is about halfway through his chickenpox outbreak. Obviously, dd1 has been exposed. From what I've read, if she gets it (70-80% chance), she should break out anywhere from 10-21 days from exposure. In the meantime, is she OK to attend school? Am I supposed to keep her home so that she does not expose anyone else? I mean, ds1 got it from school (there have been outbreaks in his class) so I'm sure many kids are being exposed anyways. And I'm sure many have the vaccine. I guess I feel bad sending her as her teacher has a new baby (maybe one month) at home but I also can't see keeping her home for 3 weeks. Chances are she will develop it when she's at home anyways as she only attends school 2 days/week.

What's the protocol on this?

[Marnica]

There is no protocol really. It is a judgement call. One is contagious before the rash breaks out, so yes IF she were going to get it, she could expose others at school. But it isn't really practical to keep a child who is not ill yet home from school for 3 weeks! It's funny, before the vax came out, nobody worried about stuff like this. People got CP, they stayed home when they knew they had them and went back to school when their rash was scabbed over and called it a day. Nobody went around accusing their mothers of being negligent or "exposing" others, although the incubation period for CP has never changed, It has always been what it is. The onlt thing that has changed is how people think about CP!

[4Marmalade]

Originally Posted by Marnica

There is no protocol really. It is a judgement call. One is contagious before the rash breaks out, so yes IF she were going to get it, she could expose others at school. But it isn't really practical to keep a child who is not ill yet home from school for 3 weeks! It's funny, before the vax came out, nobody worried about stuff like this. People got CP, they stayed home when they knew they had them and went back to school when their rash was scabbed over and called it a day. Nobody went around accusing their mothers of being negligent or "exposing" others, although the incubation period for CP has never changed, It has always been what it is. The onlt thing that has changed is how people think about CP!

It's true. I do kind of feel like the negligent mom exposing all the other kids . Thanks for the reply. I did send her to school today.

[2boyzmama]

The only reason you might be cautious is if you know that there's an immuno-compromised child in your daughter's class.

In our case, my middle son has Primary Immune Deficiency, so the teacher sends a note home explaining a little about it and asking that parents be extra judicious about sending their kids to school if they might be sick.

That being said, though, I am willingly putting my immune compromised child in public school, so I am accepting the inherent risks. I do ask that parents not knowingly send their sick kids to school, but otherwise I can't control something like CP where the child might be contagious before they are knowingly sick.

[4Marmalade]

Originally Posted by 2boyzmama

The only reason you might be cautious is if you know that there's an immuno-compromised child in your daughter's class.

In our case, my middle son has Primary Immune Deficiency, so the teacher sends a note home explaining a little about it and asking that parents be extra judicious about sending their kids to school if they might be sick.

That being said, though, I am willingly putting my immune compromised child in public school, so I am accepting the inherent risks. I do ask that parents not knowingly send their sick kids to school, but otherwise I can't control something like CP where the child might be contagious before they are knowingly sick.

Thanks. I think that is more what I was worried about. I did send a note with dd today telling her teacher the situation so I am sure if there was an extenuating circumstance where we needed to be more careful he would let us know.

[Peony]

Originally Posted by 4Marmalade

Thanks. I think that is more what I was worried about. I did send a note with dd today telling her teacher the situation so I am sure if there was an extenuating circumstance where we needed to be more careful he would let us know.

Sounds good to me. I handle CP like I do a cold, I don't keep one child home just because they haven't gotten it yet, but it is always nice to know if there is a child that really should not be exposed like the other posters were saying.

[2boyzmama]

Originally Posted by 4Marmalade

Thanks. I think that is more what I was worried about. I did send a note with dd today telling her teacher the situation so I am sure if there was an extenuating circumstance where we needed to be more careful he would let us know.

And even in our case, chicken pox is more of a theoretical risk to my son. He did contract it once (is not immune, so will probably get it again) and did okay with it (he shed it for 9 weeks total, and did develop secondary infection, but it wasn't as hard on him as we feared it might be)