My son's chickenpox.
My son had the vaccines but got chickenpoxs in the 4th grade while on Imuran. He did fine, because he can not take Benadryl, he took lots of oak meal baths with Phisoderm. He did end up in the hsptl because of a bad constipation, but was just isolated. There is no 100% guarnette even if you have the vaccines that you will not get a case of it, or that it could lay dormat for many years and turn into shingles. While the school nurse called me about every sore throat, fever at school with the other kids, I am guessing she felt he would not get them. He broke out the weekend we were at my parents house while my mother was in the hsptl. I was really worried about her and my husband who had not had chickenpoxs yet. Paula & Andrew
Andrew- JPouch
Paula UC Asacol, Caritia, fish oil
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Chickenpox Moving Closer!.
Nurse called me this morning and told me that a kid in my son's class has come down with chickenpox. Just one day after I have found out about it going around. Called the Dr. and we'll see what he wants to do. I guess we'll know if he gets them in the next 2 weeks! Oh, there is also a virus going around with itchy eyes, flushed face, fever, and tiredness, too. I can see why people homeschool. Thanks Paula for telling me about your son. So far most kids seem to get a lighter case so I hope that's true of my kid. I'll keep you informed!! Jeanette
MB 6mp, asacol
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Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
HI there!
Just to let you know....we suspect that Seamus had a very mild case of chickenpox about 6 weeks ago. he is 4 and on MTX and has had his immunisation for chicken pox. He got about 18 spots and we were told to keep a close eye on him but that because he ahd been immunised he would probably be alright. He was! The doctors over here (in Aus) were concerned but not alarmed by him having the chicken pox and we were just told to watch for high temps. I hope things run smoothly for you!
Rebecca (Seamus, almost 4, Cd, EE, MTX, Folic Acid, Colazide, Elecare, vitamins, fish oils)
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Re: Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
Thanks everyone for all your info. It's REALLY been helpful! I have decided to keep him in school for now. The chickenpox isn't in his classroom yet... The Dr. said it has an incubation time of 3 weeks! Wow. So, if he has been exposed, keeping him out for a week won't help me now. Besides, as you know, our kids miss enough school as it is! He just got all his work made up from missing a few weeks ago.
The nurse said she would let me know if anyone he comes in contact daily gets the c.pox. Anyway, I'll let you know if anything pox up....pun intended. Jeanette
(MB, 12, cd, asacol, 6mp)
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Re: Re: Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
Incubation maybe be 3 weeks, but I don't think you are contagious the whole time. The contagious period is 2-3 days before outbreak until all spots have scabbed over.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
Yes, that's what they tell me. About 48 hours before you break out the person feels like they are coming down with a cold and are tired. They are contagious during that time and until the spots scab. But once exposed you might not break out for 2-3 weeks afterwards. Bummer.
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Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
Here's what we were told about situations like this:Since Gregory is on Imuran AND has no chickenpox immunity despite having received the vaccine, we've asked the school to notify us whenever there is an outbreak. IF the student who has the virus has close, direct contact with Gregory (sits next to him in class, eats next to him at lunch, etc.), then we need to notify the doctor immediately and pull him out of class. It's possible he would need to be treated with immunoglobulin injections in the hospital as a preventative measure. Jean (Gregory, 13, CD)
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Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
I would ask for a chickenpox titer. My son had the vaccine at age 4 and at age 12 his titer was negative. He has not been able to get a booster because he has been on prednisone, Remicade and then Humira since finding out that his titer was negative.
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Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
Just posted below again but wanted to put this post at the top to encourage you. Megan was holding a baby a year or so ago and he got chicken pox the next day. She was on Remicade at the time. She never got c. pox. She also was on the volleyball team last year when they told all the girls to go get their c. pox vaccines and get up to date on their immunizatoins b/4 the season started. (about 20 gals around age 11-12 which is the time they get the 2nd round) and she played volleyball with these newly vaccinated girls all week and never got it. She also never gets the flu's that go around even when the rest of the family gets them. So...have courage. It's not a given that you're son will get the c. pox., but I understand your concerns....I really do! Christine
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curious
Hi Jeanette,I don't really have any advice to offer, sorry. I would be fighting the urge to pick up too. I don't know much about the vaccine except that it is live. DO most public schools require kids to get it? If so do you think most kids are getting it? Are we experiencing these outbreaks because the vaccine is not very effective? My son is not in school yet but last year our school district had several outbreaks and at one point they were telling parents that most of the kids needed to be re-vaccinated. Guess I should look the topic up.
Good luck. BTW, I think if he were on remicade it would be a much bigger deal than the 6-MP. Laura (max 4 IBD)
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Re: curious
Hi Laura-
In our school, they are supposed to be getting the vaccine but it seems not to stop them from getting c.pox. The nurse said it is a milder case but I'm not sure how they know that. I know because he was on the 6mp, when he went to get his vacination updates, he could not get the c.pox because it is a live vaccine. The others were not. They usually get this about age 12 or so.
