Chicken - old wives tale that second child gets a worse dose?

[cheeseandjam]

Ds currently has a really nasty dose of chicken pox. Dr told me expect younger sister to get a even worse dose. Really like to know your experience as dreading her getting it now.

Ds1 had millions of spots, absolutely covered in them.
Dd had them next and had fifteen spots.

I'm eldest of 3. Apparently, when we all got them at the same time, my youngest sister had about 20 all over her body, my middle sister had 20 just on each arm, leg and her body and I was absolutely plastered in them.

DD1 (age 6) got a relatively mild dose.

DD2 (aged 2) definitely got them quite a bit worse.

But then, 6yo was able to understand better, tell us when she was uncomfortable, be bribed with DVDs and audiobooks. DD2 was just miserable and clingy, so probably seemed a lot worse because of that.

DC1 had about 15 spots, at most.
DC2 was covered and had a miserable time.

My older sister had chicken pox when she was a toddler, I didn't get them until ds gave me them when I was 36.

DD2 probably had them slightly worse than DD1.

However, DN had a worse time than his younger sister and my younger sister has managed never to catch chicken pox.

DS2 got it first and then DS1 had it 2 weeks later. DS1 had more spots but I don't think he felt any worse.

Mine had it a couple of years ago. Younger child was worse, but she was only 9 months old.

Dd got cp and was covered head to toe and felt ill and very itchy.

She passed it to ds who was also absolutely covered in spots but he wasn't ill and they didn't appear to be so itchy. So not true in our case.

Dts had them just after their 2nd birthday. Dt2 had them first, his spots appeared already blistered and went within a few days. Exactly 2 weeks later dt1s spots started to appear, he had them every where, he was covered and quite I'll with it too.

DS2 had it 1st v mildly, DS1 came out in spots exactly 14 days later and was covered and felt rotten for about 3 days.
I've also heard that the virulence of the virus increases as it passes through the family, don't understand why but it was the case for us.

Ha, poxy X post Arya

DD1 had it first, worse than DD2. So, the opposite to what you have been warned.

However, DH hadn't had it as a child, and so he caught it, and had it really badly. The spots became infected and pus-ey and he was very poorly.

Oh yes Lake , actually I know a couple of people who had the second does exactly 14 days after the first.

Eldest hit hardest in this house.

I've heard (and no idea if there is any scientific grounding behind this, I suspect not) that the first case in the family will usually be from an external source - such as school or something like that, so a briefer period of exposure.

Whereas a sibling will be around the infected child and in contact with them much more, so gets it worse....

That's my theory anyway

DS had it mildly, gave it to DD. She had it really badly and the doctor said it was because DS had picked up a small amount of the virus at playgroup whereas DD had lived with DS and therefore picked up a large amount of the virus.

True for us. Dd had about 20 spots, didn't seem unwell at all. Ds came down with it exactly 2 weeks later- absolutely covered. Still didn't seem particularly poorly with it though.

DS had a few spots, but they became quite bad and have left him horribly scarred . DD (a baby at the time) was completely covered from top to toe but got over it very quickly and only has one scar which no one will see. So definitely true in our case.

Just to add, dd was 6 weeks old, ebf and still got them despite our HV telling me she couldn't possibly....

DS1 had about 100 max
DS2 had over 50 in the crook of one arm. He has eczema which also increases number of spots apparently.

DS1(4 at the time) had a fairly mild dose - a few clusters of spots and not ill at all. 14 days later DS2 came out in spots he was absolutely pickled and quite c ill with a temperature for a few days - he was only 11 months, so maybe age was also a factor, but it was definitely much worse with the second child for us.

DD had it at 2.3. She gave it to DS who was 9 months. Luckily neither had a severe case.

DD1 had it very badly aged 2yrs, then gave it to DD2 who had a relatively mild dose at 9mths old. Fast forward a few years and DD2 had shingles and from that gave chickenpox to DD3 who was just 2 at that time. She had an ok time of it but had to be watched closely as was a high risk of complications and was on antibiotics from day 1 of the spots because of her high risk status. Thankfully no complications for her.