'Must haves' for chicken pox

LandyAndy

I had it when I was about 10. The best relief for the itching came from sitting in baths containing bicarbonate of soda for as long as possible (from as hot as I could bear when I got in until it went completely cold). It was MUCH more effective than Calamine lotion and the like.

JustKeepSwimming_2

pogofish wrote: »

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.

Interesting - I've always been advised to use Oily Calamine Lotion instead of the "ordinary" calamine lotion - the latter is very drying & can make the itching worse, whereas the oily lotion stays on the skin without drying it out. Oily can be difficult to get hold of though so the aqueous cream is probably better than the ordinary lotion.

thriftyemma wrote: »

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.

Maybe an idea to try a small amount of whichever lotion/cream you have on a part of their skin that isn't affected by chicken pox first to see if they react to it.

Some pharmacists don't like selling Piriton for young children as it can potentially be abused by parents wanting to keep their children sedated (not casting aspersions here, just sharing ).

I second the advice that you want kids to have got chicken pox over & done with before they're adults (provided they're normally fit & well - children with other health concerns are a different matter). I managed to escape it until my 30's when my DD bought it home from her nursery - she was a grump for a few days, but not really ill, & only had about 15 spots. I felt the worst I've ever felt, & had spots in places you really shouldn't have them :eek: & it lasted for over 3 weeks. I had them all over the soles of my feet, & in "delicate areas" for which I'd recommend either sitting in a bath with sodium bicarbonate (really easy to do with a toddler that you are also nursing) or sitting on cold, used tea bags. The tea bag trick is handy if you need to keep them in your nursing bra - preferably a black bra. Can you tell it was a miserable few weeks :rotfl:

MadDogWoman_2

When my DD had Chickenpox at this time of year I kept her coated in Aloe Vera, helped on 2 fronts, stops the itching and helped with the temperature.

As the spots crusted over I sprayed them with Collodial Silver, which is an anti bacterial.

She almost lived in the bath, I wrapped the oats in a muslin, tied it to the hot tap and as the water ran through it squeezed it, DD much preferred this method instead of having oats floating in the water.

GobbledyGook

desdemona01 wrote: »

Re the oatmeal baths. To stop it getting messy and clogging up the plugs, do what I did when my DS was little. I put a handful of porage oats in a j cloth and tied it up tightly with a piece of string and made a sort of porage 'teabag' to use in the bath. I would use this as a washcloth on his skin instead of soap. I imagine a muslin square or similar could also be used.

You can do that with a muslin and tie it to the tap then when you are filling the bath the water goes through the oats. I do that for my DD who has eczema and my Nana did it for me as well. Saves any mess.

Liz3yy

Indie_Kid wrote: »

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..

I had chicken pox when I was 20 and it was hideous. I got it after a work colleague bought her son into the office with her as she couldn't get a babysitter due to him being sick, I wasn't worried on the day as whilst I'd never had it, when I was 2 all the children in my street caught it at the same time but I never did, doctor said I must be immune.

Only thing was, few days before I'd had the meningitis vaccine (this was during the university scare in the late 90's) and my body couldn't cope with fighting off both the vaccine and chickenpox at the same time - so I get full blown chicken pox...

I was so ill with it I ended up in hospital as people thought I had meningitis due to my symptoms, I was stuck at home for a month after 6 (count em) doctors realised what it was) and in a lot of pain - with me the spots weren't itchy at all but hurt like hell - sleeping was a nightmare as lying down in bed made the spots on my face ache - doctor was also concerned in case I developed pneumonia

I wouldn't wish it on anyone! Whatever age you are, it's a horrible illness and one to avoid definitely

Liz3yy

JustKeepSwimming wrote: »

I second the advice that you want kids to have got chicken pox over & done with before they're adults (provided they're normally fit & well - children with other health concerns are a different matter). I managed to escape it until my 30's when my DD bought it home from her nursery - she was a grump for a few days, but not really ill, & only had about 15 spots. I felt the worst I've ever felt, & had spots in places you really shouldn't have them :eek: & it lasted for over 3 weeks. I had them all over the soles of my feet, & in "delicate areas" for which I'd recommend either sitting in a bath with sodium bicarbonate (really easy to do with a toddler that you are also nursing) or sitting on cold, used tea bags. The tea bag trick is handy if you need to keep them in your nursing bra - preferably a black bra. Can you tell it was a miserable few weeks :rotfl:

I totally sympathise, I had spots the size of golf balls on my scalp so couldn't brush or wash my hair for weeks, oh what a state I looked by the time they healed up! Lol

Oddly enough my teeth were ultra sensitive too so brushing them wasn't pleasant, I still have scars on my face from the really persistent bumps

notanewuser

Liz3yy wrote: »

Whatever age you are, it's a horrible illness and one to avoid definitely

Sorry, but this simply isn't true. The reason the UK doesn't routinely vaccinate against chicken pox is because its a very mild illness for most children. Catching it as a child gives immunity (for the vast majority) in adulthood. It's a much more serious illness for adults (my dad had it at 36) so you absolutely shouldn't try to avoid your children catching it.

2 of my friends' children were I'll for less than a week and had between 10 and 20 spots. That's it. Others had it worse, but its not an illness to avoid in childhood. As you can catch chicken pox from someone with shingles the risk is still there in adulthood.

BAGGY

My pre-school (then) twins got it over xmas one after the other. A month of it!.
I used bicarb in their bath water and as a paste on very itchy bits.
Let them walk about in just their pants and when the itching became unbearable they loved being sprayed with a plant spray (bicarb and water mix) and standing in front of the fan. Strange kids.

gunsandbanjos

Chicken pox is horrible! My daughter had an awful dose of it, she ended up in hospital with respiratory complications from it. She had spots everywhere, under her eyelids, in her throat the lot:(

I'll vote for antihistamine tablets/liquid too, they really helped.

LutonGirl

E45 cream for the scabs.

I caught Chicken Pox when aged 20 (from a child I was babysitting), and E45 was recommended by a friend's Mum. Mine healed beautifully and I only have one tiny scar on my face.