Oh No! Chicken Pox! Need Pixie Dust!

[JNorris]

We are SUPPOSED to sail next week on the 3/16 Wonder, and wouldn't you know it, chicken pox is going around my DD7's school! They sent SIX kids in her class alone home today! And all these children (and my DD) were vaccinated for chicken pox!

This is supposed to be a special trip, a surprise to her that we are cruising and that we are taking her 2 cousins with us. We have been planning this since Sept of last year, and I can't believe it has come to this! If anyone has experience with chicken pox, at what point are they no longer contagious? If she gets it, will I have to get a doctor to write a note saying she is no longer contagious? If there is any chance that DCL won't let us board anyway? If this is possible, I'd rather cancel the whole thing, and not tell her what the plans were, because she will be so disappointed. We have travel insurance, so I'm not worried about the money, just the heartbreak of not going.

Judy

 

[mommasita]

Wow, mine both had it, and we were told they were contagious us they started to blister. My son brought it home, and had very few, then my daugher caught it and had TONS of them. Our school system has changed it's way, and does not want the children to stay home at all (unless they are sick as well). Rather they want them to go to school...

Good Luck, and if it does happen, AVEENO bath for chicken pox, and lots of water, water, water. I believe the water speeds up the blistering process.

I would call DCL right now, and see what they say..

 

[bxirishrn]

[ If anyone has experience with chicken pox, at what point are they no longer contagious? If she gets it, will I have to get a doctor to write a note saying she is no longer contagious? If there is any chance that DCL won't let us board anyway? If this is possible, I'd rather cancel the whole thing, and not tell her what the plans were, because she will be so disappointed. We have travel insurance, so I'm not worried about the money, just the heartbreak of not going.

Judy[/QUOTE]

Chickenpox is contagious until the blisters scab over. Usually when vaccinated children do get chickenpox, it is milder, but your daughter's classmates were vaccinated too. Can you keep your child home from school until it blows over?

I had shingles a few years back, and I asked my DD's pediatrician about sending my DD to my brother's house, and she said no. DD never caught chickenpox from my shingles.

Good luck

 

[LadyZolt]

The big problem here is that a child "has" chicken pox before the first blister develops. I deliberately exposed all three of my kids (before vaccinations were possible, back in 1991), when my kids were then 5, 3 and almost 2 years old. The 3 and 2 year old caught it from that exposure (hours playing with a kid who had it) and developed it about 10 or 12 days later. After they got it, about the same time passed before the 5 year old developed blisters.

A person who has chicken pox can spread it to others during the time that spans between 3 days before they develop the first blister and until all the blisters are scabbed over. So even if your child has no visible blisters, that child could spread it to others. The incubation period is 10 to 20 days between exposure and the time that the first symptoms appear. And the disease runs about a week to 10 days in children.

Since we're talking a Disney cruise with lots of kids, if there was even a slight chance my child would be contagious during the cruise, I would cancel it and reschedule it. Just my two cents!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[JNorris]

[/QUOTE]

Chickenpox is contagious until the blisters scab over. Usually when vaccinated children do get chickenpox, it is milder, but your daughter's classmates were vaccinated too. Can you keep your child home from school until it blows over?

I had shingles a few years back, and I asked my DD's pediatrician about sending my DD to my brother's house, and she said no. DD never caught chickenpox from my shingles.

Good luck [/QUOTE]

I wish I could keep her at home, but if we are able to take the cruise, she will be missing 3 days of school anyway. Plus, this all started a week and a half ago, when 2 children in her Brownie troop (also in her class at school) came down with chicken pox. I think it's probably too late to try to limit her exposure now. I'm just really surprised at how many vaccinated children are getting it. I read that the vaccine is 75% to 95% effective, but as of right now, 1/3 of her class has gotten it.

Judy

 

[Blackunicorn]

I'm so sorry. From what I've heard, the chicken pox vaccine only protects against the most common form of the virus, but there is another strain out there. Chances are pretty good that your daughter has been exposed already. I would say try calling DCL and hope they take pity on me, maybe book me on another cruise if that's an option for you. Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed that your daughter doesn't catch it.

