Short lived chickenpox?

[Cindy1802]

Anyone had chickenpox clear up within the week?

My 4YO started with a fever on Tuesday, and one spot on his neck. By weds evening he had 4 on his back. Thursday they came in much quicker, he didn't have absolutely loads but he had a decent amount spread mostly over his torso, but a few on his legs, groin, face, hairline etc. He never felt poorly with it, he only had that 1 fever.

Since Friday morning he's had no new spots, and today (Sunday) they are all scabbed over. Could be actually be over it?! I fully expected a new wave this weekend, but I kept checking him today and nothing new. According to nursery rules he can now go back (if he has no more in the morning that is), but it's all happened much quicker than I expected and feel like I'll get some funny looks if I drop him off tomorrow, I expected him to be off most of this week too!

Anyone have a similar experience?!

Have you taken him to the doctor since the spots appeared? Chicken pox is a common disease, but that doesn't mean it cannot have complications.

While he has spots he can infect others. Keep him at home, and check his TPR at least three times in the day.

Sometimes chicken pox has chest complications, and you should not ignore that.

My children caught chicken pox from me, and I caught it from someone who had already had it. My eldest was very poorly. You could not put a finger between any two spots. His eyelids were crusted inside and out. Every inch of skin was covered in spots. He lost weight very rapidly. I had asked the doctor to call and he didn't usually for chicken pox, but when I insisted he said he had never seen such a serious case, and it was touch and go.

His little brother caught it next. He had hardly any spots at all, yet developed a chest infection, and was treated before it turned to pneumonia.

I am not telling you this to frighten you, just to make you aware that although chicken pox is common, and people think it good for their children to catch, it can have serious complications, and as I discovered, you can catch it twice.

There is now a vaccine for shingles, and I strongly advise you to tell your elderly friends and relatives to take up that option.

If he is well, why does he need to see a Dr?

My DS had a very light version. Then months later caught it again and had it ‘properly’. I thought you could only get it once but GP said that if the first time it doesn’t build up enough immunity then you can get it again. Be aware that he could possibly catch it again later on.

My two ds caught it at nursery one Christmas, first was quite ill, second had literally five spots and not remotely bothered. Mild cases do happen, I’ve never heard of a second wave of spots.

I have also heard that if you only get it mildly you are more likely to get it a second time as not enough immunity has built up. Possibly true but ten years on he’s not had it again (whereas elder ds had shingles a few years later which was quite nasty).

also I ended up getting my chicken pox immunity checked when pregnant and it turns out I’ve had it, but apparently so mildly that my parents never noticed 🤣.

no need to go to doctor unless you are particularly concerned. Nothing they can do in the vast majority of cases

My three yo twins had a very light version. There and gone again within a week. Caught it again properly at 9 yo two weeks apart, complete nightmare for a month.

I googled at the time and apparently it is more likely to re catch chickenpox if you only had a slight case first time round as insufficient immune response. Older DS had a much more severe case of chickenpox at 3 and never had it again.

Its impossible to tell though when / if he might be re infected .

My mum always insisted I had chicken pox as a baby, and I did get shingles as a young adult. Nearly 30 years later I came out in spots, and my GP was adamant it was chicken pox. I really didn’t feel bad at all and the spots went away i quickly , so having warned work I wouldn’t be in for a while, I was back within a few days. I’m still inclined to think the GP got it wrong but she was an experienced lady, coming up to retirement, so it would be surprising

Chicken pox gives spots over the body. Shingles is only on one side. If your spots were on one side only, chances are it was shingles.

One one side when I was a teenager, yes, but on this
much later occasion they were everywhere

My DD was the same. Came up with the spots on the Wednesday, all scabbed over by the Sunday. She was fine and was back at school on the Tuesday (only because it was a bank holiday so school was closed on the Monday).

DS was the same. I was all geared up with the calamine lotion and oat baths and all that and he had about 10 spots altogether, was fine in himself and it was all over in a few days. DD never got it from him at the time so has never had it.

Perhaps I did not express myself well. I recommended that if the child became ill.

In any case if he is coughing, or wheezing or both, make sure the doctor lists to his chest.

Is he well? I didn't read that in the OP post. In fact she listed some serious symptoms, which is really why I thought I would warn that common though chicken pox is, it can be very serious. This is what the OP said he had, and among them was groin, and if the glands are affected in the groin, they probably are elsewhere, and that should be investigated.

''torso, but a few on his legs, groin, face, hairline etc. He never felt poorly with it, he only had that 1 fever.

What's serious about those symptoms?

For anyone interested (maybe if youre very bored 🤣) he's absolutely fine, and defo is over it. Can't believe how lucky he got! But he does have a few other (unrelated) medical issues so the kid deserved a bit of luck in that department.