Chicken Pox - DS not sleeping

[mandbaby]

Both my boys (4.8 and 3) have contracted chicken pox. DS2's have almost cleared up within a matter of days but DS1 is covered and shows no signs of improving in the near future. In the last 48 hours, I bet he's had no more than 5 hours sleep (same for me).

He's been prescribed anti-histamine by the doctor and we're covering him in an anti-itch lotion given to us by the pharmacist (who told me calomine lotion was proven to not work).

Any more tips for keeping him comfortable at night? Holding down a part-time job, being 29 weeks pregnant, and looking after two pre-schoolers is hard enough without getting only 2-3 hours sleep a night :(

My DD got a few hours relief by having cool baths with bicarb in. Try that before bed maybe? I have heard that putting some oats in an old sock and running the bathwater through that also has a soothing effect but have no personal experience.
Also try and keep him cool at night - maybe just a sheet rather than a duvet.
The anti-histamine should help - try and make sure that he has enough doses to keep the protection through the night.
Calamine lotion is the work of the devil - it is so drying and makes normal skin itchy.

Yes, he had a bath last night with bicarb in. I may try the old sock/porridge oats method tonight - I know this works for other dry skin as we used to do it when DS1 was a baby and had mild eczema.

My mum swears by calomine lotion and I keep telling her that everyone is warning me off it, but she's adamant it's the only thing that will work!