Share your tips for coping when your children have chickenpox with PoxClin

[JustineBMumsnet]

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Though most children will get it at some stage, chickenpox is an illness that can be difficult for all involved. With that in mind, PoxClin would like to hear the tips you have for when children get chickenpox.

Here’s what PoxClin has to say: “It’s never easy when your children are ill and it’s natural for parents to worry about the itching and discomfort chickenpox can cause. 46% of parents say that stopping children from scratching is the most important thing for them when their child has chickenpox and 34% also worry about longer-term effects like scarring. These issues, combined with children being at home and unable to attend school or nursery until the spots have crusted over can put everyone to the test, with children being restless and parents feeling anxious and stressed from juggling work and unexpected childcare. It’s at times like this that support and advice from other parents can be so valuable. So, if you have some amazing parenting “hacks” to share, we want to hear from you!”

Do you have any tips for dealing with being housebound while your child is contagious? Perhaps you know of remedies that help with relieving the itching and scratching that accompanies chickenpox? Maybe you have tips for dealing with more than one child getting chickenpox at the same time?

All who post below sharing their tips will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

*An online survey was conducted by Atomik Research among 1,300 UK adults aged 18+. The research fieldwork took place on 8th – 12th April 2019. Atomik Research is an independent creative market research agency that employs MRS-certified researchers and abides to MRS code

[OnePotMeal]

My three all had it at once - they were all under 11 at the time, and the youngest was just 1yo. My go to tip is cool baths, followed by calamine lotion, and letting babies go without a nappy where possible, as any dampness really irritated the spots. Not a good memory!

[Montydoo]

DS one and DS2 had it at the same time, DS1 had around 6 spots, DS2 was like a 'current bun'. I used calamine lotion, cool baths and calpol for the discomfort with DS2 (NEVER USE IBUPROFEN) , I put socks over hands at night to stop scratching.

[jacqui5366]

A chamomile tea compress helped my son (3 teabags in boiling water left to cool and apply with a cotton flannel it has natural antiseptic and inflammatory properties), as did a few tablespoons of baking soda in a cool bath, helped with the itching. Wear cotton clothing, and make sure their nails are short to prevent scratching.

[FannyFifer]

Luckily when my DD had it the weather was brilliant so she just played out in the garden.
Between the paddling pool & the sunshine the chicken pox cleared up really fast.
I had also discovered PoxClin so applied that liberally as well which helped also.

[user1496959500]

I must say getting the jab was the best decision we made! DS still got pox but it was so so mild and didn't affect him at all. For others, oats in a muslin in the bath are still a winner. And lots of TV!

[BristolMum96]

My toddler hasn't had it yet. I dread it so reading tips is good. Hopefully I can pay for private vaccination before she catches it.

[OrdinaryGirl]

Virasoothe worked better than calamine with DS1. Couldn't face dealing with the twins getting it so got them vaccinated... which I guess is the ultimate coping strategy 😏

[m0jit0]

No tips as my dc hasn't had it yet, but following with interest for when the time comes

[Asuwere]

My DC found oat baths soothing (filled sock with oats, tied the top and put under running tap)
Other than that, it was just like any other illness: bed or snuggled on sofa watching movies.

[lemonjam]

I did oats in the bath, poxclin and piriton. We had a pretty easy time of it really.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

Scratchsleeves are amazing! We bought them for my son's eczema but they worked a treat for chicken pox too.

And we avoided other people but we would have gone crazy in the house all the time so headed to empty beaches for fresh air and spent time in the garden too.

[biffyboom]

Well this post is very apt for me right now! My 2 children are currently suffering with chickenpox.
Last night I had to put ScratchSleeves (for eczema) on my 1 year old in the middle of the night as the sound of her scratching woke me. I've stuck with the basics of paracetamol, calamine lotion and antihistamine with her.
For my older child, I'm trying Sudocrem, Weleda calendula baby cream as topicals alongside paracetamol as he's allergic to piriton.

[WowOoo]

I didn't find much that helped but telling my son that oats in muslin in the bath would make him feel better seemed to work for a short time.

[TweetleBeetlesBattle]

Many long oat baths, pox clin, a lot of TV, a lot of crafts and eventually a spotty friend to spend some time with too is what got us through. It's a miserable time for them.

[ifigoup]

Oat baths, Poxclin and Piriton were the magical trifecta for us too.

[Number3or4]

Lot of Virasoothe, but most importantly keep an eye out for secondary infections. Ds1 caught a secondary skin infection and it was very hard to convince doctor's he needed to be seen. Finally a doctor on 111 agreed to see him and gave him antibiotics. He still got very large scare tissue all over his torso. You know your child best, yes fever is a symptom of chicken pox, but sometimes there are secondary skin infections to.

[JC4PMPLZ]

lukewarm baths and oats to soothe things I also spent a fair bit of time trying to stop picking - but failed. She now has one cute scar! I figure it is history on the body.

[MrJollyLivesNextDoor]

Luckily DS didn't suffer too much with it when he had it

Lots of cool baths and calamine lotion and avoiding people as much as possible

[TellMeItsNotTrue]

Room temperature baths with baking soda in, and let them stay in as long as possible to get the benefit. We washed dolls in the bath, had tea parties, used glow sticks in a nighttime bath with no lights on and some music playing for a disco bath, read books etc

[onemorecakeplease]

I used virasoothe on the spots and Dd never really itched or scratched

She was covered in them too. We took her to deserted beaches so she could get out and run about without infecting anyone. Fresh air is the cure all I think!!

DS only had a few spots so it didn't bother him at all.

[chibsortig]

I used antihistamine to help with the itch on my youngest two when they had it earlier this year. Loose fitting cotton clothes were also good plus being able to get out into the garden to stop them going stir crazy as they are used to going to school and nursery. Luckily we have a large garden for them to let off steam without having to put the public at risk.

[BringItIn]

Oats in a sock in the bath is not just soothing, but also a great distraction for an older child who can have fun squeezing and swooshing it about.

[glenthebattleostrich]

When dd had it she got the spots in her throat too. So lots of yogurt and ice cream.

We used oat baths, calomine aqueous cream (didn't dry skin out like the lotion) menthol aveno, Calpol and piriton before bed.

We had tons on iPad time movies and board games. A really good distraction was drawing around DD and then marking where she had spots then counting them.

[OrdinarySnowflake]

Oats in the toe of some old tights, tied up and put under the running water for a bath. Really helped and made sure no oats escaped into the bath.

Vitasooth helped too.

Dc1 was so bored as it poured with rain the whole time and he couldn't go out. We watched cars far too many times... dc2 was a baby still when she got it so just cuddled for a fortnight.

[LateMumma]

Cool oat baths (oats in a sock) helped, loose clothes and lots of distraction!