Thanks for your input!
Jeanette
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Re: curious
Laura,
Our school has 3 kids with cpox now also. Two years ago there was a "big" outbreak of cpox. What is interesting is that we have a fairly high # of people who don't vaccinate. Kids who were vaccinated were getting cpox just as often as kids who were not vaccinated--though I am not aware of anyone who was vaccinated who got them very badly. My two kids both got it. Ilana got it and didn't slow down a bit. My older daughter got it a bit worse, but we all found out that the longer the exposure, the worse the case is. Ilana got it relatively early compared to her sister who got it 3 weeks later. So, from that standpoint it may be worthwhile to get exposed and then stay away!
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Re: Re: curious
Sherrie,I don't want to start some big argument here but why do you think, aside from religious reasons, people don't vaccinate? I know about the thimersol and autism debate but most vaccines do not have that in it. I have a girlfriend who gave her son all of the vaccines except hep B because she figures "he's not sexually active". I don't know who is right or wrong and everyone has the right to make their own decision for their child except for the fact that vaccines are effective when the community at large is vaccinated as a whole. I'm just curious about the whole thing. I partly think the child bearing generation right now has never been through an epidemic such as polio etc... so "it can't/won't happen to us mentality plays in?
I think I'm done thinking for the day. Going to go enjoy the sunshine until I have my back MRI this afternoon. Dreading that!
Laura
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Laura
Oh, oh. Not another mom with problems. We need to stop that! I hope the MRI isn't for anything serious. Enjoy the sunshine. If you need late-night reading, email me or just do a web search, you'll find lots of reasons/opinions on vaccines (both pro and con)
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Re: Re: Re: curious
Oh Laura, you don't really want to ask do you? I can say that there is no 100% right answer and everyone who gives it thought and makes their best educated decision should be commended. There are valid pros and cons for each decision in my opinion.
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Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
Hi! Situations like this can be exasperating! However, I just wanted to tell you that I was concerned about my son's lowered immunity when he was first put on 6MP as well. However, he's been on it for 14 months now and, with the exception of a 24 hr. virus this week (and one other 24 hr. bug,) he's gotten hardly anything in the way of viruses or other nasty bugs that have seemed to infiltrate entire classes in his school. His brother, age 7, has had more illnesses. Of course, he may have been helped by several factors: he was 10 when put on 6MP and had previously had many childhood viruses. Plus, he's been on Erythromycin for 1 year now which may have a somewhat protective effect. But, he's only had one chicken pox vaccine as well and didn't get it this year when several people in his class got the chicken pox.Hope your son stays well! Ds Mom (CD,gastroperisis, age 11)
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Re: Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
Well, that's encouraging! Thanks. 
The school nurse just called me back wondering what the Dr. had to say. She seems worried since so many kids are getting it. I told her I will see what his ped. says. But the GI doc said for him to stay in school. I can't pull him out every time we have c.pox go around. And, how long would I pull him out for?This is the second time this year, although last time it was in the 8th grade hall, not his.
Jeanette
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Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
If I were you, I'd have a chicken pox titer done as we found prior to starting Remicade that our daughter's titer was negative, even though she did have the c. pox vaccine. Could be that it wore off as she got it at 4 and we tested the titer at 11, but with autoimmune diseases, it might not take either.
Our pediatrician and GI told us to let them know if she gets exposed and then they will give her the immunoglobulin if so. She's never had the real thing (c. pox) nor her 2 siblings.
Christine
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Re: Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
He got the first vacinne when he was 1. I just looked it up. That was amost 12 years ago. Few more months, he'll be 13 (oh, boy... I just realized that!). I hadn't thought about getting a titer done. I'm waiting on his ped. Dr. to call me and see what his advice is. He's never had c.pox either.
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Re: Re: Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
You can always decide to pull him out of school despite the GIs recommendation. Our GI and surgeon recommended our daughter (who just had surgery 3 months prior) to particpate fully in PE and they were doing 50 push ups and 50 laps around the gym. She couldn't keep up. So I IGNORED medical advice and talked to the PE teacher myself and got it modified so she could do everything but the laps/pushups. (taking matters into my own hands since docs refused to write a note). I think if I were you, I'd pull him out a week to get past the inital break out period of c. pox. Crohns and immunosuppression are not a good mix. It would be a bigger deal if he were on Remicade, this is true. He won't miss that much school and he can keep up at home if you get the assignments from the teacher. Our daughter homeschools but when she was in school last year, she took several days off at a time and was able to keep up doing the homework at home. Sounds like the nurse is all for pulling him out.
Christine
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Help! Chickenpox in school
I don't want to alarm you but here's an article you may want to read: http://www.ccsg.org.nz/newsletters/gutfeeling/cpoxandcd.htmSounds like steroids and Remicade would be the biggest risks, but also 6mp if on a high dose and/or his first exposure. The main thing if he does get a pox (sore) to get him into the doc ASAP and get the acyclovir started. I think you only have a day or two in order for this to work.
Christine
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