There's a chicken pox epidemic happening at ShineGirl's school

[Shine]

and she's been feeling crappy since last night. Vomiting, low energy, lack of appetite, lo-grade fever... Greeaat.

The school is expecting the "second wave" to start hitting anytime in the next couple days.

One 4th grade class had about 12 kids out!

This is the same class she was visiting last week, albeit briefly, to teach them a special song for an upcoming school event....as part of her Leadership Group. She was only in there for about 5 min, but since it's so contagious, I suppose she could've gotten it then.

It's been about 10 days since she would've been exposed and she doesn't even have an outbreak yet, but I'm keeping my eyes open.

She's already had the vaccination AND the booster years ago, but so have several of the kids who have already gotten it.

Apparently, it's a pretty strong version of it. Sigh. :( Fingers crossed. Maybe this is just some weird stomach bug thing that's coincidentally happening at the same time.

Time will tell....Wish me luck.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear Shine...

I hate to discourage you, but it sounds like she has it...

Good luck anyhow, sweetie...

That really sucks...poor kid!

Hang in there...:hug:

[malta blue]

2. Fingers and toes crossed that ShineGirl

does not have the chicken pox, and if she does (poor thing) let it be very mild.

:hug:

[MonkeyFunk]

3. Ugh

Sounds like she may have contracted it - I presume the vaccine and booster help lessen the severity of the infection? I hope so.

Get some calamine lotion in the house and ride it out. My Mom dealt with FOUR kids with chicken pox at the same time.

[Connonym]

7. My mom had 4 of us with mumps while she had #5 in the oven

I don't know how she lived through that without killing us all. I hope that ShineGirl has an easy run of chickenpox or else it's a false alarm. :hug: I was just thinking the other day how different it is today and how old I feel because I actually had to go through mumps and chickenpox (and a narrow miss with measles -- we got vaccinated during an outbreak and my sister got them but none of the rest of us did) plus I've got the unsightly smallpox vaccine scar on my arm. Wow do I feel old!

[ThomCat]

4. I hope ShineGirl comes through this quickly

without any serious symptoms. :hug:

I'll be thinking of both of you.

[latebloomer]

5. One good thing

is that getting chicken pox naturally is a much more effective way of acquiring immunity than being vaccinated (as you are seeing). Getting chicken pox, or shingles as an adult is a lot more dangerous.

Hope she's not too uncomfortable!

Lest this turn into a flame war, I will say no more.

[LeftyMom]

6. CP is no big deal at all in healthy kids.

Mine got it over the winter, he was a bit tired for a few days, didn't get itchy enough to bother with oatmeal baths or the pink lotion stuff, and then they scabbed over and that was the end of it.

I'd just make sure that there were soft pajamas, grab some of the lotion and oatmeal bath stuff at the store so you're not running out for some in the middle of the night and some good movies ready to go. As long as she's comfortable and not too bored while she's contagious, I really wouldn't worry about it beyond that. Just make sure to keep her away from any adults who aren't immune until the pox scab over, and I'd include had-the-shot-but-no-pox adults in that, personally.

[tigereye]

8. are there a lot of people in your community who didn't get the vaccine?

although sometimes I've read that people still get it despite the vac. I remember my son getting a mild rash when he first got the vac.


I also remember having it as a kid prior to vaccin. becoming common for it, not fun.



Hope she feels better soon!

[DS1]

9. There's a vaccine for that now?

Well sumbitch!