Is it normal to be so very ill with chicken pox?

[EweHaveGoatToBeKiddin]

I naively thought the extent of chickenpox was just an annoying, itchy, all over rash.

5yo dd started getting a few spots on Fri night. By Sat morning, her back, front bum, tummy, chest and armpits were covered.

Yesterday they came up on her scalp, face and a few across her arms.

Today, there are a few more on her arms, and some on her hands and feet. Several on her face look extremely red and angry. There is one that has burst beneath her eye, and the skin around the eye is now red.

There is a huge yellow one beneath her nose and another on her chin, which also has a thick circle of red around them.

She's been feeling rundown for several weeks. Last week she had a tummy bug.

Since Sun, she's been really bad. Hardly eating. Coughing. Runny nose. Keeps getting very sweaty despite the fact it's frosty outside and i leave a window open for her when she's hot. Then goes very cold. So her temp is constantly up and down.

She's constipated. She's saying that her tummy feels like it needs to be sick, but no sick is coming out. She's barely left bed/the couch.

Today has been the worst. Absolutely soaked in sweat earlier despite the freezing cold temp and a window being open. Hasn't eaten in over 24 hours. Burst in to tears when i tried to put Sudo Cream on the 2 huge, yellow spots on her face. Says she's scared to look at herself because the spots scare her. And now she's finally napping.

She just seems so weak and drowsy and fragile.

I can't even take her out to get her a medicine. My Gp requires you to go pick up your prescription paper in person then take it to a chemist for the medicine. I don't even think there is a medicine that could help.

Any tips? Or even some reassurance that this is perfectly normal effects of CP? No idea who she has picked them up from.

Oh poor little girl.

I would really get her checked out asap. She could may well need anti biotics.

Oh and if she has them in her genitals they may well prescribe antivirals.

dd was like you describe for about a week
calpol & piriton, tepid baths with bicarb

I had cp aged 30, lived alone with no phone
all our spots were yellow, then scabby

seriously thought I was dying
it has been suggested it might have been the trigger for my MS
see gp asap

Okay. her temp is now 37.2. She's saying she's very cold. So i've shut the window, and put a duvet over her. But her face is so hot! How can she be saying she's cold?

She's still sniffing, as if she has a runny nose. I'm worrying about the pneumonia thing. I've been trying to get through to the docs for 10 mins but still engaged. Typical. DD is still very tired-sounding, but managing to speak fine. So not lost focus or anything. Just sounds very sniffy. She's sniffed about ten times in the past minute.

I've put up some pics if anyone could please look and give me their opinion. She also seems very white, whereas she's normally got a bit of colour to her. I'm worried i'm worrying over nothing though and this is all normal, albeit a slightly worse reaction than most people get. I've been known to take dd to the GP for just about everything before. Every time she falls, i think she's developed concussion. So i'm a bit of a hypochondriac when it comes to her, which is why i thought i'd post here first.

Okay, she now has my duvet over her + her own from her bed and she's still saying she's cold.

ours were all like the ones on your dd's face
hope she's better soon
poor thing

Looked at the photos - I would make sure she is seen today for a professional opinion.
poor love.

Just seen the pictures. She definitely needs to see a doctor today.

while you are waiting for the gp dont pile her up with duvets - just one is fine if her tmp isnt too bad, otherwise you risk sending it rocketing the other way.

Sorry to query the paracetamol amount - it's obviously well over the normal amount, but clearly right for that specific paracetamol for your child. Hope she is improving and I hope your GP is being helpful. Other posters are right in saying that infected spots and coughing are strong reasons to consult a GP when your child has chicken pox.

If she's cold, let her snuggle up a bit. You would do the same if you felt shivery. How many of us would sit in shorts and a t-shirt by an open window because we had a fever? Don't bundle her up til she's sweating - just until she feels comfortable. Poor thing - it does sound like she's got a bad dose and I would second those who have suggested getting a doctor out just in case she needs antibiotics. Do you have any antiseptic cream you could put on the sore ones? Hope she feels better soon.

Ok, I am going to be a little more specific with you to push you to get medical help. I am not saying this is what she has, but it is one of the possibilities of complications of chickenpox. My (then 19 mth old) daughter very nearly died two years ago of streptococcal toxic shock. In her case it was not chickenpox related, but having learned a lot more about this highly serious disease it would seem the vast majority of cases that do happen are related to chickenpox and infected spots. I would HATE for anyone to go through what we went through and feel incredibly lucky our daughter is here to tell the tale. She spent 10 days in intensive care, ended up on dialysis and had her part of her right foot amputated.

So, having scared you, yes it is rare, so rare that two doctors failed to spot the signs early on with her when I made a nuisance of myself and took her back. It was only on the third presentation in 2 days that it was taken seriously and by that time she was very seriously ill.

Please, insist that a doctor sees her if nothing more than to ensure that she doesn't end up that sick in the longer term. If two doctors can miss the signs how on earth can a parent be expected to know how sick is too sick? Sorry, but it the GP refuses then take her to A&E and tell them the GP wouldn't come out to her. A&E should find her somewhere away from the main waiting area if you tell them she is infectious with chickenpox.

I'm medically qualified and started training in paediatrics, although I haven't worked as a doctor for several years now. I do hope that you've been able to make arrangements for your daughter to be seen, as several things in your description tick all the boxes for "this child is unwell and needs properly checking over". Your description of her eye makes me worry about cellulitis, for example, and if on careful examination this was suspected she'd probably end up on intravenous antibiotics, as there is a lower threshold for aggressive treatment for infections near eyes. I hope that she doesn't need to be admitted but seriously wouldn't be surprised.

