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Original poster

Chickenpox - handhold

28 replies

Bellybutton88 · 15/08/2022 21:40

Hi all,
DS6 has caught chicken pox from his younger sister DD5 and is having a very rough time. Hundreds of

OP posts:
Original poster
Bellybutton88 · 15/08/2022 21:42

*Hundreds of spots everywhere and high fever still running (38.5c) for 3 days now. We are on day 3. Some spots have crusted but new crops keep coming and he is very covered now, even has some on his bum crack! (Sorry TMI). Some are also quite inflamed with red patch around the spots. My daughter sailed through it.
Please let me know if the worst is over?!

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Original poster
Bellybutton88 · 15/08/2022 21:44

Also at what point do you take them to see GP for chicken pox? No real sign of infection yet altho the spots do look inflamed (but thats in random places so can't all be infected?) And has he had fever long enough to warrant a GP visit ? No other signs other than miserable and lack of appetite and relentless spots.

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Creameggs223 · 15/08/2022 21:50

My dd has not long had chicken pox she was bad with them also high temp lasted 4 days then she started to perk up some of her spots were really red and big I worried they were infected but they were ok altho the bigger ones she had looks like scars now I think they were the ones she had been itching. Just keep an eye on him hopefully he will be over the worst in a day or 2. Also head and shoulders shampoo really does help dry them out use it like bubble bath.

Neighneigh · 15/08/2022 21:54

We are on day five and ended up at a&e yesterday because ds (5) was being sick and totally spaced out, absolutely covered head to toe in spots and high temp....it's a horrible thing, I hope your son is ok. Mine does have an infection in two of the blisters on his face so is on antibiotics now - basically if the skin goes red and spreads further than just a few mm from the blister,get them checked out. But no, they don't all have to be infected to be a worry. Our gp has a system where you can submit photos to an online portal, maybe yours does too? Keep him topped up with paracetamol but never use ibuprofen or aspirin. Sudocrem did help too. I slept in bed with mine but we got about 20 mins sleep the first few nights...it does start to get better but it's absolutely awful seeing them like this. Hope yours starts to improve.

Hall84 · 15/08/2022 22:00

Poxclin or virasoothe from the fridge. Calpol and don't use ibuprofen - I think it risks spreading skin infections but not a Dr. We spaced it out. DD had it twice in the space of a few weeks.

6am poxclin/virasoothe
9am liquid antihistamine
11am poxclin/virasoothe
2pm antihistamine
Bedtime: oat or head and shoulders bath followed by antihistamine and poxclin/virasoothe to get to sleep leaving another dose of antihistamine overnight if crucial. Calpol as needed. Good luck!

Hall84 · 15/08/2022 22:02

On really bad days we had 2 baths! But she loves water and a good way to waste time

Soontobe60 · 15/08/2022 22:03

Keep an eye on his temperature. My granddaughter was absolutely covered, ended up with a fever that didn’t subside with Calpol so was admitted to hospital after a call to the doctor. She was put on antibiotics and antihistamines and spent the night on the ward. Within 2 days she was as a]happy as Larry - just covered in scabs! There’s not a single sign of a scar anywhere in her 12 months later.

Lelivre · 15/08/2022 22:13

If there is no improvement tomorrow I suggest you call your GP. My DS was similarly rough and he it appears he did have a secondary infection, The GP wanted to see him and examine him. I hadn't seen some nasty spots under and in his hairline. The GP advised antibiotics.

Within a day or so of starting the antibiotics we saw a big improvement and he began to bounce back, so I'm glad we sought clinical advice.

Spinasaurus · 15/08/2022 22:15

Have you given him any antihistamines? If not, then get him some. Our GP surgery advise not to attend with chickenpox (this was before covid too!).

Original poster
Bellybutton88 · 15/08/2022 22:52

Thank you all for your kind responses and advice. @Spinasaurus yes he has piriton. @Soontobe60 that's good to hear no scars! @Neighneigh how is your son now is he on the mend? I will take the advice here and check in with the gp tomorrow if his temperature doesn't go down..

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Original poster
Bellybutton88 · 15/08/2022 22:54

Also on what day do the new spots stop appearing? We're on day 4 and he still seemed to have loads of new ones come through. DD stopped having new spots after 2 days

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Neighneigh · 15/08/2022 23:00

Thanks @Bellybutton88 - he's just woken up as the blisters on his feet are so sore, poor thing. But he's much more cheerful - it can't completely be the antibiotics as he's only had 36 hours worth, so it must be subsiding. I don't think he's getting new spots now, his mostly came through on Fri and Saturday. On Sunday we rang 111, went through the process etc, they said get him seen within the hour - I went in to the urgent treatment centre, said we'd been told to come, they got us an isolation room and we sat there the rest of the day! It can be serious so do speak to your gp tomorrow if he's no better. Hope you all get some rest tonight

ChickinMarango · 15/08/2022 23:01

Oh OP it’s horrid. I didn’t realise until someone else mentioned but generally siblings will get it worse due to the viral load they experience being in close proximity.

