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Attending school/camp when your child has chickenpox

Karrie - posted on 07/25/2012 ( 3 moms have responded )

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I live in Canda (Ontario to be excact) and i recently took my son out of camp for a week because a really close friend of his had chickenpox. Public Health (which i what the schools, daycares, and summer camps to by) state that during any stage of the rash, a child may attend...as long as they do not have a fever and feel ok. So basically, a child with a contagious rash, can go to school/camp. i do not understand this mentality!! my son has had the vaccine but i have been hearing that kids who have had the vaccine have still been getting the chickenpox. when i was a kid, you stayed home until you were not contagious (the blisters had scabbed over). i am so frustrated with this. i know some people feel that for kids it is better for them to have it when they are young, (i had it when i was 18 and it wasn't bad for me), but i don't feel that way. why would i want to risk my child contracting shingles when he is older. what is your opinion?

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Karrie - posted on 07/26/2012

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Thanks for your replies Danikka and Michelle...i am amazed at how many people that i talk to (even health care professionals) that are surprised that the kids can attend even if they are still contagious!!! i am seriously considering petitioning public health to have the wording changed!! their (public health) opinion is that they were contagious before the rash so the kids shouldn't have to be kept home if they are contagious with the rash...i totally agree with you denikka!!! if you know your kid is contagious, why send them to go play with other kids!!! i have bee so frustrated by this mentality!!!

Michelle - posted on 07/25/2012

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I live in Alberta and we aren't allowed to send our children to school if they are contagious we are to keep them home until they are symptom free for 3 days.

Denikka - posted on 07/25/2012

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That's just stupid. Beyond a very minor cold/sniffles, any child with a contagious disease should be kept home until they're better.
But with something like chicken pox? Kids are going to scratch. There are going to be MANY open sores. There is going to be issues with blood and with contamination.
I would have pulled my kid too. But more importantly, I can't imagine what parent would send their kid to camp in the middle of having chicken pox. Just seems cruel to me. Chicken pox is a time to sit on the couch, watch TV or play video games, and do nothing. The scratching alone would make a kid miserable enough to not want to go to camp.
If you want your kids to have chicken pox when they're young, then go to a pox party or whatever. Don't force the whole neighbourhood to suffer your kids illness.

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