 

[LadyZolt]

I'll keep my fingers crossed that your daughter doesn't catch it.

If the OP decides to cancel and reschedule, I think it would be good if her daughter does catch it. First, to cancel and not get it would be a drag -- and more important, you only get chicken pox once and then are immune to it later, so if it's "over and done with," it can't happen to a future cruise.

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[tecdavidt]

Did you buy trip insurance? This might be covered. I would not chance exposing others. Just my opinion take it or leave it. Kathy

 

[Jillpie]

I would call your pediatrician's office and get his expert advice. Go with that, and then make your decision. Its too important a decision to just go with us Disers.

 

[yazee1]

I'm rewriting my response. I missed the part where you said she was vaccinated but even the vaccinated kids are coming down with the chicken pox. Wow, this really bites. I THINK I know what I'd do, but I'm not in your shoes. I can't shake the idea that I might be responsible for other people getting sick, maybe even deathly ill (in the case of immune problems, teen or adult males, elderly)

 

[goofyforlife]

Not to sound like a party pooper.....

But when my DD had chicken pox....we were very careful not to take her near my Dh's grandmother until until she was scabbed over. We visited about 2.5 weeks after my daughter first showed signs and grandmother still got shingles from this exposure...

So much for the scabbed over rule.....

But I would want to expose any other cruisers/children from outside US who might not be vaccinated against the chicken pox virus and might get pretty severe cases of it.

 

[yazee1]

OT, Goofy. I just moved from Fredneck a year and a half ago. to New Jersey. Waaaaaa.

 

[GoofyFD]

I hope they get better soon!!!!

 

[padalyn]

I am sorry to hear your kid(s) are sick - I was just exposed to Varicella (chicken pox) and this is the information my immunologist gave me:

day 1 to day 8 after exposure - no risk of contaminating or spreading it to others

day 9 to day 21 high risk - if any upper respiratory symptoms appear (fever, chills, muscle aches, spots, or general sick stuff) this is the beginning of the contagious period - DO NOT GET NEAR THE ELDERLY OR IMMUNOCOMPROMISED! One is not allowed to fly or be in public areas during this phase.

The disease is spreadable until all the lesions are scabbed and no longer oozing.

This is a medical necessity for canceling/re-schedule. sorry for the bad news.

Padalyn

We are SUPPOSED to sail next week on the 3/16 Wonder, and wouldn't you know it, chicken pox is going around my DD7's school! They sent SIX kids in her class alone home today! And all these children (and my DD) were vaccinated for chicken pox!

This is supposed to be a special trip, a surprise to her that we are cruising and that we are taking her 2 cousins with us. We have been planning this since Sept of last year, and I can't believe it has come to this! If anyone has experience with chicken pox, at what point are they no longer contagious? If she gets it, will I have to get a doctor to write a note saying she is no longer contagious? If there is any chance that DCL won't let us board anyway? If this is possible, I'd rather cancel the whole thing, and not tell her what the plans were, because she will be so disappointed. We have travel insurance, so I'm not worried about the money, just the heartbreak of not going.

Judy

 

[Lindy Loo]

Dear J Norris, Im soooo sorry for you and your family. Just wanted t send some hugs from the UK. I dont know what I would do, I guess speak to doctor and get advice from the preofessionals. Thank goodness you have insurance and your girl wasnt aware of the cruise. At least you can save a few tears for her, I guess I would have to have a little cry on my own. The good news is you can re schedule. Take care.............xxxx

 

[Skuba2]

There is also the possibility of infecting the adults as well and chicken pox is a very painful disease for the adults who catch it. I have had both cp and shingles and they are in no way fun. Also, if crew gets infected, they could then in turn infect the next cruise not realizing they are even contagious. It is a huge snowball that doesn't need to be started.

My sil flew to my house one holiday and as she entered my house cheerfully told me she brought us a present---chicken pox. Gee--thanks. My daughter got the blisters literally 14 days later.

