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Original poster

Will chicken pox be gone by Christmas?

42 replies

SloanePeterson · 22/12/2017 19:34

I have 3 dc and was under the impression all of them have and chicken pox. But bloody hell they must have got off lightly. Poor 5yo ds is absolutely covered and is really quite poorly with it. He had the first few spots yesterday morning and they just keep coming. He felt ok yesterday but today is very feverish and sleepy and very very poxy. The blisters look so painful. How long before he's likely to feel better? We're not planning on seeing too many people over Christmas so I'm not worried about infecting anyone, but I'm thinking we should postpone dinner til he's up to enjoying it? He's the one who probably enjoys a roast the most, so might swap all the buffet food we have around and have that in the day instead. I realise chicken pox happens to everyone but I can't believe what a bad case of it he seems to have, is there anything that could help him that I've not thought of? I have piriron and calpol, and also aqueous cream with calamine in. I'm trying to keep his fluids up but he doesn't really want anything. How long is it likely to be til he's at least comfortable if not better?

OP posts:
Chienrouge · 22/12/2017 19:36

Poxclin mousse is fantastic. Mine had pretty bad cases and were properly ‘ill’ for 2-3 days, then perked up.

LookingForwardToChristmas · 22/12/2017 19:36

Sorry, but he is likely to still have it although will hopefully be on the mend.

Poxcylin and virasooth are worth stocking up on.

LittleBearPad · 22/12/2017 19:36

He’ll probably be feel8ng much better, if still covered in spots by Sunday.

DS had it and by day 3/4 was a lot perkier and certainly happy to eat.

Original poster
SloanePeterson · 23/12/2017 13:36

We got poxclin and he tolerated it well which is a relief. But I'm increasingly worried that we can't get his temp down. We're waiting for an out of hours doctor to call us back as he's just so uncomfortable, new spots are still coming up, inside his mouth and throat now too and he can barely sit down.

OP posts:
Chienrouge · 23/12/2017 13:38

We had similar, both girls had it in all their ‘soft tissue’ (mouths, noses, vagina). It was awful. Do any of the spots look infected?

redspottydress · 23/12/2017 13:41

It's important not to use ibuprofen with chicken pox too. Hope he feels better soon.

BikeRunSki · 23/12/2017 13:45

Mine both had very severe cases of CP, similar to what tiu’re Describing OP. With DS he was gently up and about on the 5th day, with dd it was a week, but she was only 9 months old.

Original poster
SloanePeterson · 23/12/2017 13:47

Chien, a couple on his neck don't look great tbh, they have a black scabby centre. I can't give him a hug without hurting him and it's all he wants to do. He's never been so poorly Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
SloanePeterson · 23/12/2017 13:50

I took these a few hours ago and it's worse since then

Will chicken pox be gone by Christmas?
Will chicken pox be gone by Christmas?
OP posts:
Chienrouge · 23/12/2017 13:54

Oh poor thing, he must be so miserable. If it’s any consolation mine went from really poorly to pretty much normal in about 24 hours, as soon as new spots stopped appearing.
Mention the spots with the black dots when you speak to OOH. I noticed one of DD2’s looked infected just before she went to bed one night but luckily I had some antibiotic cream in.

redspottydress · 23/12/2017 13:56

That looks really sore. He really is covered. Have you given him an oat bath - it will help relieve the itching slightly. Have you given ibuprofen?

Chienrouge · 23/12/2017 13:56

Yes, oat baths helped here too. We survived with 4 hourly calpol, oat baths and poxclin.

Original poster
SloanePeterson · 23/12/2017 14:02

I'm actually scared to give him a bath because I just don't see how we could get him dry without it being really painful. He's been very sleepy for the last two days and had mostly been on the sofa or in bed. It sounds very stupid but I don't know how to get him clean? He smells very poorly if you know what I mean, but I just can't see how to wash him comfortably

OP posts:
giggleshizz · 23/12/2017 14:02

My poor 5 yr old had a terrible case of CP last month. Temp and generally feeling under the weather for about three days. Kept her off school for 8 days (that includes the weekend). Covered in cream twice a day and oral antihistamine for itching. Poor little thing. Good luck.

danTDM · 23/12/2017 14:08

Be careful, it is a complete myth that if you have had CP you can't get it again. It lurks in the nervous system for life and can be triggered at any point causing CP again/shingles.

