Chicken Pox Exposure???

Published

Specializes in Perinatal, Education.

I work L&D. I have had chicken pox and have an immune titer level documented. I nursed my three kids through chicken pox and didn't get it a second time. Today my 12 year old woke up with chicken pox--he had been flushed/mildly feverish the night before--for the second time!! He had a HORRIBLE case of them when he was 18 months old. I took him to an urgent care this morning because I couldn't believe my eyes. The doc there confirmed it and told me it does happen sometimes but I shouldn't get it if my titer level is OK.

I am suppossed to work this week--meeting tomorrow and shifts on Fri and Sat. What to do??? It is unlikely I will get it, but it was unlikely that my son would get it. I am watching for spots and I will call my charge nurse later today to see if there is policy at our hospital for such things. I don't want to freak out over nothing, but I definitely don't want to expose my patients.

Anyone have any advice/experience in this???

It is rare to get a second case of cp, but can happen.

Sounds as tho your plan is the most appropriate.

Hope your son is feeling better soon.

SJ

Specializes in ER.

Both my mom and her sister had chicken pox twice. Some people have a hard time building up immunity, thus they are succeptible the second time around. I wouldn't worry too much if your titers show a level of immunity. You didn't say whether or not your son had a titer showing immunity - I'm assuming he hasn't. A titer would have probably showed that he was succeptible to chicken pox and hadn't built up a sufficient immunity to keep him from contracting the disease again. So sorry your son is feeling ill!

So sorry for your son. :p The one post saying his system didn't kick in sounds right. Hey, my mom had everything, yet had measles x 2.....and yet, I never had CP...at all. My immune system says levels are ok. I was 12 at last exposure, and trust me.....was watched like a hawk, cuz we were going to DC around that time. :chuckle

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

Another thing you could do is call the ID section at your hospital and get it straight from them what you should do. If there's even the remotest chance that you could get it, then you definitely need not to be working around newborns. I've seen more than one die from chicken pox, and it's not pretty.

As an aside, I've never had mumps, although my three sibs all have. My brother had them so bad he looked like a balloon with a nose. When I started nursing school I had my titres checked and was immune. I hope your titres are high enough that you're in the clear.

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