Your options include, phone for an urgent GP appointment, phone and ask for a GP to call you back, or take her to A&E. If it gets to after hours, you may need to ring 111 (or other local number? not sure if 111 is universally the only access point to OOH) and should be offered an appointment this evening OR advised to attend A&E. If you do go to A&E tell them at the reception that she has chickenpox and they will have arrangements as to where you should wait.

If we don't hear back from you on this thread for a while, we'll assume you've been able to get some help!

With regards to paracetamol and fevers etc, while it is great to let your temperature rise naturally because it does help fight infections, it is also appropriate to use regular paracetamol to keep a child comfortable. If a child becomes happy and communicative with this, it is often a useful marker that they probably can ride out their illness, and when they are still miserable and out of it you know they may need something (or a lot) more.

Best wishes and please update us later.

I do hope your DD got seen. Without wanting to hijack, my DD has come home with symptoms of a UTI and got an appointment just at end of surgery. I'm not sure why all doctors can't be as flexible for poorly children.

You do need to be vigilant, chickenpox can lead on to nasty things but I just thought I'd reassure you that my third son was ill like that with it. My other three children were nowhere near as ill, it just takes different people differently

Thank you all. Removed the photos now as I'd hate to be outed.

I finally got through to the GP. Then I had to wait on him calling back.

By then, dd suddenly found herself a burst of energy. Lying in bed singing away, laughing her head off, playing with her cuddly toy, being her usual cheeky self.

The doctor could hear her in the background. He said i could bring her in at 8.30 tomorrow morning to see the infected ones before surgery opens at 9am. But if she deteriorates, then to phone NHS 24. he said that coughing/sneezing is quite common with CP, as is lack of appetites and nausea. I've just ensure she gets lots of fluids.

She really does seem okay now. Still a bit sleepy though. I'm going to get her in bath just now then see if she'll let me put some germaline on the yellow/open ones. Does Sudo Cream do anything?

My 2 had chicken pox in March, and then 3yo DS was a bit tearful and itchy, but generally his usual self. then 9 month old DD was very poorly with it, and had many infected spots - she just lay there looking wabbit the whole time, and cried pitifully a lot. didn't eat much, didn't feed much, was just a very poorly baby.

I ended up at OOH with her, where they did the whole 'why didn't you bring her in sooner!' thing, and she ended up on antibiotics for a week. She still has scars from the infected ones, but recovered well within a couple of weeks of the antibiotics. But it was a nasty bout, and not what I expected after DS being fine with it!

hope your DD perks up and is better soon.

If i'm honest, its not her demeanour or appetite that has me a little concerned - its the spots around her eye. (its so typical that they rally just as the doctor calls though!!)

Had to phone NHS 24. She's been writhing about with tummy pain, screaming that she needs to be sick but no sick was coming out. Her face now looks like there are huge red bruises, as though she's been punched.

More spots have appeared, all infected. Tried putting on Germoline after her bath but it just slid off because they were seeping so much.

She was whimpering in pain when i helped her to the loo an hour ago, saying that her bones in her legs were sore. She's just sturggling to keep her eyes open. But not badly, so she'll snap out of it and talk to me when i talk to her.

Anyway, we have an appt at 10.15pm at the emergency centre/OOH. The nurse on the phone said the things that's worrying her most is the fact dd has still got new spots appearing, things seem to be worsening 5 days on from the spots instead of improving (i thought this was all normal), the fact she's been vomiting and the fact she just seems so miserable. Not really things I'd count as being an emergency tbh, but she's the expert.

So I'm letting dd sleep just now. She's been sniffing constantly! So worried I'm going to get here and have nothing prescribed/happen, as if it's all been a waste of time and i'm overreacting as usual.

I've also warned them that dd is likely to infect everyone but they said when i arrive, they'll find us an empty area to sit in. But surely dd will still be leaving her germs in that area after we leave?

I'm feeling silly now, like i shouldn't have bothered. I bet she'll be fine come 10.15.

I'd be off to A&E by now but suppose OOH may be quicker route to be seen.

Don't feel silly, you called for advise and you are doing the very sensible thing and taking it. I'm glad you are getting her seen. Have you got transport for getting her there? Once that is sorted, and your phone is charging and stuff then try and take a breather while you can. Good cup of tea and something to eat.

(Advice not advise, silly me)

One of mine was very very ill indeed - turned out she also had an ear infection. One of the problems with C-Pox and other childhood illnesses is what else they can mask.

I too would be tempted to go to A&E rather than wait for the appointment?

Thank you. You're right. I just called for advice, and their advice was to come in for an appt.

I think i'll brush my hair and try to make myself look somewhat presentable as I've been sat on my bum all day with dd.

Trying to get her to have a wee nap before we go. She keep's sniffing through her nose, even though it looks dry to me. This is then causing her to burp. So it's a constant chorus of sniff, burp, sniff, burp. No wonder she feels ill. It'll be all that air she's sniffing in.

No transport, but was planning on using a taxi. What's the protocol for these things? Should i call and inform them she has CP and hope that one of the drivers is okay to be exposed to it? There's no way dd would walk the 40 minute trip when i could hardly get her to walk to the loo.

Please, please follow the good advice on here and get her seen asap.

A friend's daughter also had a reaction to chickenpox and it was only her mum's instinct that something wasn't right that led her to take her DD to A&E. She was fine but needed a hospital stay.

Trust your instincts. Nobody will mind if she's suddenly better at appt time, but not getting her seen could mean something is missed. Don't take that chance.

And to echo OYBBK's advice, plan for possible admission - food, drink, phone charger, toothbrushes, PJs even.

Fuck warning the taxi driver - just tell them it's for an ill child who needs to go asap. Don't give them a chance to back out (not that they should, but you need to get there). She'll be in the back seat. I'm sure taxi drivers get exposed to far worse!