I speak from very bitter experience.

SaturdaySauv · 23/12/2017 14:12

That's a nasty case. Definitely call 111. I'm a pharmacist and would refer a case that severe to the GP. Hope he's better soon Flowers

SaturdaySauv · 23/12/2017 14:12

And yes, agree with pp- avoid nurofen or any ibuprofen containing medicine.

SaturdaySauv · 23/12/2017 14:13

One final thing- check any visitors this Christmas have had chicken pox already, especially anyone pregnant.

Original poster
SloanePeterson · 23/12/2017 14:22

I've read that you can't catch shingles from a chicken poxy person? I'm telling people to avoid our house but they all seem quite blasé about having already had chicken pox. Dhs family in particular seem determined to come on Christmas morning Hmm

OP posts:
Frazzled2207 · 23/12/2017 14:25

Mine had it last Christmas aged 4 and 2 though admittedly not as severely. Anyway 4 yo was only actually "ill" for about a day before perking up. 2 yo never got ill at all.
Fingers crossed there is some improvement tomorrow, if not then yes I would probably postpone Christmas dinner if you can.

It's horrid, but in most cases they don't get it again so is quite a relief when it's been and gone.

danTDM · 23/12/2017 15:05

Look it up, if you've had cp you are more vulnerable.. I know, I thought it was codswallop too. The doctors (when I got admitted to hospital) explained it all to me.

Also another poster on here Is very knowledgeable about it.

I looked it up, it is indeed correct.

CP cases do seem to be getting more severe recently due to so many people now being vaccinated, it has mutated/ got stronger or something (scientific Grin)

Poor DC hope he is feeling better soon. But others really shouldn't be blasé about it.

Dumbledoresgirl · 23/12/2017 15:13

Poor thing. 2 of mine had as many spots, if not more, but were seemingly well with it, just one afternoon on the sofa. You can never tell how each person will be with it. I do agree with trying an oat bath though. It really helped my youngest when he had CP, aged 10. At least, it helped whilst he was in the bath. It doesn't do anything long term. If you are worried about drying him, you could either turn the heating up really high and let him air dry in one very hot room, or have you considered drying him with a hair dryer on low? I discovered that for drying between my legs after giving birth and still resort to a hair dryer if I am ill and cannot bear rubbing with a towel.

BishopBrennansArse · 23/12/2017 15:18

When I had it aged 29 I was nearly that bad. I found baths with bicarbonate of soda and lavender oil really soothing and had 2-3 a day. Put a towel on a chair and air dried.

Also piriton really helped the itch and virasoothe.

Witchend · 23/12/2017 15:42

If you have had chicken pox most people won't catch it again. Some people the immunity doesn't seem to set up (we had a teacher who got it every time it went round!) for some reason. Sometimes once, sometimes multiple times.

You can catch chickenpox from shingles, but not shingles from chickenpox.
It's the same virus, but when you have chickenpox then it retreats to a nerve ending or something. if you're low, or ill or something else it may come out as shingles, often along a line. Shingles isn't of itself catching.

Ds and dd2 were that bad, dd2 worse. She caught it from dd1 who had it really mildly.
You can bath them and pat them dry carefully if they're not to bad wrigglers. What I did was let them go round naked as clothes itched.

Chilver · 23/12/2017 15:49

I got it that badly in my early 30's. Oat baths (oats in a pillow case in the water) were my saviour - must have had to go in an oat bath about every 1h30 to minimise the itching. That and frozen peas stuffed all around my body!! I was bad for about 3/4 days and then started feeling better.