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Original poster

Gave ibuprofen not knowing it was chicken pox

18 replies

SameToo · 27/12/2021 03:54

Please tell me my DD will be ok! I didn’t know it was chicken pox and I didn’t know you weren’t supposed to not give ibuprofen. I gave her 2.5ml last night then 2.5ml just over half and hour ago and have now found spots. She’s 2.5years. I’m worried as it says it can cause serious skin infection 😭😭 is she ok? Do I need to take her to hospital?

OP posts:

DerAlteMann · 27/12/2021 04:06

As I understand it, giving ibuprofen has a risk attached to it because it might cause skin infections. However, it can be given on a Doctor's advice. The absolute no-no is aspirin which has a high risk of causing something I can't remember.

I don't think you need worry OP, provided you don't give anymore.

Original poster

SameToo · 27/12/2021 04:10

Thank you @DerAlteMann I definitely won’t be giving any more. I don’t normally even use the stuff but that’s what was in the shop when I needed something for a temperature recently and had no calpol. I panic a lot about things like this and how stupid I was not to read the damn packet!

OP posts:

Timeisavirtue · 27/12/2021 07:07

Don’t worry op, we did the same when dd had hers last year, because she started off with a high temp we thought she was getting the flu or some sort of infection luckily we only gave her one lot when we realised it was chicken pox.... think she should be fine as long as you don’t give her anymore.

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IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 27/12/2021 07:11

Don’t worry! 10 years ago when my dc had CP, the advice used to be to alternate ibuprofen and paracetamol. Many families I know did this, and i’m not aware of any skin infections.

FlamesEmbersAshes · 27/12/2021 07:16

My DD had chicken pox as a toddler and I was unaware of the advice not to have ibuprofen. I gave it throughout. I felt vaguely sick when I realised but she was fine - adverse reactions are still rare.

Original poster

SameToo · 27/12/2021 07:23

Thank you all!

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ItsAllAboutTheLighting · 27/12/2021 07:24

In pretty sure I gave my first two ibuprofen when they had it.

Dontletthemuggglesgetyoudown · 27/12/2021 07:34

This isn't meant to be harsh to you @SameToo but if you didnt know it was chicken pox, how could you avoid giving ibuprofen? Now you know it is chicken pox don't give it but you can't not give ibuprofen on the off chance that every fever might be chickenpox. You're not psychic

Janek · 27/12/2021 07:40

I didn't give ibuprofen (only found out afterwards you shouldn't, but we only ever had calpol in the house) when dd2 had chickenpox and she did get several skin infections!

Original poster

SameToo · 27/12/2021 08:03

@Dontletthemuggglesgetyoudown not harsh at all. I feel I should have read the bottle and chosen paracetamol instead on the off chance it could be chicken pox. Silly I know but this is what my brain does!

Thank you @Janek that is interesting to know. Was your DD ok? Is it obvious when it’s infected?

OP posts:

Original poster

SameToo · 27/12/2021 08:03

Thank you @Janek that is interesting to know. Was your DD ok? Is it obvious when it’s infected?

OP posts:

Raindancer411 · 27/12/2021 08:09

My son only had calpol and got infections on a few of his. It was where the got rubbed by his nappy. We were given a cream for those ones.

Janek · 27/12/2021 08:25

Yes, we had the same, she was only 16 months and the advice was to give as much nappy-free time as possible, but I couldn't really see how it was possible due too the frequent and runny nature of the poos! When the doctor saw her nappy area I think even he was surprised at the area of "shorts" she had, made of spots, where the nappy had been and some of them were a bit infected.

She also ended up with a bit in her armpit and behind both ears. The doctors were quite concerned about those because they could spread so rapidly over her small body. We were given both cream and antibiotics while the swab was sent off (didn't know whether it was bacterial or viral), then another doc told me to stop using one of them (before the results were in...) and when we got the results back it turned out we had actually needed whatever we'd stopped using, so she must have fought it off by herself.

No lasting effects, except she has a couple of scars on the back of her thighs where the nappy rubbed.

Original poster

SameToo · 27/12/2021 09:03

Oh poor thing and poor you! It’s so stressful dealing with it. I’m hoping DD is close enough to potty training that we can keep her nappy off. Her sister had it at the same age and fully potty trained but I’m not 100% sure this one is ready for it. I was thinking of getting some puppy pads for her to sit on in case.

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WayneBruce · 27/12/2021 09:37

I wasn't aware of the ibrufen / calpol rule so alternated. It did become infected, but was very obvious as the spots went green and pusey. But DC was perfectly happy all the way through.
The fact you've realised and stopped so early on will be good.

Soontobe60 · 27/12/2021 09:39

My granddaughter had to be admitted to hospital with a very high temp due to chicken pox. The first thing the paediatrician did was give her iboprufen. She said it was ok to do so where needed.

Soontobe60 · 27/12/2021 10:02

Just did a quick Google. The risk of developing necrotising fasciitis in chicken pox is extremely low, and when using ibuprofen is only very slightly raised. It’s not known whether the ibuprofen causes the rise in risk or that the child would have been at greater risk anyway as they had a more severe case of CP which needed both paracetamol and ibuprofen to manage symptoms.

The annual incidence of varicella in the UK is roughly 13,000/100,000 children

Original poster

SameToo · 27/12/2021 10:20

Thank you @Soontobe60 that really helps to have some figures. Hopefully it will all be fine

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