Chicken Pox has arrived, what do I need?

[baubled]

So my 3 year old has finally got chicken pox, it seems to be pretty mild at the moment but a warm bath has definitely brought a few more out and a couple are at blister stage.

My question is what did you find was best to relieve the itch? There's just me here today so it will have to be an Amazon Prime job as I don't fancy infecting anyone who hasn't had it or has an immunodeficiency.

Also, has anyone had chicken pox as an adult? DP has never had it and is worried it's going to hit him full force!

Remember to avoid ibuprofen, it's really bad for chicken pox, as for other things, I'm sure someone will be along shortly to provide more insight!!

We found Oat baths really helped. Put porridge oats in old pair of tights and put in warm bath. We used virasoothe gel too. Eldest wasn't itchy really his little brother was and the gel and baths helped.

Virasoothe is good for 'cooling' the skin. It's a gel, so really easy to put on. It also helps reduce scarring. My DD used to like to put it on herself. We also did a lot of oatmeal baths (porridge oats in a muslin in a warm bath - the water goes milky). Piriton - if they will take it - to relieve the itching. Don't use ibuprofen or aspirin - I can't remember why, but i think there have been cases of skin reactions!

Camomile lotion or cream helps the itching otherwise just carry on as normal(apart from shopping with him).
DD was fine ,just a bit tired but had night terrors for few nights,first and only time.

Bicarb baths. If you can get someone to go to the chemist for you you can get a massive tub for a few quid instead of the baking sized ones from the supermarket.

All the creams / lotions including calamine seemed to make DTs worse.

Some kids seem to get off quite lightly, mine were horribly ill and off school for three weeks. They alternated between the bath and watching TV.

Thank you @TheLovleyChebbyMcGee

We used Poxclin on our son, it was a godsend. Quite expensive but lasted well.

Poxclin worked well for my two girls when they had it (4 and 1 at the time). Also gave them piriton and I'd say that helped with the itching as they didn't suffer too badly with it.

Hope your little one feels better soon.

Oat baths, piriton and poxclin. Job done, they all work brilliantly.

The only time we had complaints about itching was when the piriton was wearing off.

For goodness sake avoid warm baths! The hotter you make the skin, the more blisters will erupt.
Keep the child as cool as you can - minimal clothing, preferably thin cotton, and try to keep their temperature down with Calpol.
There was an interesting report in the British Medical Journal years ago, where two GPs cut one arm and one leg off each child’s pyjamas and day clothes, leaving one limb exposed on each side. They then counted the number of blisters erupting on clothed versus unclothed limbs. All the children had far more blisters on the warm clothed limbs.
It makes sense - the hotter the skin, the greater the blood flow, bringing a greater load of viral particles along to the surface.

Lukewam baths with bicarbonate and oats in a sock under the Tap, then when all wet squeeze it and it makes the bath milky. Virosoothe, poxcilin and piriton. My eldest likes the bio oil gel rubbed on her back and chest when it was healing and scabbed. Lots of cool fitting clothes.

Poxclin - highly recommended

PoxClin is amazing. Because it’s a mousse you can dab it on itchy skin without touching the skin.

If you can get someone to get it for you, it’s a great investment. It’s also on Amazon.

Thanks everyone for the advice- I'm ordering Poxicilin (and Piriton if I can) now. Thankfully he's not itching yet but I want to be prepared for when he does. I've got oats and muslins so I'll use them if needed too.

@Babdoc I appreciate there always has to be at least one person who needs to be rude on a MN thread but maybe think about your wording, your advice would be listened to and appreciated more if you could say it in a polite way.

No advice, just to say my 10yo started with chicken pox yesterday - at last! He was unwell yesterday with a temperature but that's gone now. Not too many spots yet and no itching but it's early days and I've just popped to the chemist for some poxclinn and Eurax which is supposed to be good, so all prepared! Now just waiting for 5yo DS to come down with it along with myself (I had it as a child but recent blood test said I'm not immune).

Came here to say PoxClin - but I see everyone else already has!

DS1 came through chicken pox (and he was covered) relatively unscathed, the mousse really worked.

Poxclin and Piriton did the trick for my two last summer. Best of luck OP!

The oat baths can really help in the middle of the night if DC is troubled. It's the action of it I find, not just the soothing of the oats but actually having something to do works as an extra little placebo. But be aware it'll make your bath very slippery.

Ah! Poor you! Poor LO, and probably poor DP (in about 10 days)

I got CP at 30, sheesh it was foul! My sister got it when she was 30 too and really suffered

You feel like death warmed up for a couple of weeks, then the blisters come out and it starts improving. I found my head was just complete mush for 2 weeks! Fingers crossed he won’t get it!

Poxclin, oat baths, piriton. Calpol for fever never ibuprofen.

Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment For Itchy, Irritated Skin and this is a good drink www.highernature.com/life-stage/childrens-health/kids-soothe-immune and calendula cream when they are starting to heal. www.lyonsleaf.co.uk/chickenpox-cream
A nice soft cotton sheet for them to sit on.

My sister and I both had chicken pox at 30. I felt lousy the night it started - very hot and cold and rather rough the next day, but after that I felt fine. The worst bit was my appearance and the itching. My sister was the same. - Everyone expects adults to suffer badly from chickenpox so I managed to get 2 weeks off work; I didn't want to go back 'til my face looked better.

A pharmacist actually advised against calamine lotion as it’s only really effective in cooling the spots until it dries, then, although the dryness helps to calm the spots and dry them up, the itching is made more intense.

Virasoothe was recommended instead and worked well.

Eurax cream stops itching if I gets really bad.

Yes to all the the things suggested.
My dd got chickenpox badly aged 12. We were all going away 3 weeks later and none of our 3 younger children had had it. We vaccinated. If you vaccinate after exposure it can stop them getting chicken pox. No guaranteed but greatly reduces the chance. Might be an idea for you dh?

Although I am freaking out about complications like encephalitis now 😭