Conference moira::parenting_v3

    For -.1, I'd say a call to your internist might be a good place to
    start, he'd of course have the most reliable answers as far as
    sterility concerns.  I do know that Shingles is a major side effect of
    Chicken Pox in adults.
    
    A friend of mine works at one of the Mass Correctional institutes'
    infirmaries, and she asked me (since she has no children) if there was
    a recent outbreak of chicken pox in the area.  She mentioned several of
    the men had come down with shingles, with no apparent chicken Pox
    symptoms. FWIW!
    Lyn
    

There are actually many illnesses which could potentially cause sterility,
but the Doctors are definitely the best people to ask here ... I would
imagine unchecked fever would cause as much damage as anything -- so
follow your doctor's instructions on handling fever etc.

Chicken pox (and shingles) are caused by the virus Herpes zoster (yes
it is related to the the other Herpes ... but it isn't the same!).  This
virus is usually not totally destroyed by the body, but rather, goes into
remission by "hiding" in nerve sheath cells.  If and when the virus decides
to venture forth from it's hiding place, you will have an attack of shingles.

So, it is rare to have chicken pox twice.  It is extremely rare to have
shingles without having knowingly had chickenpox (you would have probably
unknowingly had chickenpox).  A recurrance of chickenpox is usually
shingles.

Stuart

it may make you feel better to know my husband had chickenpox as an adult and
my daughter was conceived 3 years later....

    Chicken pox in an adult is a much more serious disease than it is
    in a child, and complications are much more likely.  I don't
    remember sterility being one of the complications, but I think ear
    and eye problems are common.  Neil got them at the same time Kat
    did, when he was about 25, and he was VERY sick, though he didn't
    develop any lasting problems.  Your fiance should definitely talk
    to a doctor -- he might even be a candidate for the chicken pox
    vaccine.
    
    --bonnie

    I wasn't aware there is a vaccine for chicken pox...  I know of the
    MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine, but not chicken pox????
    
    

    It's not routinely used because the risk of complications from the
    vaccine are higher than the risk of the disease itself in your
    average healthy child.  
    
    But children who have some conditions that leave them especially
    vulnerable to complications (I think asthmatics are among them)
    are adviced to get the vaccination.
    
    --bonnie

Lisa got the chicken pox when Nicole had them when she was 5.  Lisa was about
28 at the time.  She said that she never felt closer to dying than when she
had them.  She also came within 8 hours of being hospitalized for high fever
and dehydration.

Bob

    
    
    
    If his system has not been compromised, the vaccine probably would be
    the way to go.
    
    If his he is in the process of developing chicken pox right now, you
    may wish to check into Acyclovir (sp) (one brand name is Zovirax).  It has
    been proven to reduce the duration of the disease by 1/2.  I contracted
    chicken pox from my son about 2 years ago.  Because of this drug, the
    duration lasted only 3 days and I was back to work.
    
    At any rate, you should check with your physician.
    
    				
    					Good luck,
    
    					Darlene

    Here's a question --
    
    If a child who hasn't had chicken pox yet comes in contact with an
    Adult with Shingles will the child get chicken pox or shingles or
    neither.  How contagious is the shingles virus? Same as Chix pox?
    
    Thanks

re: .9

The order of events in our family was:

	1. I had a case of shingles

	2. Kid #1 got chicken pox, from my shingles

	3. Kid #2 got chicken pox, either from my shingles or
	   kid #1's chicken pox

	4. Kid #1 recovered

	5. Kid #2 recovered

	6. I recovered

It is my understanding that you can get chicken pox from a person who has 
shingles, but that you can get shingles only from chicken pox virus that is 
"hiding" in your body as described previously.

Clay

With regards to the original question.

My 10 month old daughter got the Chicken Pox last week.   I've never had them
and therefore was very apprehensive about what may happen to me.

When we talked to the doctors about this, and sterility was mentioned, they
kind of chuckled. Apparently this is "old" information and they can keep a
much better check on things these days.  The fever is the biggest problem
with regards to adults and Chicken Pox, as it can cause a variety of serious
problems.

If I'm going to get this, I should know within the next two weeks.  (I 
personaly believe I've been more than sufficiently exposed, though I tried to
do my best not too.)   I'll get back to you on if I survive.  :^)

-andy

    Hi,
    	I had chicken pox at the age of 31 and two months after I had
    chicken pox, my wife is pregnant.  So I hope this helps.  But I will
    definitely not plan the wedding in the very near future.  I was out
    of action for close to a month.  I had a severe case of chicken pox.
    
    Joh Hee

    Well here's an update.
    
    I got them.  (Boooo!!!)  While I was on vacation this weekend at the
    cape. (BOOOOO!!!).   And I was running a fever (sweats and shivers) but
    nothing serious.
    
    When I got home I had to be taken to the hospital because, out of
    nowhere I had no clue this was coming, I passed out and stopped
    breathing for a bit.  I was released the same day, and they ran tests.
    Apparently my body was just very run down from everything, and it said
    "Never mind, I'm not working now."
    
    But I'm fine and at home, covered with the darn things.  It isn't fun,
    but so far nothing so bad (well, as it turns  out not bad anyhow.)
    
    We do plan on having more children, and I seriously doubt that's in
    jepeordy (from this anyhow).  But I'll le people know as I see fit.
    
    Bye for now.
    
    -andy

    Well, I'm scared now!  What about in pregnant women?  I'm 7 months
    along, and my son has potentially been exposed, nothing definite, but I
    am not wanting to take any chances!  What does anyone know about this? 
    I have calls into doctors, but no answers yet; I will enter them
    here...
    
