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Chance of catching chickenpox from mildly infected child?

v2006

I was with this kid the other day who i just found out has a mild form of chickenpox. I have never had chickenpox before and was wondering the chances of catching it? If i do get it how long will i be off school for?

Reply 1

v2006

OP

anyone please?

Reply 2

jennyflake

There is quite a long incubation period for chickenpox so you wont know immediately. I have a funny feeling its 2-3 weeks but dont quote me on that! The child will only have been infectios before the scabs etc. formed, so if you were around him when he still appeared healthy, then you could have chickenpox. Im assuming youve not had chickenpox before, and I would say assume you could have caught it. Eat extra healthy for the next few weeks, lots of oranges for the vit C etc. just so you can give youre immune system an extra hand should you have caught it. And even if you dont get it, it wont have done any harm.
If you get chickenpox I think its about a week that you have to be off. Basically until all the scabs etc. have fallen off. Youre not really contagious while the scabs are there, but you wont want to be seen with them anyway!

Reply 3

Suis Je Bovvered ?

15

ermm, depends. If you've never had them before, there's a chance you'll catch them. LOL @ how long will i get off school...tut shocking! :p:

Reply 4

RetiredAccount89

18

v2006

I was with this kid the other day who i just found out has a mild form of chickenpox. I have never had chickenpox before and was wondering the chances of catching it? If i do get it how long will i be off school for?

mild form of chickenpox?
Do you mean he has shingles, or he actually does just have 'chickenpox'.

chickenpox incubation is about 10-21 days, and yes, it is rather contagious and remains contagious until all the pustules have been crusted over for a day or two.

if you do get it then stock up on calomille lotion and paracetemol. you won't really need anything else.

Reply 5

Jonatan

13

I seem to remember that chickenpox is really rather contagious, but only in the begining. Tho I haven't bothered to check myself I'm guessing wikipedia will have all the information you need.

Reply 6

Jonatan

13

As I suspected wikipedia has the answer.

Anyway, it seems that if you do get it you should probably talk to a doctor as it tends to be mor esevere when you are older:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_pox#Prognosis_and_treatment
Doesn't seem to be anything to be very worried about tho.

Reply 7

high priestess fnord

9

isnt shingles just the adult version of chicken pox?

Reply 8

CCG

Ideally you should catch chickenpox when you are young. The longer the delay the more dangerous it could eventually become in later life.

Reply 9

v2006

OP

Ive felt slightly tchy since yesterday, particularly when i was trying to sleep and while i type now. Would this be a symptom of chicken pox?

Reply 10

Enchanté

14

It is possible all of my younger brothers got it once at home (three of them :eek:

) I was really worried that i'd catch it but I had it when I was little. It just went right to each of my brothers.
I think the more you think about chickenpox it may feel you're developing it, i'm not gonna say no you can't catch it but it's quite likely, if you having spots starting to come that seem to ooze then you've got it, get some lotion (can't remember the name) just in case.

Reply 11

jennyflake

high priestess fnord

isnt shingles just the adult version of chicken pox?

Not really. After having chickenpox the virus remains in your body, but is dormant. If it decides to attack you again you get shingles, as far as i know. As a result it is possible, though unusual for a child to get shingles, and also for an adult to get chickenpox.

Reply 12

PinkMobilePhone

Chat Forum Helper, Life & Style Forum Helper

22

jennyflake

Not really. After having chickenpox the virus remains in your body, but is dormant. If it decides to attack you again you get shingles, as far as i know. As a result it is possible, though unusual for a child to get shingles, and also for an adult to get chickenpox.

Yes that's right.

My mother had shingles once in her back. She had really big red splodges all over her lower back.
It was awful, she couldn't move at all for ages. She was just lying there on the sofa.
I was only about 12 or so at the time. She couldn't eat anything.
I think she genuinely thought she was going to die.
It was very scary.

Chance of catching chickenpox from mildly infected child?

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