Molluscum at camp | Imamother

amother

Black

Mon, Jun 15 2015, 11:27 pm

A friend of mine's daughter has molluscum on her face. My friend is very sensitive about it so I really cant bring it up to her. Problem is, she just signed her daughter up for the same backyard camp as my daughter (non chlorinated pools). Is there anything I can do to protect my daughter aside from not allowing her to swim at camp?

amother

Lilac

Mon, Jun 15 2015, 11:31 pm

No and the question is not nice. imagine if it were your kid. sorry, not to make you feel bad, but I find this nasty.

amother

Black

Mon, Jun 15 2015, 11:39 pm

Because I want to protect my daughter from social and physical discomfort that can last for years? I'm not sure how you find that to be nasty...Notice I said I wouldn't allow MY daughter to swim, not hers.

notshanarishona

Mon, Jun 15 2015, 11:45 pm

There is nothing u can do. It can take up to 2 years. You can't avoid contact between kids for that long.
It's a common childhood virus.

amother

White

Mon, Jun 15 2015, 11:54 pm

The question is NOT nasty. It is a difficult skin condition for a child to have for an extended amount of time. Perhaps try asking your local health food store for a pro biotic or supplements which can boost the immune system. I would personally NOT allow my child to swim in a non chlorinated pool. Shigella can be a problem as well. Doctors in Lakewood strongly dissuade parents from sending to camps with wading pools. Sprinklers are a much more hygienic option.

amother

Black

Tue, Jun 16 2015, 12:34 pm

I just spoke to the nurse at our pediatricians office. She claimed that it is not very contagious and my daughter will likely not get it unless she rubs the other girls face, even if they swim together. Does this sound accurate? This contradicts most of what I've read about the virus.

animeme

Tue, Jun 16 2015, 1:00 pm

Faces often don't go in the water in wading pools. But if the girl rubs sunscreen on her own face and then touches your daughter without cleaning her hands, I imagine that could be an issue. Same if the counselor does the rubbing. Just guessing based on what my doctor told me about not sharing towels.

amother

Salmon

Tue, Jun 16 2015, 1:39 pm

I know I'm hijacking here, but I have a similar question: my own daughter (age 5) currently has molluscum (for about 10 months now)- not on her face, on her legs and foot, with one on her back. there are about 10 bumps (some of them look likely to heal soon). We keep them covered with little waterproof bandaids (that really stay on well, some last for a week) and check them every night. She also knows to tell us right away if one is coming off. Do you all think that that's enough precaution? Is there something else to do to prevent it from spreading to other kids? I checked with the camp, the pool is chlorinated.

rosebunch

Tue, Jun 16 2015, 2:46 pm

amother wrote:

Moloscum is HIGHLY contagious and, believe me, no amount of protection can prevent this from spreading. You're only aware of your friend's child with the virus, however, you truly don't know if any of the other kids attending may have it too.
The virus travels by contact. If your daughter touches the moloscum from any child and then rubs herself anywhere, the virus has been transmitted...

srbmom

Tue, Jun 16 2015, 3:42 pm

Both my kids had molluscum and I scrubbed them with tea tree oil soap in the bath for a couple of days and then dabbed tea tree oil on the big bumps I saw. It was gone within a week. My pediatrician did not believe it until she saw it (I brought them in before and after)
Not sure I would do this on a face - but everywhere else it's worth a try.

And I wonder if bathing your daughter in tea tree oil soap would prevent her from getting it in the first place

I found the soap bars and oil and Trader Joes

1091

Tue, Jun 16 2015, 3:46 pm

Hope this help. My oldest had molluscum years ago. Not of my other children "caught" it. We went to a dermatologist who treated her to hasten their healing. Maybe three months from diagnosis to being gone. I don't know if they still do that. It really was years ago.

sky

Tue, Jun 16 2015, 4:01 pm

Most likely other kids have it as well. At least 3 of my kids got it at camp.
You can also catch it by sharing towels.

srbmom

Tue, Jun 16 2015, 5:54 pm

I don't live in New York but when I googled Trader Joes I see there is one in Brooklyn
Could be other natural/health stores would have it too

amother

Wine

Tue, Jun 16 2015, 7:45 pm

Is this new that molluscum is so widespread? I grew up in the 80s and 90s and never heard of it until recently.

toberella

Tue, Jun 16 2015, 7:49 pm

Dermatologists can treat with "beetle juice." got rid of my nephew's and my daughter's very effectively. I get why you feel anxious about it spreading from this child but your kid could get it from anybody...you just happen to be aware of this particular child having it! As someone who is super-neurotic about skin conditions, bites, lice, etc...I keep telling myself that these things are bad luck if they happen to you, but they are temporary conditions and not life threatening (easier said than believed Wink

)

amother

Babyblue

Wed, Jun 17 2015, 6:28 am

Omg! Are you me? My biggest day camp fear is molluscum. I was even thinking if it would sound normal to call the camp to inquire about the chlorination in their various sized pools for the different ages.

Scrabble123

Wed, Jun 17 2015, 11:07 am

Molloscum is contagious through direct contact (touching the sore, rubbing it, and sharing things like clothes and towels directly). Some pretty reliable medics informational websites mention it can spread in pools. Highly contagious viruses are ones like measles that are airborne and can be transmitted after an infected individual even exits a room. Sending children to "backyard camps" with u chlorinated pools pose other health risks, especially with younger children who may have accidents in the pool. Why don't you call up your child's pediatrician and discuss with him/her the concerns with an unchlorinated pool and see if it's an appropriate choice for you, regardless of the molloscum.

Last edited by Scrabble123 on Wed, Jun 17 2015, 12:11 pm; edited 1 time in total