Chicken pox questions

[McKayz]

DS1 has got chicken pox. DS2 had it a couple of weeks ago so we've been waiting for DS1 to get it. He seems to be a lot worse that DS2. More spots and a million times more grumpy!!

The first spot he got is on his left eyebrow. Today it seems to have swollen up under the spot and it's really getting on his nerves. He is complaining that it hurts to blink or close his eye. Would you ring the GP to ask about it or just give it a day or 2 to heal up?

Also I've read about the porridge bath. I don't have any plain porridge oats but I do have oats so simple. Would that work in the same way or not?

Thanks.

Oh yes the porridge is lovely, I added a few drops of Lavender oil to my baths as well. I would think Oats so would be ok as long as plain, just finely milled poridge ASAIK.

Try to keep him cool, I took scalding hot bath one night because I felt so cold and was deluged with blisters the next day.

I would phone the dr about the spot over his eye. Hope he feels a lot better soon, It's a horrible illness.

Bump.

I've had a look and it's golden syrup flavour porridge I've got. So probably not good for a bath.

My dd1 had lots round her eyes. I would just wait and try and stop them itching it - easier said than done I know . They all went away on their own.

Luckily he's not scratching at them. He's not as grumpy today either. Just a bit sick of being stuck in the house.

aloe vera gel

the pure stuff

give them a lukewarm bath, dry gently then slather the aloe vera gel on liberally, worked wonders for my dc who both had it bad recently

oh i am reading this thread with interest after coming on to post about chicken pox! DS aged 2.5 has just got it and is absolutely covered. I have heard, and about to try putting bicarb of soda into the bath with porridge (or without!) nd this helps the blisters dry out. i am going to try t in a mo.

I also have piritone, but was going to see what else I could use, so interested in the aloe vera.

hope your little one feels better soon.

Boots and morrisons sell virasoothe. It was miracle stuff when my ds had chicken pox. It's a cooling, soothing gel tht really took the irritation away.

How much ready break (plain fine-milled oats) would you say to go in a normal-sized bath filled 4 or 5 inches deep?

DS is used to quite hot baths and cries because of the cold if he has to have a bath that is cooler than about 40C - PathanKhansWitch do you think the beneficial effect of the porridge would be negated if the only way I could get him in there was to have the water quite hot?

I would go to the GP if you are at all concerned about his eye. Its easy for the spots to become infected, so might need antibiotics anyway, but if he's saying his eye itself hurts then worth getting it checked out imo.

Make sure you tell them you are coming though, they probably won't want you sitting in the main waiting room potentially spreading it around.

Hope he feels better soon. CP can be truly awful. Loads of Bicarb of soda baths, and a punishing regime of calpol, calprofen and piriton all helped us.

Oh please don't put him in a hot bath, the blisters will love it, he have more by the morning (poor wee soul) . I put loads of porridge in an old pop-sock, and left it directly under the running tap, then a couple of drops of Lavender oil.

It's so soothing, my blisters went a horrible yellow-pus colour, and tbh I still found the good old fashioned Calamine lotion the best thing for drying them out.
I tried the Vira soothe mouse as well which I thought was brilliant. My dd 4.5 didn't like it at all, so it was a lukewarm bath as above, and Calamine.

The dd has no scars(just one tiny mark where the Mother blister emerged). I, however have got scars, a couple of Pock-marks on my face, my trunk looks Giraffe like IYKWIM. I hope all your children are better soon.
(I'm still having blood tests as my white blood cells aren't quite right) It's a rotton illness.

mintcake i just bought some calamine cream and the pharmacist told me that virasooth was meant to be the best thing to use. However my GP told me today to use only calamine. Lots of different advice. The price of the virasooth put me off so will try the cream. OP if you try the virasoothe I will interested to hear if it works.

thepathan i love the way you describe 'mother blister' that is so true, DS has one. Its the biggest ugliest one of the lot and the most angry looking. I suspect that one will scar.

I'm not using the virasoothe either. At my chemist it was 5.50 compared to 1.49 for a bottle of calamine lotion!!!

DS1 also has a 'mother blister', it is the one on his eyebrow.

