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Children's health

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Original poster

Probable chickenpox just before christmas - advice?

33 replies

ChangingWoman · 21/12/2012 00:19

Yesterday DD had a couple of tiny itchy spots on her tummy and tonight has spots everywhere (including her scalp?!). Normal temperature, good appetite and no other symptoms.

There haven't been any recent nursery outbreaks but it does look like what I remember of chickenpox on my younger siblings and I think this is the most likely explanation.

We were due to travel to relatives for xmas by train tomorrow afternoon which will be ~6 hour door to door journey. Now I don't know whether to wait it out for another 24 hours or get her there as fast as possible if she's likely to be ill. Having had a quick browse on the internet, I'm also now concerned about exposing others on the train to possible chickenpox.

WWYD?

OP posts:

minmooch · 21/12/2012 06:31

If it is chicken pox please do not take her on a train. It is very unfair to put other people at risk - chicken pox is very dangerous to those who are receiving treatment for cancer - and you have no idea who on a train is on treatment or have family at home on treatment who would be extremely ill if you passed on your DD's chicken pox.

My son has cancer but he tries to go about his normal life and I just hope and pray that other people do not infect him with illnesses from their children who should really be at home.

KeepCalmAndHaveAnotherMincePie · 21/12/2012 06:42

Ooh, that's rotten timing. However, for all the reasons outlined by Minmooch, I would not travel by train until I knew the contagious stage has passed i.e when all the spots had crusted over. Iirc that will take around 3-5 days.

SledsImOn · 21/12/2012 06:44

can you travel by car instead, or is this impossible?

It would be wrong to take her on the train - not just people with cancer but others on various drugs and with various immune disorders can be affected very badly.

Also, there will likely be a lot of other 'normal' people who you will expose, who are just going off for Christmas to see their own families and so on, and you'll be passing it on to them too.

when my two had it, one after the other, I kept them with me for around 5-7 days, in our car or at home, it was tricky being a single parent because someone had to do the shopping but I dived in and out of smaller shops for food etc, while they stayed in the car (bit older than yours luckily - 4 and 8) and I also had an awful toothache at the time, and had to dive into the dentists for a prescription for antibiotics - everything else had to wait!

But it wasn't for long and though it felt a little desperate at the time, we just coped because we had to.

I am sorry this has happened, it's rotten to have to change your plans but think of all the people whose plans you're not affecting, you're a good person x

ps she might not feel poorly with it - or she might have a temperature etc for a night or two, as mine did. I hope she is one of the non poorly ones!

Izzyschangelingisarriving · 21/12/2012 06:47

Also to treat it I found (and mine were covered, everywhere but not one scar)

Bath twice a day with bicard, lavender oil, tea tree oil and Eucalyptus oil

Let the, "drip dry" so the oil stays on skin

Smother with Calamine Cream (not lotion)

Piriton and Calpol as a matter of course.

Lifesagame · 21/12/2012 06:58

There's a mousse called poxclin which is expensive but is much easier and cleaner to apply than calamine. You can also keep it in the fridge so it's lovely and cooling when it goes on. We found it really useful.

KindleMum · 21/12/2012 07:30

It would be wrong to take her on public transport if you think she has chickenpox. And I think you shouldn't visit anyone while you have an unidentified rash - I'd see a doc and then decide whether your Christmas plans need to change. And once you know what it is, ask the family that you're visiting, don't just assume that they're happy to be exposed to xyz.

I had this recently where a friend assumed I wasn't bothered if DD was exposed. yes, I wasn't bothered for DD but DD plays with a child who's having chemo so I wouldn't want to add to their potential risk.

NewFerry · 21/12/2012 07:35

If you decide to take her to the doctors please let the reception staff know that you are bringing her in with a rash, poss chicken pox, when you make the appointment.

NewFerry · 21/12/2012 07:36

Sorry if that seems obvious, but sometimes I think it's helpful to be quite specific as they may have a separate area for you to wait, away from the general public.

Pooka · 21/12/2012 07:38

Ds2 currently has chicken pox. First spots on Monday. So thankfully should be clear by Christmas day. Very mild case (sounds like milder than your dd - way fewer spots).

The older kids are at school so I've been bundling him (protesting) into pushchair with rsincover for the school run. Getting a bit stir crazy as he was off preschool for the week before with croup. But needs must. Good weather for hibernating anyway.

More good thng to try is a handful of porridge oats in an old sock or foot from a pair of tights (knotted) in the bath. Then at end of bath, squeeze the porridgy gunk on the skin. Is very very soothing (helped older dcs when they had the pox a few years ago). Piriton if very itchy.

There have been about 8 cases at preschool. Which surprised me becaue I'm sure it's usually Easter time that is chicken pox season.

Original poster

ChangingWoman · 21/12/2012 08:58

Thanks all - my entire previous chickenpox knowledge comes from Google and memories of 25 years ago...

I don't drive and we don't have any family nearby so train was the only option.

But to be honest, I can't stand xmas and was only going up for DD and my mother. An excuse not to travel would not be the worst thing in the world.

If CP is that contagious, I think I'll need to get a same-day internet shopping delivery today as all childminding / babysitting options already gone for xmas. This part is more problematic but I think several shops do it.

OP posts:

YouCanBe · 21/12/2012 09:48

She might get really uncomfortable really quickly too, then being on a train for that time would be a nightmare for her and you. Stay at home!

KindleMum · 21/12/2012 09:51

I thought DD had chickenpox recently, turned out it was an allergic reaction to amoxycillin. I'd rather it had been chickenpox! Very glad I took her to the doc though.

