Does this sound like chicken pox?

[ItCameFromOuterSpace]

Dc is 19 months old and has been in contact with other children who ave chicken pox at nursery.

She woke up 4 times last night, grizzly with a stuffy nose. Everytime I went in and gave her a cuddle she settled for 2 hours then woke again.

She has woken up this morning with small red spots on her stomach, back and legs about 5/6 in total. She also has a cold. The spots aren't liquid filled and she has a very slight temp 37.3. Other than that she is absolutely fine - full appetite, running around, laughing, full of energy.

Waiting for the doctor to call but nursery have said it definitely sounds like chicken pox to them.

What are your thoughts? The spots are small, red bumps.

[Fanjango]

Sounds like the early stages.... There will be more spots over the next week

[Fanjango]

They often feel more themselves when the spots start to emerge hth

[Skygirls]

If you google chicken pox photos, have a look and see if they look like what your dd has.

When my kids had cp, dc1 had a fever before rash appeared, but dc2 and dc3 were absolutely well and carried on as normal, except for the spots.

If she's been exposed, it is likely that it is cp, but definitely wait for the Doctor's diagnosis. If it is, bicarbonate of soda in the bath should help with itching.

[ItCameFromOuterSpace]

Thank you all....I think maybe it is but I was so ill when I had it - really had flu shivery and terrible spots. She's running around like crazy, laughing etc but maybe because I was much older?

[Ragusa]

Yes, it's far worse in adults, as my DH can attest. Quite often it's a really mild illness in little ones and chances are if she was exposed at nursery then she will have caught it, unless she's already had it of course.

Check in her hair and see if there are any on her scalp - that might indicate the pox.

Hope she sails through it.

[ItCameFromOuterSpace]

Thank you ragusa. She seems worse now and is really miserable and seems unwell. I've given her calpol and she's down for a nap but she's whimpering in her sleep which makes me feel bad for her.

A couple of the spots are now liquid filled...must be chicken pox. Still waiting for the doctor to call.

[RoooneyMara]

Don't use ibuprofen/nurofen - it is contraindicated with chicken pox. (can increase risk of secondary infection)

Oats in an old sock in the bath is good, apparently.

[monikar]

Poor little thing.

Piriton is good for helping with the itching. Also, try to keep her as cool as possible - the spots itch more if the child is hot.

Hope she feels better soon.

[ItCameFromOuterSpace]

Thank you both....rooney is calpol okay?

Doctor confirmed it I chickenpox...poor thing.

[Chumble]

Keep her cool. Lavender oil on the spots will help prevent scaring and cool baths.

I found my two were worse when 'coming down' with it. Once all the spots were out they were fine!

Check piriton age suggestions as I think you might need to be two before using.

[Ragusa]

Gosh, I didn't know that about ibuprofen rooneymara. I am sure I gave it to DS when he had CP recently. I'm sure there was no warning on the bottle....

itcamefromouterspace poor wee thing, hopefully it will have reached its peak soon and then she will start to feel better :(

Piriton can be good when they start itching and as far as I'm aware it can be used from 12m, but best ask the pharmacist.

[RoooneyMara]

calpol is fine apparently. I hope she is better soon.

(no warning on the bottle, I know - I was told by someone on here when mine had it, thankfully, I'd already given ds2 some by then but both were Ok)

Check on NHS website etc, I think it said the same thing x

[ItCameFromOuterSpace]

Thank you both....she's not really had much of an appetite - just snacked on some yoghurt, blueberries, bit of toast etc. is that okay do you think? She's perked up a bit but her temp has got higher and more of the spots are liquid filled now.

Also, shall I do her bath tonight still? It's part of her bedtime routine but was thinking just plain cool water and no shampoo etc?

She napped for 4.5 hrs today so don't know how well she'll sleep at bedtime.didnt want to wake her up.

[twilight81]

Both mine were off colour for few days before spots, fine the day the spots hit and then by day 3 really feeling awful again with high fevers.

We did lots of baths with a sock full of oats in to soothe x
X

[ItCameFromOuterSpace]

twilight do you literally fill a sock with oats and tie it up and put it in the bath?

[Skygirls]

I used Virasoothe gel which you can buy over the counter at a pharmacy. It's cooling and helps spots to heal with no scarring. Think they have to be over 6m old to use it.

[ItCameFromOuterSpace]

Thank you sky I've been using it but poor dd screams when I put it on. Does it hurt her for me to touch the spots with the cooling gel?

[Skygirls]

It shouldn't be stingy, but if the spots are very itchy, then the initial putting on of the gel might irritate hence the screaming.

Also, it's cold and my ds hated having it put on purely for that. He was fine once it was on.
Anyway, hopefully the spots should start crusting over and you'll be over the worst.

[ItCameFromOuterSpace]

Thank you sky the spots are still liquid filled and fresh ones are coming up....do you think she'll be safe to go back to nursery by Thursday? The spots first appeared yesterday morning (thurs).

[Ragusa]

IME the itching starts when the pustules pop. And that is when virasoothe might work. If it's not helping her at the moment, lay off it, I reckon.

[Skygirls]

School/nursery won't allow them back until all the spots are crusty and no new ones are appearing. She'd probably be ok for Thursday, but keep an eye on the spots. If any are still fluid filled by thurs ( even if no new spots) then she's still contagious.

Every child and cp infection is different. Dc1 crusted over completely in 4 days but dc2 took 7 days.

Hope she feels better soon and then at least that's cp out of the way.

[ItCameFromOuterSpace]

Thank you everyone, really appreciate your help and yes glad cp is out the way now!