    
    Adrienne
    

    Adrienne,
    
    Have you ever had chicken pox?  I was exposed to the chicken pox
    when I was 4.5 months pregnant.  Since I had had the chicken pox 
    as a child, my doctor said me and my baby were not at risk.
    
    
    
    	Linda

    I do not know if I have had chicken pox.  I had something in college,
    either measles or cp, but I am not sure which.  In childhood, I got
    none of those infectious diseases.  Hence the worry.  I am going for a
    blood test at lunch, to see if I have the antibodies.
    
    Adrienne
    

Adrienne:

Let us know what the doctor says.

I'm 18 1/2 weeks along and the doctor notified after my original blood work 
(at the beginning of the pregnancy) that I don't have an immunity to chicken pox.

My nephew (in Connecticut) just got over them and I'm starting to hear of more
cases here in Mass.  The OB nurse said there's not alot I can do to prevent 
being exposed (I have a 2 1/2 year old in daycare) but I'm waiting to talk to 
the doctor in more detail.

Anyone know what the risks are to the baby ?  I've read that the chicken pox
virus can cross the placenta but I don't know what effect it can have on the 
baby's development.

Here's hoping we don't get "spotted".


- Terry

I can't answer any questions about getting chicken pox while pregnant, but I can
confirm that it is indeed around in Massachusetts, since I just got over it!

And it is indeed very difficult to avoid, unless you stay in your house--I
have no idea where I got it from!

Well, at least I won't get it while I'm pregnant, or while I'm trying to care
for afflicted (future) children...

Jill with the fading spots :-)

    Good morning, 
    
    Nathan's got them, and we still don't know about me, so I am at work
    really early today to avoid total contact with him...not that it will
    do much good, I fear.  This is going much quicker than I had hoped!  
    
    Any information would help sooth this mother's mind!  The doctor called
    last night, and HE decided that I should not worry, and to that end did
    not give me all the information; said let's see what happens from here. 
    My blood test results will be in at 2:00, 'til then, I worry.
    
    Adrienne
    

AJ had Chicken Pox last year.  How vividly I remember the date, he missed his
valentine's party at preschool, a real big loss for MR. Socialble!  My husband
had never, to his knowledge, had chicken pox.  I called the internist to ask if
I should pack him a bag and send him to his parents for two weeks.  The doctor 
asked a few "key" questions among which:
	Was he an only child, or one of many, and in which birth order, and was
there more than 7 years between siblings.  Because he is one of 5, the second
in birth order, and less than 7 years between him and the others, the doctor
said it is quite likely he had some "mild" form of chicken pox when the others
did, which probably went unnoticed.  However *if he really wanted to* the doctor
would do the blood test for his own peace of mind.

As it turned out, he didn't have the blood test, which my doctor said isn't
always that accurate, he didn't get chicken pox.  I immediately made a contious
effort to keep the two "boys" apart, started serving all our meals on disposabl
plates, cups and utensils. (Yup I enjoy at least that part of not doing a whold
lot less dishes!) and using as hot of water as I could get from the tap to rinse
everything else.  We each had our own bar of soap, facecloth and towels until
his rash subsided.  All in all it was a "wonderful" week!  The only thing that
remains is that I now keep a large stack of small and large paper cups on the
kitchen window sill, and more small cups in the bathroom.  We seem to now have
less "passing" of colds and such since then.

Just try to relax, you've gotenough to worry about right now!

Lyn

    I grew up in a family of 6 kids.  When I was pregnant for my son, I
    took care of my cousins child during the day.  She came down with
    chicken pox and I asked my mother if I had them.  She said I hadn't had
    them.  The doctor said not to worry about it and since I had already
    been exposed we'd just have to wait and see.  I never got them.  Then
    when my son was about 4, chicken pox went through his daycare and once
    again I never got them.  I started volunteering at Childrens Hospital
    in Boston and was required to have some testing done.  One of the tests
    they did was to see if I had chicken pox (or the immunity?...whatever)
    and it showed I either had them or had the immunity.  So, I guess that
    would support the theory that someone could have a very mild case and
    overlook it.
    
    Marie

    Just a brief comment about catching chicken pox from what I remember 
    from my previous life as a nurse...  Chicken pox has a 21 day
    incubation period and by the time the "victim" has spots they are no
    longer contagious.  They only way you can get chicken pox from someone
    that has spots is if they scratch one of their spots and then scratch
    you.
    
    Isolating someone because they have spots is not effective because the
    horse has already escaped from the barn! That's why chicken pox can zip
    through schools and nurseries so quickly. You don't know they have them
    until its too late.
    
    LaDonna

Re .22 (contagious stage of chicken pox)

Yes, this agrees with what my doctor told me.  Before you get the spots, the
virus is transmitted in a respiratory manner, like a cold or flu, and may
be accompanied by cold- or flu-like symptoms.  Fever often occurs, and in
my case it was several days between fever and spots.  It's good to know some
of the advance signs in order to take additional precautions, especially
when the disease is going the rounds.  My doctor told me yesterday that this
year there has been no "chicken pox season", it's just gone 'round and 'round.

Jill

Finally had a chance to enter what my doctor told me.

He said that the greatest risk is to me because adults typically get a worse
case than children get.  He also said that it can develop into <somekind> of
pneumonia.

He also said that there is a 1-2% chance that the baby would also develop 
chicken pox and in rare cases that it can cause anomalies.

He said that if I were to get chicken pox, he would do periodic ultrasounds
to check on the baby's development.

- Terry