Sounds like it won't upset your Christmas too much then. Hope you manage to sort out shopping - if you can't get a delivery, is there a neighbour or friend who'd do a shopping run for you? Or collect an order for you if you did a deliver to store one - sometimes they have better availability than to your house?

omaoma · 21/12/2012 09:52

Hey Changing - sounds like an ideal excuse for an Xmas spent with readymade comfort food and a snuggle on the sofa with crap TV. IE pretty perfect in my opinion! Phone and skype are grand for saying hi to people on the day. HOpe DD feels better soon. You are defo doing the right thing not taking chickenpox out into the world x x

imtheonlyone · 21/12/2012 09:55

Poxclin - definitely - from Boots it is expensive but it dries the spots far quicker than anything else. Agreed with others here, please don't go on the train! Good luck - hope she's turned a corner by tues!

notcitrus · 21/12/2012 10:01

You probably won't be able to get an internet shop slot now - could a friend or neighbour shop for you or mind dd while you go?

Dd has a spot on her chin which looks like a first chicken pox. But as we're staying home, ds and all visiting family have had it, and she's a clingy 10mo to start with, it's not actually going to make a difference, though I'd prefer she were a bit older. Though she has had a single spot before that turns out just to be a zit...

Madmog · 21/12/2012 10:04

Is there any chance your family can travel to you instead, or perhaps travel up straight after Xmas instead. I guess you've made the decision to stay at home, but I'd reiterate what others have said and not travel. From your little ones point of view she will probably go through a stage where she feels rotten with it, so won't be up to travelling. As said you don't know what other people's immune systems are like and there are pregnant women. I caught chicken pox when I was 25 and was really ill with it, had them everywhere and couldn't get comfortable, my throat was so sore I couldn't drink.

If your struggling to get food, perhaps a couple of friends/neighbours could get you a few things, especially a little treat for yourself to eat or drink. I appreciate it won't be the same, but I think that's the downside of having kids - we completely missed Christmas when my daughter was 4 year old, she was so ill she wasn't even interested in looking at her presents.

Original poster

ChangingWoman · 21/12/2012 10:18

I'm now 99% sure it's chickenpox so we definitely won't be traveling and I have informed my family, her nursery etc..

By lucky / unlucky chance the local trainline is in some kind of chaos this morning and exH hasn't been able to get to work so is coming around to sit with DD while I get some shopping. (There was literally no one else around so could have been pretty tricky otherwise. I commute 1.5hrs each way to work too and only really know nursery staff, ex-au pair and her housemate in the town where I live - both already departed for xmas.)

My tiny flat is much too small for my large family to visit but as I said, on a personal basis, I've never got much out of xmas and am not that fussed. I'm sorry DD will miss seeing people but it isn't the end of the world. We can go up for New Year instead, hopefully.

OP posts:

Marzipanface · 21/12/2012 10:18

Chicken pox is incredibly contagious as it is airborne. It is very dangerous for pregnant women and the immuno-suppressed. As someone who has been on immuno-suppressants and got every cold and virus going, being unwittingly exposed to Chicken Pox would have put me in hospital.

Please don't take your child on the train!

My DD currently has chicken pox. She got small red spots in a cluster on her chest and some round her hairline. Within half a day they raised and turned into yellow filled blisters so I knew it was pox. They increased to about 25 spots over the space of two days. She was barely itching and had no temperature. Was seemingly unaffected for a few days. Now however she has raging temperature and is scratching like mad.

I hope it doesn't ruin your Christmas.

YouCanBe · 21/12/2012 14:41

I hope it doesn't spoil her Christmas.
When DD had chicken pox we only had one really bad day, but that day was pretty awful! Good luck!

FuckityFuckFuck · 21/12/2012 14:48

My DS has the pox as well, went from perfectly fine to covered in spots in about an hour. He is fine, and his normal self but he has gone quite willingly for a nap this afternoon

We are spending christmas at my sisters, so had a slight panic but some phone calls confirmed that everybody that is going has already had it, and are quite happy for us to bring him .

I'm sure you and your DD will have a lovely time at home

Dillydollydaydream · 21/12/2012 14:53

Ds2 got chicken pox just over 2 weeks ago, he was off nursery for 6 days before his spots crusted over, ds1 &dd came down with it on Monday so have missed all the Christmas fun this week at school. Glad it's over for Christmas though. I'm not sure where ds2 caught it from as he was the only one in his nursery to catch it!

Ilovecake1 · 21/12/2012 17:32

I am so glad you decided not to travel by public transport. My DD has chronic disease, immunity problems among other things. Catching chicken pox would be life threading to her and has regular bloods to keep an eye on any risk of infection. I do hope you have a lovely Christmas and your DD will get better soon and enjoy Christmas.

Canweputthetreeupyet · 21/12/2012 17:51

My dd had cp but its clearing up but im just bathing ds and ive noticed a few spots on him, im assuming it will turn out to be cp. But we have family to see over xmas including a couple of pregnant ladies, do you think if it is cp that we would be safe to do visiting xmas?

FanjoTimeMammariesAndWine · 21/12/2012 17:54

SledsImOn · 21/12/2012 17:57

Canweputthetreeupyet, I think you need to talk to your family and ask them what they think. My parents and sister have all had it and don't have any immunity issues, so they were fine with it when my children had it.

But if the pregnant women haven't had it before, or even if they are just concerned about the small risk of getting it again/possibly causing their babies any harm, then I think you have to work around that if you can - it's annoying but in the end they will be so grateful that you let them make the decision.

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