Posted By Kendo I am asking for some help in deciding who has the duty of care when young children are sent to day care centres by parents who knowingly aware that their children have chicken pox. The management of the centre also know that the children have chicken pox but expose their employees to these children. The employees are told not to mention to other parents that there is chicken pox within the centre and work on as if there was no problem at all. Quite a few of the children now have chicken pox and now some of the staff (employees) have been diagnosed with it as well. Is there a duty of care on the parents or the management of the centre. Should the management pay for any days off by employees due to treatment of this case. Any help to resolve this would be much welcomed.

Posted By Alexander Falconer It is the responsibility of the centre management to ensure that Parents adhere to the rules with regards to contagious illnesses as these may have serious implications on some children. In my son's nursery, there is a 2 year old who is currently undergoing cancer treatment, to the extent their immune system is susceptable to picking up all sorts of things. The likes of chicken pox would be considered as a disease most likely to have fatal implications on this child. Having said this, there are still some parents who disregard these rules, to the extent it is often impossible to prevent outbreaks of certain diseases. Cue 12 months ago, son contracted chicken pox, immediately removed from nursery at earliest possible opportunity (makes me a responsible dad), but still final score 27 kids & 2 dads (including me at the age of 41).

Posted By Alexander Falconer "I would question the devastation disease description above"??? Are you an NHS expert? Whilst you have the right of free speech, I would be wary about making such statements. The point I was trying to highlight is what my sons nursery stated - to ensure that parents acted responsible and took their children outwith nursery until the incubation period was over. Whilst there was a child undergoing cancer treatment leaving them susceptable to any disease due to their low immune system. Any disease can be fatal. I also question the statement "anyone is going to get the disease at some point?" Perhaps this statement can be applied with regards to the "common childhood illnesses/diseases" Took me 41 years before I suffered chickenpox, thankfully never suffered measles or mumps? Know of several people who have never suffered these diseases either - is this luck?

Posted By Alan Nicholls Hi All I was reading an article a few weeks ago about research stats from the US it was written in 2000. The exact details are gone but suffice to say; Chicken pox can and does kill. Complications in infants in the first 4 weeks of life, anyone with a compromised immune system due to illness or chemotherapy or on high doses of Steroids. These groups of people can experience serious side effects such as viral pneumonia, encephalitis,or a secondary bacterial infection. Adults may carry the virus for years before developing Shingles this can reoccur Worse for older people 50+ Although it is not reportable in England and Wales: it would be nice to think people could act in a reasonable manner to protect the more vulnerable elements in our communities. The management of the centre should be made aware of the risk involved. They have a duty of care and should exercise it. Yes and I am one of the higher risk element 50+ Regards Alan N

Posted By MT The management most definitely have the duty of care in this instance. They should issue information to the parents of all children when they start attending the premises, detailing diseases/infections and suchlike which are transmissible, and the exclusion times i.e. child must not be sent to nursery until X amount of days after pox have scabbed over. It's a very dangerous game to play, knowingly allowing infectious children into the nursery. If you're asking because you know someone who works there, then I'd advise them to contact a Local Authority EHO and make a complaint.

Posted By Alexander Falconer Hear, Hear, thankfully mine didnt affect my christmas, but unfortunetely delayed my start date into a new position by 2 weeks (mid dec) Just think of having really bad flu, aches & pains, no appetite, scabs all over your body (including the scalp), the constant itchiness (despite the calamine lotion), the lack of energy, the tiredness all at the same time. Multiply that by 10 and you have an idea of what chicken pox felt to me at 41 years old. Wouldnt wish it on my own worst enemy Parents need to be more responsible, and Nursery managers require to strictly enforce their policies.

Posted By Kendo Thanks to all who have responded. My wife works there and has now contacted the chicken pox and is off work because of it. I am now likely to contact it or Shingles having had chicken pox in the past. So I will no doubt have to take time off work as well now. I will be in touch with the local EHO and let them know the situation. Thanks again for your responses. Ken.

Posted By Andy Brazier This thread is proving to be a fascinating indication of how perception of risk varies greatly. I have tried to find some facts. According to this article, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1644663.stm the average death rate from chicken pox in the UK is 20 per year. Most are adults whose immune system has been affected by some other condition. Compare this with this article http://www.immunisation.nhs.uk/article.php?id=431 stating the average is 12,500 die per year from flu. From what I have read, 90% of the population get chicken pox as a child, so my view is that 20 deaths, whilst each one is totally tragic, is very small considering the population exposed to the risk.

Posted By Andy Brazier Here is the reference for 90% http://www.nics.gov.uk/s...nce/pdfs/InfoSheet03.pdf I got it in my 20's whilst studying for my finals. Very unpleasant, but I lived. My kids got it young and were much less unwell than me. If you take an individual's lifetime, the sooner they have chicken pox the less risk it will be to them. I won't make any recommendation, but it seems pretty clear to me what the best thing would be to do as a parent.