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Original poster

Please can I have your chicken pox stories

32 replies

chickendelapox · 15/05/2019 13:01

So after being on spot watch for what seems like forever, DS finally has the Chicken Pox. I have been dreading this, we've managed to avoid it for the past few Springs but they are most definitely here now!

He is four, It's day two. They are everywhere, but DS is happy enough just quiet and tired.

Please can I have some Chicken Pox timeline stories? How long did the pox last? Which day was the worst? When will we be freeee?!

OP posts:
shouldwestayorshouldwego · 15/05/2019 13:09

None of mine were badly affected, I guess day 3 was the worst when the second crop came out, other than one of mine who only had it for 48 hours, really mild and despite numerous exposure since hasn't had it again. Generally clears up in 5-7 days. If the spots are everywhere though you might have missed the first crop so could be on day 4 already. DS just had one spot on his tongue initially which I didn't even think was chicken pox until others came out a few days later. In my experience incubation was 13-14 days if you think he might have infected anyone else.

NotSoLittleGoatGruff · 15/05/2019 13:10

I dewaded it too, was so terrified of complications, etc. We sailed through it. The first 2 days there was a bit of fever, days 4-6 were the worst as the spots were coming out like crazy and looked very big and angry. Started itching at about the same time.
We used poxclin and eurax (?!) cream and it helped tremendously. Sadly there were some scars left on my lo's forehead and tummy. Not be a use of scratching, as they scabbed and came off, they left some big crater looking like scars behind. I don't hold much hope of them disappearing over time.
It took about 3 weeks for all the scabs to come off but the worst was over by day 10.

JaneEyre07 · 15/05/2019 13:19

Eldest DD had about 4 spots, I'd never have known it was CP without other kids at school having it. She wasn't remotely unwell and it felt bizarre keeping her off school with it tbh.

She then gave it to DD2 10 days later, who was 6 months old. She ended up in hospital being tube fed due to the blistered sores in her ears, nose, mouth and groin. It was 3 weeks of absolute hell, and she was sedated for nearly 2 weeks of that. She also has deep pox scars over her entire body which as a young adult now shes very conscious of.

I get very angry when people suggest CP parties and exposing their DC to it.

Interested in this thread?

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4 year olds Children's health General health
Original poster
chickendelapox · 15/05/2019 17:27

Thanks everyone. Think this is the first crop, I may have exaggerated by saying they are everywhere...just torso, forehead, hairline and scalp so far. Are there usually two crops that erupt?

@JaneEyre07 so sorry to hear your DD was so poorly.

OP posts:
Phillipa12 · 15/05/2019 17:36

I found with all 4 of my dc that day 3 was the worst for angry looking spots and then everyday after that they did look substantially better. The spots do seem to last forever though. All of mine were not ill, just tired, not hungry and a little itchy, but i could distract them on the itchiness.

Original poster
chickendelapox · 16/05/2019 09:10

Thanks @Phillipa12

How many new crops should I expect? I know it's not an early question but just wondered how many new sets of spots other children had?

OP posts:
Youngandfree · 16/05/2019 09:18

Also interested as mine haven’t had chicken pox yet so I can would like to know what to expect 😬

@JaneEyre07 I’m sorry your daughter was so poorly with them 💕 I agree on the whole chicken pox parties it baffles me!! My neighbors little boy ended up with encephalitis because of chicken pox and is now pretty much vegetative sadly 😭

Mine

Seeline · 16/05/2019 09:26

DS had it quite mildly at 5, but spots kept emerging for about a week. He had 2 weeks off school with it as they wouldn't scab over.

DDwas 2, caught it off him and came out in spots 14 days after his first one. She had it badly. Was really poorly, temperature. Spots everywhere, including eyes, ears, mouth. You could hardly see any skin. Again spots were emerging for about a week, and it was 2 weeks before she was clear.

House-bound for 4weeks was no fun.

BlackInk · 16/05/2019 09:29

My two DC breezed through it - DS was 3 and DD was almost 1. They both had lots of spots (some of which looked nasty) but they didn't seem to be itchy or sore or unwell at all. DS was a bit grouchy the day before the spots came out. Both slept normally and ate normally throughout.

They were all clear within a week from first spot.

underneaththeash · 16/05/2019 09:31

DS1 was 3, averagely unwell. But okay with Eurex and oats in baths. DS2 has it 2 weeks later and was in intensive care for 4 days with secondary pneumonia. It was awful. Although he was badly scarred as a young child, you can hardly see them now, except in certain lights.
He had it again mildly a few years later.

We had DD vaccinated, but she caught it before her second dose very mildly.

After our experience, i’d Just get them vaccinated

Constance1234 · 16/05/2019 09:33

I recommend PoxClin and Piriton - we used both and my son didn’t suffer too badly. I know we were lucky to have a fairly mild case. Wishing your son a quick recovery.

