DS (20 months) has chickpox and piriton is not helping

[scotchfreeescapegoat]

Hi,

DS is 20 months and a misery at the moment. He has a terrible case of chicken pox. He has spots on spots on spots. I have given him piriton which he had once before when he got an allergy to some grass. It appeared to be effective last time with no side affects but this time i am not so sure.

He had two doses of piriton yesterday, one in the morning and one at night. He was a giddy wreck all day and screamed all night. It may be that the pox are just making him miserable but he seemed utterly unable to sleep at all last night. He wasnt scratching but he was just wired and miserable. He ended up getting maybe 3 hours of broken sleep all night and so of course he is destroyed today.

It occured to me it might be the piriton and wondered if anyone had any experience of other antihistamines that are effective for relieving the chicken pox itch that maybe don't have the same side affects?

[Kerberos]

We've just had a chicken pox case at home. We didn't use piriton but instead used a gel from the chemist called Virasoothe. It seemed to help Ds (5) a lot. Would definitely recommend it.

[Thurlow]

Virasoothe is very good.

Phenergan (sp?) is an antihistamine - we have it in the house for car sickness, but it seemed to keep DD happy when she had chicken pox

[mewkins]

Have ywou tried just calpol? We are in the midst of the pox with dd aged almost 5. Piriton has helped. As have calamine and eurax anti itch stuff. I think she is just through the itchy phase (though dc2 I suspect will come out in spots at any moment as he is very grouchy). I have heard piriton can send a child loopy.

[mojo17]

I would also get some tea tree lotion I swore by it when both mine got chickenpox at the same time, it gave great relief from not only the itching but cooled them don too

[Tulipsinmyvase]

DD4 is suffering just now with chicken pox. We are giving her baths with bicarbonate of soda. It seems to help, she's having a few baths a day, they are providing some relief. She's also getting portion and calpol. Other than that we are trying to distract her. I hope your DS is over the worst soon x

[VeraStanhope]

DS (5) has had chicken pox this week. All spots are now cloudy or scabbed over. We also used Virasoothe for relief from the itching.

Do any of you have any tips or advice on aftercare, for moisturising the scabs as he is healing?

DS (3) appears to be superhuman and although we are on day 8 at the chicken pox house and have been self contained most of the week due to half term and quarantine he hasn't a single sign of cpox. I don't know whether I am relieved or upset. Who on earth thought chicken pox parties worked to spread it is welcome to come and study my brood and tell me what happened there?!