I'm in tears...

[Peanut Giggleface]

That sounds like what we did with our daughter. We had had a cruise planned for some time and about a week before we were due to leave, I noticed a handful of spots on her. I took her to the Dr. and he confirmed it was indeed chicken pox. I was shocked because she had the varicella shot. The Dr. explained that it doesn't always prevent a child from getting CP, but greatly reduces the symptoms if they do. By the time we were ready to leave, she was fine and had received the go ahead from the Dr.

 

[Hunclemarco]

As stated above, i hope all goes well for you and your family. You'll surely need a relaxing break after dealing with this situation.

Please keep all of us posted on your progress.

 

[bwilcox]

We will not go unless our ped assures us that they are no longer contagious mainly because of the Make a Wish kids, pregnant women, etc. We don't want a harmless virus for us to end up killing someone else.

If they are no longer contagious, I think we are going as planned. They truly have mild cases. Both kids have less than 10 pox each and they all appear to be healing. Neither kid has really been acting sick and had I not noticed the pox during bath time, we would still have no idea they had them.

But it's really going to come down to the contagious factor and wether or not they get worse.

I applaud you for not going if your kids are contagious. That is a very unselfish thing to do. I wanted to add, though, that besides the groups that you listed that could be made very ill by cp, even families with healthy kids would not appreciate having their vacation ruined if their kids came down with cp in the middle of it.
I hope everything works out and you get to go or reschedule.

 

[Brave teacher]

I just wanted to send my healing pixie dust your way and thank you for trying to be a responsible parent here. Too many people would just go ahead with the trip because they don't want to move it. I wish them a speedy recovery.

 

[wdwfamilyinIL]

I am glad to see you say you won't go if they are contagious....there are too many people that would go anyhow so its nice to hear. Have you tried dial soap, not liquid just the old fashioned yellow bar. It works wonders to dry up the blisters, and less of a mess than oatmeal. I love oatmeal baths but hate the clean up.

 

[Virtucomp]

I hope the kids will be feeling better by Saturday.

My neice had the vaccine when it came out and got a mild case of the pox a year later. It did pass quickly so hopefully yours do the same.

Another thing to consider is that you mention it may be only 4 days by Saturday. Since that is your travel day maybe you could just take it easy that day and make sure the kids don't get overwelmed by the travel and excitement.

I am going to use my powers of prediction and say that they will be all better and ready to go on Saturday! The power of positive thinking.


Good Luck.

 

[Goldenbear6]

We are supposed to leave Saturday morning and our two oldest kids have Chicken Pox. I'm on hold now with Disney see if we can change our trip or if we're just out of luck.

Sorry to hear this. But, remember it could have been a lot worst. They could have come down with chicken pox while you were at Disney. At least this way you can change your plans and go when everyone is in good health.

 

[mousireid]

I know how you feel! I had a post regarding my deployed hubbys extension and had to cancel our trip in March...BUT we booked a wee bit longer in JUNE!
I wish your kids a speedy recovery and a whole new, even better extra fun to plan trip to Disney! I know you are bummed but I promise you will go again and have a ball! Best wishes!

 

[Dawgdad]

I don't know where you're getting your information from but I just checked several sources online and they all said Varicella is contagious until blisters are crusted over. Here are a few:

http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/sick/chicken_pox.html

http://www.drgreene.com/azguide/chickenpox?page=2

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/T083400.asp

I'm sorry if I was unclear. I understand that they are contagious until they crust over...and MOST crust over between 2 to 4 days after appearing - thus by day 5 after rash, you should be fine. Like I said, it is very rare for the contagious period to extend beyond 5 days after rash.

That said, when our first child (wow, that seems almost funny to say) was 2, we had a Disney trip planned and he of course got CP 1 week before we were to leave. To be safe, we moved the trip up 1 week - I understand that is not always possible, I just wanted to be clear that I am not suggesting that you just assume all is well and take off at the first possible moment. The vaccine will have some lessening effect and you may be surprised at how quickly they crust - and once they do, they are NOT contagious. Good luck!!!


My information comes from my sister's husband - pediatrician.

 

[tlenzendorf]

I hope they crust over for you quickly! Oatmeal baths for everyone

 

[dreams4disney]

[/QUOTE]My information comes from my sister's husband - pediatrician.[/QUOTE]

He HE! Well, you can not do any better than that! I would trust our pediatricians words before I would take the word of any website. He has been our pediatrician for over 15 years and he is wonderful.

 

[tlenzendorf]

He HE! Well, you can not do any better than that! I would trust our pediatricians words before I would take the word of any website. He has been our pediatrician for over 15 years and he wonderful.

Even the CDC website says contagious until crusting over. I work in a Peds Clinic as a Medical Assistant and that is also what we tell our patients, contagious until crusty! Dawgdad was correct with his post about 5 days, since that is typically how long it takes for kids who had the Varicella immunization to crust over.

 

[dreams4disney]

Our pediatrician is the director of our county health department and I am also a Medical Assistant. I just said I would trust him over any other becuase of every thing we have been through with our children and our special needs child. He has been amazing. I do not take websites for granted because they are not all reliable sites. I would not tell a patient to get on the web and go by what they found.

Our children had the chicken pox while I was pregnant. My husband also got them. The kids were better with in a week. After I had my last child they had the vaccination so he received it. He did get them but it was very mild and did not last near a week.

 

[Queasy]

Poor you!

 

[think-like-tink]

How about a update OP? What did Disney say?

 

[vikkil70]

Sorry to hear that! Hope the kids are feeling better soon!

 

[Dawgdad]

Even the CDC website says contagious until crusting over. I work in a Peds Clinic as a Medical Assistant and that is also what we tell our patients, contagious until crusty! Dawgdad was correct with his post about 5 days, since that is typically how long it takes for kids who had the Varicella immunization to crust over.

I could have been more clear I think. The time is important, but I was assuming everyone knew they had to crust over - sorry for the confusion. BTW - have you tried putting your kids in a tanning bed for a few hours a day to speed up the drying out process? hehe - just kidding.

 

[tlenzendorf]

I could have been more clear I think. The time is important, but I was assuming everyone knew they had to crust over - sorry for the confusion. BTW - have you tried putting your kids in a tanning bed for a few hours a day to speed up the drying out process? hehe - just kidding.

A tanning bed would also help them from getting sunburn while you are there

 

[Dawgdad]

A tanning bed would also help them from getting sunburn while you are there

and also give them a very healthy golden-bronze appearance which can be very attractive. win/win

 

[tlenzendorf]

Our pediatrician is the director of our county health department and I am also a Medical Assistant. I just said I would trust him over any other becuase of every thing we have been through with our children and our special needs child. He has been amazing. I do not take websites for granted because they are not all reliable sites. I would not tell a patient to get on the web and go by what they found.
QUOTE]

I agree, I would not typically tell a parent to get on the web and go by what they found. But I would go by what the CDC website says.

I'm glad you have an amazing pediatrician. My kids see my docs that I work with and I would also take their advice over what most people would say. Actually I just got advice today on how to deal with a preteen instead of beating her (and no, I wouldn't actually beat her, it was a joke!)