Help - to bath or not to bath with chickenpox

[bagpussmice]

dd2, 2.3yrs is on day 4 of chickenpox and has really been suffering today with itching/sore spots. Is it better to give her a bath tonight or give it a miss? She's got old calomine lotion on still from this morning - can I reapply new over the top?
Last night bathtime was very teary - she is v. tired and irritable...
to bath or not to bath?

[edgetop]

will she go in a warm shower, just to freshen her up. i known when my son had cp it did him good, because it was quick & the new camomile was soothing, good luck, it dosnt last for ever. it just feels like it.

[Hulababy]

We found that piriton was much better for the itching than calamine. When calamine dries it can irrate the skin, making the itching worse.

Even if she doesn't want a bath - how about a bit of a sponge down?

[MrsMills]

DS2 has just about recovered from chicken pox, he's just turned 2.
I put him in a cooler bath with a bucketful of bicarbinate of soda every night. I'm not sure if it's just an old wifes tale, but it did stop him itching for quite a while. I didn't use calamine lotion though, just cold aloe vera gel.

It'll soon be over, honest! You've probably got over the worst now.

[MaryP0p1]

Agreed cooler bath with bicarbinate o soda, does wonders for drying out those spots.

[WigWamBam]

Oat baths are soothing as well - fill the end of an old sock or tie up a muslin with some oats in and hang it over the tap so that the water runs through it as you run the bath.

[mszebra]

I only found out that ds had cp when i took his shirt off at bathtime and he was eagerly splashing around ... but obv. his spots didnt bother him much.

[MrsMills]

You might find a few more soon!

[Milge]

I made a paste up with bicarb of soda in a cool bath and sat them in the bath until the paste dried. Much better than calamine, imho! Also add a handful of oats to the water.

[Twiglett]

warm bath run through a sock filled with porridge oats

or add bicarbonate of soda to the bathwater

both of the above relieve itching and are superior to calamine lotion IMHO .. I gave my 2 baths 2 to 4 times a day like that

[Mercy]

Not sure if you can get it here but lacto calamine is pretty good (and doesn't leave those awful dry white/pink patches)

[meganandlucymummy]

How much bicarb in a bath - does anyone know? Thanks

[misdee]

i chucked a tub in.

[Dottydot]

ds2 who had worse chicken pox than his brother really liked having a slightly cooler bath - he's nearly 2 and I think it helped alleviate the itching. We didn't put anything in it, but covered him in calamine and medicated talc when he got out.

[MarsOnLife]

if you bath then a cool bath is best otherwise it will set the itching off.

[RedZuleika]

Had it when I was in my 20s. Coolish bath helped me (didn't have any bicarb at the time). Hated the calamine as it made the itching worse.

It also helped me to scratch the bits no one would be able to see. If I ever lose my hair, I'm going to look a mess!

[LIZS]

lukewarm with a spoon or two of bicarb of soad and pat dry or wrap in bath robe/towel and let her dry off slowly.

[Angua]

Hi

[JanH]

Bit late now (assume she's in bed!) but DD2 had chickenpox very badly when she was just 2 and spent hours in a bicarb bath, it was the only place she was comfortable.

[jetsetmum]

sorry to hi-jack thread - but DS2 has been sent home with suspected chick pox at 13 months from nursery

• only it's not like DS1 when he had CP - no spots on body - apart from a few dots where he has really dry skin on his legs & really red face. But he is really unwell so I do feel the worse.
  
  Is he going to wake up in the morning covered or what?

[meganandlucymummy]

She's just managed to drop off to sleep but if we're stuck in the night or tom - I'll know what to do now! Thanks x

[arfur]

Medised worked well for my two - paracetamol and small amount of anti-histimine helps the itching and also helps them sleep Obviously not to be given if using piriton.

[brimfull]

ds is day 3 now and soooooo much better today

doesn't seem so distressed/in pain.No fever today.Thank God,I was really worried about him yesterday.

[RyanGladwin]

Am.i right in reading bi carb in a bath????