TillyTheTiger · 16/05/2019 09:40

Hope your DS doesn't suffer badly OP.
For anyone whose DC haven't had CP yet, the vaccine is £65 per dose from superdrug (2 doses needed) and it does give you peace of mind. We weighed it up against the potential cost of having to take time off work or paying for missed activities etc and figured it was worth it. Plus I have visible scarring on my face from it CP so wanted my child to avoid that if possible as I'm a bit self-conscious about it.

x2boys · 16/05/2019 11:26

Both of mine had it about four years ago ds1 was 8 and ds2 was 5 neither was particularly unwell just a bit itchy,the Gp told me to keep ds1_off school for 10 daysHmm which he was delighted about .Ds2 started with it a couple of weeks later and school was on half term at the time .

ReganSomerset · 16/05/2019 11:35

I'd intended to get DD vaccinated, but annoyingly enough she's contracted it before being old enough for the vaccine! The first spots were on Saturday but we thought they were just pimples because there were only two of them. It was clearly the pox by Monday. Not sure if that makes it day 6 or day 4 for us, but she has more scabs than blisters now. She does have loads of tiny red dots too though, so if we're waiting until they blister and scab too, it'll be a while yet. She's got lots under her nappy that kept her up itching and crying half the night, despite lotions and potions.

Ratbagratty · 16/05/2019 11:41

We have just had it here. 2 DD at the same time, they both had a few in their mouths so we struggled to feed them for a few days making them lethargic and grumpy. One had it one the sole of her foot so for about 3 days she wanted picking up all the time. We stayed in for 7 days as I wasnt convinced they were all crusty until then.

They still have the spots 3 weeks later but are fading and no bother.

spiderlight · 16/05/2019 11:44

You'll hate me - mine had about six tiny spots on his back and torso, only one of which itched. You wouldn't have known he was ill, and if I hadn't been on the lookout because half his class had it, I might well not have noticed them. A nurse friend confirmed that they were definitely chicken pox spots and everyone said 'Oh, he's had it mildly, he'll get it again....', but he hasn't so far despite it going round the school every spring (six years on and counting).

RoyalChocolat · 16/05/2019 13:03

I don't want to hijack the thread but DD had a very mild case of chickenpox around Christmas 2017. A few weeks later she went from "not feeling well - a bit of temperature" to not breathing in about half an hour. She spent a week in hospital hooked to various machines. I had no idea encephalitis was a possible complication of chickenpox.

A year and a half later she is still under medication and I am afraid she will never recover fully.

Youngandfree I am so sorry about this little boy.

ReganSomerset · 16/05/2019 14:29

@RoyalChocolat

And that is why I don't understand it not being a routine childhood vaccination in this country.

Leah2005 · 16/05/2019 14:37

My ds had it aged three and was low for a couple of days before the spots appeared. We were on hols with the ex laws at the time. We popped to the park for some fresh air for half an hour and I figured he wouldn't pass it on in the great outdoors. We went down a slide together and we broke his leg. What a bloody week......

GMtoBe · 16/05/2019 15:01

DD had it a few weeks ago. She's 19 months. Days 1 and 2 we thought we'd got away with a mild dose. We were wrong. Loads and loads came out on days 3 and 4. She was most uncomfortable on days 4 and 5 especially overnight. She must have had 500 spots. We used germolene in her nappy because it numbs the skin a bit and she was most distressed by those spots. Then did oat and bicarb baths 4 times a day on the worst days, twice on other days and used poxclin mousse to soothe her. They scabbed over quickly though and we were out and about as normal by day 10. Good luck!

Original poster
chickendelapox · 16/05/2019 20:52

Thank you for the well wishes and advice. DS has come out in a lot more spots over night and throughout the day. He has a couple in his mouth so I think it's going to get worse before it gets better.

So sorry to hear how so many LO have suffered. @RoyalChocolat you aren't hijacking the thread at all, I'm so sorry to hear about your little girl and the complications.

We were discussing getting the vaccination at the weekend, and then out came the spots. I'm regretting not having had it done.

OP posts:
user1493242132 · 16/05/2019 21:53

I went and got my DS vaxxed yesterday! I hope it is the right decision.

Hadenoughofitall441 · 16/05/2019 22:39

DS had it aged 6 months but only had about 7 spots on his face and like 2 on his arms. Dd is a whole different story. First year of nursery so aged 3 she gets this fever which lasted 2 days, a slight rash and maybe 4/5 spots @round the rash, I thought it was heat rash at first as we were having a heat wave, fever went then the rash was still there for around a week. We used E45 cream and she was fine after fever. I didn’t know it was chicken pox at first but the next 2 years her friends at nursery all had it and she got nothing and then her best friend got it 4 weeks ago and she’s got nothing, and she literally plays with her everyday single day. Either sE had already had it or she’s immune 😂

zsazsajuju · 16/05/2019 22:45

,it’s definitely the right decision to get vaccinated- chicken pox can kill. It’s should absolutely be part of the childhood vaccination schedule.

EleanorLavish · 16/05/2019 22:49

Apparently each sibling will get it worse than the child before. Seems to be the case here as each sibling has had a worse dose than the one who had it first.
That was the case for me and my siblings when I was young-and I was the last to get it. I was so I’ll.
My eldest ones have had it, years ago. My youngest hasn’t but it’s everywhere at the minute....