Would I know by now if it was chicken pox?

[NutellaPancakes]

DD has runny nose, cold, coughing.

On Sunday morning she slept in for AGES, was really tired. When she woke up she had a few spots, which she said were itchy, on her chest and back, face, neck and behind her ears. Probably about 10 or 12 spots in all.
I thought it might be insect bites, but it seemed a bit widespread and not the weather for it. Then I thought it might be chicken pox (especially given the coughing etc).

So...we kept her off school yesterday, she seemed fit as a fiddle, no more spots, existing ones still the same, her younger brother seems fine.

If it were chicken pox, would she have got more spots by now? Or would they have started scabbing over? Keeping her off again today, but it is a pain, need to go to the shops but obviously don't want to take her if she is infectious.

Doctors don't have an appointment available that we can get to today or tomorrow.

Sounds like it could be CP - but a very mild case. My DS1 had a very obvious case of it, but DS2, who was only 7 months and still BFing, had a case which was very like your DD's. He had about 20 spots on his torso, runny nose, but no fever and the spots never got runny or scabby.

What you have to ask yourself is - could there be another explanation for the spots? In the middle of winter it's not going to be mosquito bites. If the answer is 'no' and you know she's come into contact with other kids with CP then it's very likely to be that as its highly contagious. With that in mind, I'd tell the school and also be prepared for your other child to get it within the next few weeks.

Can you get your groceries delivered?

Sorry - just realised you didn't mention another child!

are you sure it wasn't heat rash? The spots for chickenpox are more like little tiny blisters, very distinctive.

I do have another child (9 months and still BF'ing) who has a cold and runny nose, but no spots.

That's what I was thinking, I can't really work out what else it could be. I don't know if she has come into contact with CP. To be honest, I've never seen a case of chicken pox, to me the spots look most like mosquito bites that she has had a bit of a reaction to. I gave piriton on Sunday, but they looked the same. Is there anything else they are likely to be? Surely heat rash would have gone by now, and it isn't exactly hot here anyway, we have still got some snow!

DH can get shopping on his way home from work, we'll just have to have fishfingers and peas for lunch from the freezer, and plain pasta for dinner . I wanted to make pancakes, but suppose we'll just have to scrap that.

If she has long hair have you checked her for nits? Dd1 gets spots just where you've said, and like you've said if she has nits, last time she looked like a plague victim and I only found 3 nits.

She does have long hair! I always tie it back for school though, thought that put nits off

Right, how do I check for nits?

best way to find nits is to comb through wiht a nit comb, you soon see them then! Checking the hair around the ears, you can sometimes see them too. Keep parting it, and look for them near the scalp.

I get heat rash in winter, if I've got too hot at night. It can take a while to go too.