What can I expect from school if DS has chickenpox?

[mamaforkindness]

DS is 4 and attends a PUBLIC Montessori school (preschool thru 8th grade).  He is not vaxed for chickenpox, and a family we spend a lot of time with has it now.  We were just with them and may have been exposed (which would be okay with me).  BUT, I'm really worried about backlash from the school.  

Can anyone tell me what their experience has been?  Any advice on how to keep peace with the school and other parents?

Thanks.

[Amatullah0]

just say "oh he can't come to school, he's sick/contagious?" if they press further, you could tell them that ds is under the care of a doctor, or is on medication, or is being treated for it, etc. and his illness is of a personal matter?

with my personality though, I would probably be open about it, oh yeah, he's got the pox, no biggie, now he'll be immune to it forever! Kids get sick. Kids get the pox. Even vaccinated kids can get the pox. To me, its no big deal, and when I was a kid, when I had the pox(15 years ago) it was no big deal. I also don't send DS to school, and we don't hang around our playgroup too much(the kids are all older than DS and usually do crafts that DS wouldn't be able to do), and the moms that I do hang around are moms who've been my friends for years before I even had DS, and if DS came down with something, pox, measles, mumps, they would say "oh no!" and be worried for DS, and they might even ask if he is vaccinated if they don't know that he's not, but i'm 95% sure that, as long as DS hadn't been around their kids in a while, they wouldn't be mad at me for putting their children in danger or anything, especially since most of them vaccinate, and if they did, I would explain to them that its very unlikely that their children would get it, and if they do, heres what to do:... but thats my personality, influenced by the relationships I have with the other moms that I spend time with.

eta: just saw your post count -- wow, you should win the major lurker's award  almost a year, and this is your first post! 

[mumm]

Don't tell the school he has been exposed!  He'll have to skip school during the time he *may* be contagious.  Once he has it just call in sick like normal.  Other non-vaxed will have to skip school during the time they *may* be contagious from exposure to him.

Do call your pedi in case they want a visual for records.  You will want it on your empty vax chart.

Then, the day before your kid goes back to school give your teacher the heads up bacause a lot of kids have never seen a post-pox face with scabs!

[LisaSedai]

My unvaxed son was exposed to a child with chicken pox at school (public). The school nurse called me and asked if I wanted to take him out of school (uh, no) and that I should inform my pediatrician (I guess so Dr could encourage me to give him the shot.) I watched and waited but no spots appeared.

[zebra15]

Really? the chicken pox is that big of a deal for the school... I must totally be missing something in my little homeschooled bubble over here.

[JBaxter]

Exposure does not guarentee chickenpox.  I would not tell the school about a possible case.  If your child gets fever or spots then keep them from school.  Get a confirmation from the doctor and something in writing when they can go back to school.