Baby Exposed to Chicken Pox
So your baby was exposed to chicken pox? Unfortunately all you can do is wait it out and see what happens. Children get vaccinated for the chicken pox when they are 12 months old, so babies 12 months and under are very vulnerable to getting the chicken pox.
You may or may not know that shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. If you come into contact with an adult who has shingles, your baby is at risk for getting chicken pox.
To be exposed to chicken pox, your baby had to have come into contact with an actual sore or lesion of someone who has the chicken pox or shingles. This may be hard to determine, but it is passed by physical contact.
If you think your baby has been exposed to the chicken pox or shingles, call your pediatrician’s office and see what they recommend. I was told that it takes 14-21 days for the virus to show symptoms, so that is how long you have to wait to see if your baby has the chicken pox. After that time if your baby gets a fever and small red bumps, then he or she probably has the chicken pox. The nurse told me that the fever comes first, and then the bumps. Your child is contagious as soon as he or she contracts a fever. This is when they should not be exposed to other children until the virus runs its course.
Just because your baby has been exposed does not mean he or she will get the virus. Just keep a close eye on your baby for the next couple of weeks. Make sure your baby gets the chicken pox immunization when he or she is 12 months old. If you have nursed your baby, your baby is less likely to contract chicken pox because when you nurse your baby, he or she receives your immunities (if you have already had the chicken pox). If your baby does get the chicken pox, don’t fret. Hopefully it will be a light case and pass quickly!