I would imagine that if you did decide to go on the cruise and your daughter started to show any signs of the pox, your entire family would be quarantined for the rest of the vacation. Kind of an expensive way to spend days in a cabin.

I agree with previous posts. Do the right thing and reschedule your cruise. I hope Disney cooperates with you and makes it extremely easy for you. I know it is a very hard decision with a lot of emotions involved. I would find it very difficult going on a vacation constantly wondering if my daughter will start showing signs. Worrying all day while she is in the playroom if I'll get the page. Not exactly relaxing. Oh, and doesn't the sun and heat make things worse?

DG

 

[kelscross]

One of my girls was vaccinated and the other got Chicken Pox before she was able to get vaccinated. The one who was vaccinated did not break out at all. As soon as I saw the first dots appear I took her to the pediatrician and they gave her an antiviral medication, Acyclovir I think was the one they gave her. It was explained to me that although the medication could not keep the break out from completely happening, if you can start the medication within 24 hours of the first blisters appearing then it lessens the infection and speeds up the process. She had no discomfort from the blisters at all and she only missed 5 days of school.

I would say that seeing how the cruise lines have been taking a hit lately regarding sicknesses, if she does acquire the disease then documentation from the pediatrician would allow you to cancel the cruise. I'm sure they'd rather give you your money back or allow you to reschedule rather than possibly infecting other people.

I would talk to DCL and ask. When you plan to go is it after the incubation period? Would there be a chance that she could break out on the ship? If it hasn't been enough time from exposure I would probably cancel/postpone the trip especially since you said that the kids in the school were vaccinated and still got them. Must be a different strain. I can't believe that that many kids have it, was vaccinated, and the school hasn't closed down. They did that here for whooping cough.

Good luck! I hope things go well!

 

[sfeisen]

My 5 year old was one of the "less than 5%" that actually get a breakout of chicken pox from the vaccine.

Seven days after her vaccination she broke out for two days with about 20 or so pocs, and they scabbed over immediately.

This was a walk in the park compared to what I went through with my older 3 who got them naturally. No fever, minimal itching.......

So, don't listen to the horror stories, (although I could tell you some with my older 3) it may be very mild, and she's good to go.

I wouldn't cancel until you have to.

 

[JNorris]

Well, her first exposure was 14 days ago, and up until yesterday, we thought we were safe. Then yesterday, the teacher sent home 6 kids in her class with chicken pox. So who knows if the exposure that may eventually make her sick happened 2 weeks ago or yesterday!!! She could possibly break out on the ship. Because we are taking her 2 cousins with us, and it is only a 3 night cruise, she will probably not be in the kid's clubs at all. But she would be around people at dinner, and around the cousins all the time.

We have travel insurance, but I don't know if it will cover sickness that might possibly happen.

I think I will try to get the Dr. to give her the aclovir. And wait and see. Maybe she will pop out today with it, and be better by next week.

Judy

I would say that seeing how the cruise lines have been taking a hit lately regarding sicknesses, if she does acquire the disease then documentation from the pediatrician would allow you to cancel the cruise. I'm sure they'd rather give you your money back or allow you to reschedule rather than possibly infecting other people.

I would talk to DCL and ask. When you plan to go is it after the incubation period? Would there be a chance that she could break out on the ship? If it hasn't been enough time from exposure I would probably cancel/postpone the trip especially since you said that the kids in the school were vaccinated and still got them. Must be a different strain. I can't believe that that many kids have it, was vaccinated, and the school hasn't closed down. They did that here for whooping cough.

Good luck! I hope things go well!

 

[Favorite Auntie]

I would not cancel a cruise because kids on my child's class had the chicken pox. That seems a tad extreme to me.... Your daughter PROBABLY won't even get it, and if she does, it could be AFTER you get home... If we all canceled cruises because of WHAT COULD HAPPEN, there would be NO ONE on the ships! And, you can indeed get the chicken pox more than once. My niece and nephew BOTH got them TWICE a few years apart, they were never vaccinated....

Talk to your peciatrician and see what he/she has to say...