'Must haves' for chicken pox

stampede

sweetme wrote: »

Piriton, was a godsend when mine all suffered chicken pox.

Piriton is definitely worthwhile, not only does it take away the itching, it also makes them more drowsy, so less likely to scratch anyway.

TBagpuss

bicarb in a cool bath can be very soothing.(and potentially less messy than oatmeal!)
You can also use bicarb. made into a paste with water to sooth any particularly itchy spots, if you run out of camomile.

swampduck

TBagpuss wrote: »

bicarb in a cool bath can be very soothing.(and potentially less messy than oatmeal!)
You can also use bicarb. made into a paste with water to sooth any particularly itchy spots, if you run out of camomile.

I second this - it really works and takes the itchiness out of the chicken pox!!

Swampy

Better_Days

Hope your boys don't get this badly and recover well. Chicken pox can cause scarring but it is soooo difficult not to scratch, especially at night - I had it when I was about 10 and I can still remember (many years on) how itchy it was.

Don't forget to keep them away from pregnant ladies, newborns and anyone whose immune system is compromised or is otherwise in poor heath while they are still infectious. According the the NHS website you are still infectious until the last blister has burst and crusted over. By then your LO's may be feeling better, but do try and minimise spreading the virus as chicken pox can be nasty even for healthy adults.

My health is poor and something that others bounce back from quickly in a few days can affect me negatively for months.

Have you got plenty of cotton wool to apply the calamine lotion with?

freebiequennie

Virasoothe is amazing not very mse at £11 a tube but everyone I have recommended to as been impressed it's a gel n so easy to apply in middle of night.

Piriton is great

Oats wrapped in a muslin tied to tap of runners water for bath

slightlyconfused1

My boys had chickenpox a few weeks ago, they felt really ill, not just itchy. I gave them piriton, it really helped. I was told that Valentine lotion dries the skin so didn't use it. Both boys were completely off their food but I did manage to persuade them to drink. It took ages for all the spots to burst, they ended up missing over a week and a half of school.

On the plus side, because they both had it together they were able to play together when they felt better but were still infectious. If your boys get it together it really will be easier rather than one after the other.

thriftyemma

When my DS1+2 got the dreaded pox, my doctor suggested Calamine aqueous cream. It's like the lotion, but so much easier to apply. And because it's a cream, it helps to moisturise the dry scabby skin. I got given it on prescription, along with a children's piriton liquid, so didn't have to pay for it. Together they worked brilliantly, hardly any itching for either of them.

pogofish

Ensure any Calomine Lotion used is of the water-based type.

The oil-base version can be a hellish irritant to a youngster's/sensitive skin - Possibly even worse than the pox.

Indie_Kid

scubaqueen wrote: »

Keep adults at bay as they can eithe get full blown chickenpox or shingles which is much worse so I believe.

I've heard this too. It's something that worries me somewhat. Despite my brother and sister both having it at roughly the same time, I managed to "miss out" on getting them.

When my DS1+2 got the dreaded pox, my doctor suggested Calamine aqueous cream.

Can you wash with this instead of soap? I know you can wash with aqueous cream.

Toooldforthis

I never bathed mine just gave them a quick wash .... my grandfather swore by it and mine never itched or have any scars