Another chicken pox query - it's so mild, how do I know when it's over?

[rattling]

I have twins with probable, but mild CP. DT1 I probably would have assumed was having an allergic reaction (or worried about bed bugs as the spots are like little bites), if DT2 wasn't showing slightly more typical CP spots and there weren't a few more cases in their room at nursery. They don't seem unwell and have no temperature, though they are nicer to be around since I started drugging them "just in case".

My question is how to tell when they are no longer infectious when the spots don't really have much of a pus-filled centre, so aren't crusting over. The first spots to appear (on DT2) are like this, and look like they may be scabby tomorrow, but more appeared today just as red spots, and already seem to be dying down - do I have to wait a certain length of time after the last spots appear?

Thank you to anyone who has worked there way through my pus, scab and spot filled post.

The current guidelines are (or were last time I looked) 7 days after first spots. But you may still get a good lot of spots. Ds the spots really hit in on day 3 and he was absolutely covered (including inside mouth etc.) by day 4, me having congratulated him on having it mildly.

Ds's'school says 5 days from onset of spots. Ds was still getting new spots at 6 days so obv still infectious. Dd didnt get any new spots after day 3 and they were all scabbed over by then too. They both had 500+ spots though.

Ds started with 2 teeny tiny little pink spots - one on tummy one on back. Didnt think anything of it and he didnt get any more until what in retrospect was day 3. He then got LOADS. Dd on the other hand just woke up absolutely covered in them.

When did they first get the spots? They can have different outbreaks of spots over a few days and they are still contagious until they have all scrabbled over. So it could be another few days if new ones are appearing now.

I'm not sure why you are giving Calpol 'just in case' if they don't have a fever. There are other things that can reduce the itching if they seem uncomfortable - calamine lotion, porridge oat baths and, if they're really bad and you have to resort to medication - piriton.

My DS had,he had all the spots straight away.I would say it should take week to 10 days to be free of infection.

im having the same thing. my youngest two have probable mild CP. My daughter has quite a feww spots but theyre all so small, doesnt look the same as the typical CP that my eldest had. My middle son had more normal looking cp spots, but only 3 of them. I expected more to come out over the course of a few days but its day 5 now and it seems to be pretty much over. Going to send ds2 back to school on weds, and maybe dd back to nursery on thurs unless more come out. Thats what the doctor suggested yesterday