I used the virasoothe with dd2 (she was so incredibly poorly we bought everything the shop had). It just made her scream even more, so definitely not a miracle product for us! Bicarbonate baths, light clothing and naked if possible, lots of drugs and riding it out were the only things that worked.

My dd has thick waist length hair, her head literally felt like bubble wrap .

By the time they'd scabbed over, her hair was a complete forrest, I was still combing scabs out weeks later. I didn't realise how awful children must feel with chicken-pox..... until I caught it myself this January at age 42!

I'm so angry we don't vaccinate against C.P. It's not always a simple childhood illness. My heart goes out to all your children, I'm quite stoic with illness and pain, but I just wished death would take me at one point .

I said it out loud to dh who hasn't shut up about it since .

I spoke to NHS Direct a couple of days ago when I thought my ds had chicken pox. She said to contact the GP if he had one on his eye as it might need treating. I'd always be cautious about eyes tbh.

thepathan a friend today wanted to come over with her child, and when DH told her no as DS was feeling quite unwell, her attitude was 'my dd had it at 4months, did not bat an eyelid its nothing' clearly thinking we were making a fuss. Well, at 4months they cant tell you if its something or nothing, and some children ride it out easily, and some don't. And I certainly know that despite everyone saying its better now than when he is older, its bloody horrible for him, and us now. Its everywhere, on his genitals, on his backside, in his hair, mouth, lips, eyes. It is not 'nothing'. Sorry about that mini rant but I feel very cross about it right now!

I also wish there was a vaccine in this country. DH told his mother the other day who lives in USA and has done for years, and she was like ' i didnt think children got that disease any more!' as children get the vaccine in USA which has a 70-90% success rate.

I Don't understand why they don't do it here. If they have a vaccine in USA which works why can't they do it here.

Both the boys have had it fairly mildly I think. DS1 had a couple of days of not feeling too well and DS2 was just like normal. But they've both missed out on a week of school when if they vaccinated then they wouldn't have too.

I suspect it is because it costs money to vaccine for what is considered for the most part a non-serious childhood illness. In USA people pay for it within their insurance. the insurance companies will mostly do whatever you ask if you are paying for it! I know they are free and easy with antibiotics for any sniffle certainly amongst my american family.

Obviously you have to pay, but you can get children vaccinated against it here. DS1 has just had his booster, DS2 his first jab - it was £90 per injection. My GP said he thought it was unnecessary as most children only get it mildly (am sure lots of people on here would agree!) but my thoughts are why let them get something if it can be avoided. A friend has also just had her 18m old hospitalised recently due to complications, so it's not always mild.

I got it done to stop them going through it, however can also justify the total £180 cost by thinking about the holiday I will now not have to take from work whilst they are ill!

spammer yes, I agree completely and if I could afford it, I would do it too. And even if they now get it, it is likely very very minor.

My Gp told me this week about one complication which had passed me by. He said to call him if DS develops a cough as children can develop a chest infection as a complication. I suspect that this would be more severe if there are underlying problems such as asthma. So, I agree it is not always a simple illness.

I have had to take this week off work, and then when DD gets it another week, which might be next week, or the week after. Luckily I have a supportive boss, but not everyone does. And £90 vaccine would save a lot of sick pay.

Pav indeed, if it gets into the lungs it can be lethal. Also everybody you do know
under no circumstances give Aspirin it can lead to very serious complications in children.

Virasoothe seemed to work well for DS1, he has been very ill this week, so I can sympathise with you thepathan and Pavlov. really really nasty, and certain relatives are being very 'oh its nothing, X hardly even noticed'. screaming and writhing in pain type stuff round here.

Re: vaccine, I see form other posts that its only active for 15 years, so then you might get it as adult. this is very undesirable, no? (I had a friend who had it at 53 and had a fit in the bath and died. nasty. don't bath alone if you are ill....)

I think it's that as the vaccine was only licensed in 1995, they can only say it's provided immunity for a relatively short time.

Apparently the same concerns were around for measles and have gone unfounded. Obviously something to keep an eye on, but not a major concern of mine right now.