Ezcema and Chicken Pox

[BernieBear]

Hello there - does anyone have any advice re the above. My ds is just gone 2 and has come into contact with Chicken Pox in the last 24 hours. I know that it is inevitable that in about 2 weeks he too will come down with it which is fine, however how do I treat it when he has such sensitive skin. He had ezcema head to toe for his first year and now has small patches and VERY sensitive skin. Has anyone been in the same situation and what did you use - is Calamine still okay - or is there anything else? Thank you

My ds had just started his once a day cetirizine anti-histamine dose when he got chicken pox, and he hardly itched at all. I also used Eurax lotion, which is like calamine but a bit stronger (I think) and isn't pink, so easier on the clothes. We actually went on holiday as soon as his blisters had dried up (having had to cancel our flights when they appeared 4 days before we were due to fly...), and even in 30 degree heat the spots didn't bother him. He's always had mild ezcema, especially around elbows and knees, and although he definitely had "angrier" spots there, they still weren't the torment I've seen with other kids.

My GP said he actually prescribes cetirizine for chicken pox now (after I'd read on the internet that there was no point in going to see GPs - WRONG!), so it might be worth talking to your GP in advance and getting some, so you don't get back into the itching cycle.

Hope this helps

I used Piriton. I also mixed some Calamine in aqueous cream (you can buy it too, but the pot is tiny). Ds actually had better eczema after the CP, because the piriton stopped him itching. However, the under side of his chin is terrible now, because he did keep scratching it.

I dosed my DD with piriton. In my experience kids with eczema seem to get chicken pox worse.

Tepid baths helped with a teaspoon or so of bicarb of soda. dd had it last summer and was in and out of the paddling pool ! btw he may not get it after all your worry .

Sandy - that would explain why ds got it really badly. He has loads of scars on his forehead and all over his chest and legs, poor soul. Tepid baths really helped him too. He used to sit in the bath and just ask me to pour water all over him...

My DD was the same Dior. Could hardly see any skin between the spots, they seemed to join up. They were also up her bottom, in her mouth and ears, everywhere. I had no idea that chicken pox could be so horrible, thought it was just a very mild childhood thing. Her twin sister, who doesn't suffer from eczema, only had about 5 spots - made twice the fuss though .

It is nasty. Ds had them in his ears too, and on his winkle! He had a temperature of 40 for 4 days too. Ironically, just as I telephoned NHS direct, the fever broke!

This may sound crazy but i am looking for someone who has chicken pox in the Ealing, London area. We live in NY where they vaccinate against chicken pox. I would rather my 4yr old had the real thing and so am looking for a chicken pox party to go to. We are in the UK until Sunday

Oh god my ds had chicken pox on top of ezcema when he was 5 months. It was horrific, he looked like a shrapnel victim and ended up in hospital.

first thing - STOP USING ANY HYDROCORT if you are using it for his ezcema. It acts to suppress the immune system locally, and if he gets chicken pox when you are using it he won't have any resistance to the pox and will be COVERED in poxes. That is one reason why kids with ezcema get chickenpox badly.

Second - dose him with piriton at the first sign of spots, to relieve the itching. If he does too much scratching he will aggravate the ezcema but also infect it - and infected poxy ezcema skin is awful.

I'm not sure that Calamine does much for chicken pox, I think it is more of a distraction technique - and it is VERY drying so I wouldn't use it on an ezcema child. I would instead go to boots and get the Aveeno cream with Menthol, which is very emollient, excellent for extremely sensitive ezcema skin, and the menthol helps the itchyness.

In fact if I were in your shoes I would stop the hydro cort and go on a big Aveeno menthol moisturising bender in anticipation, to try and get the skin in as good state as possible, and then start Piriton and continue Aveeno at the first sign of spots.
Best of luck!!

QPH - I never knew that about hydrocortisone cream. DS was using it when he got chicken pox and he was covered. Ended up in hospital with an infection and was prescribed antibiotics.

DD has just come into contact with chicken pox, time will tell if she gets it. Good thing is she doesn't get eczema so hopefully it will be milder.