My girl had it in June (6 months old) spots didn’t stop appearing until day 7. She’d all crusted over by June 29th and still has the pox marks now. She had hundreds all over her little body, in her nose, ear, mouth eyelids. Her temp lasted about 4/5 days and we spent a lot
of time in cool oat baths. Day 6 I think she started to really perk up. Hang in there!

Wouldloveanother · 15/08/2022 23:03

Poor lad! If it makes you feel any better, I wouldn’t consider 38.5 to be REALLY high, it’s just a normal ‘healthy’ high temperature. I got it at 13 (old for chickenpox) and remember I was off school for at least 3 weeks. No complications as such it just takes a long time to run it’s course compared to something like flu etc. Hope he feels better soon!

Original poster
Bellybutton88 · 16/08/2022 07:01

@Neighneigh do the attached look infected to you? One on each arm

Chickenpox - handhold
Chickenpox - handhold
OP posts:
Original poster
Bellybutton88 · 16/08/2022 07:07

Wouldloveanother · 15/08/2022 23:03

Poor lad! If it makes you feel any better, I wouldn’t consider 38.5 to be REALLY high, it’s just a normal ‘healthy’ high temperature. I got it at 13 (old for chickenpox) and remember I was off school for at least 3 weeks. No complications as such it just takes a long time to run it’s course compared to something like flu etc. Hope he feels better soon!

Thank you. He's still not himself today despite his spots looking like they are healing and his temperature is still 38.1ish. Will give 111 a call now

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FallOutPloy · 16/08/2022 07:10

Those look infected. Definitely get him a GP. Don't be fobbed off with a phone appt, make sure someone sees him in person.

Chickenpox can be much more serious than people realise. It's pretty mild, although maybe miserable, for most, but my eldest daughter ended up in hospital for 3 days on IV antibiotics and antivirals. I should have taken her to the GP much sooner.

Original poster
Bellybutton88 · 16/08/2022 07:19

FallOutPloy · 16/08/2022 07:10

Those look infected. Definitely get him a GP. Don't be fobbed off with a phone appt, make sure someone sees him in person.

Chickenpox can be much more serious than people realise. It's pretty mild, although maybe miserable, for most, but my eldest daughter ended up in hospital for 3 days on IV antibiotics and antivirals. I should have taken her to the GP much sooner.

Oh gosh sorry to hear. What was the reason for hospital admission, did she get a secondary infection?

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Troublesometooth · 16/08/2022 07:23

I know it doesn’t help you now but for anyone else it might help, there is a vaccine available for chicken pox. It’s not on the NHS but Boots and Superdrug do it.

I hope he feels better soon, it’s always better for a Gp to check if you are unsure. Take him today if you can.

Neighneigh · 16/08/2022 07:36

Yes I'd ring 111 for those @Bellybutton88 . Hope you get seen soon

FallOutPloy · 16/08/2022 08:00

Troublesometooth · 16/08/2022 07:23

I know it doesn’t help you now but for anyone else it might help, there is a vaccine available for chicken pox. It’s not on the NHS but Boots and Superdrug do it.

I hope he feels better soon, it’s always better for a Gp to check if you are unsure. Take him today if you can.

The antivirals were for the chickenpox itself - she was getting spots underneath her skin, and the Dr said she likely had internal spots as well 😬 He said he wouldn't expect new spots still to be appearing past day 5 (it was day 7 by the time I took her in)

And one large spot on her back was infected. It smelled bad.

Most likely your boy is fine, but if it is more serious, then hopefully you've caught it early.

FallOutPloy · 16/08/2022 08:01

@Troublesometooth sorry, I meant to reply to @Bellybutton88

Original poster
Bellybutton88 · 16/08/2022 08:37

FallOutPloy · 16/08/2022 08:00

The antivirals were for the chickenpox itself - she was getting spots underneath her skin, and the Dr said she likely had internal spots as well 😬 He said he wouldn't expect new spots still to be appearing past day 5 (it was day 7 by the time I took her in)

And one large spot on her back was infected. It smelled bad.

Most likely your boy is fine, but if it is more serious, then hopefully you've caught it early.

Show quote history

Oh wow good thing you took her in. What prompted you to get her seen, was it the sheer volume of spots or was it the infected one or that she had a high fever?

Annoyingly the GP has said that because its chicken pox we're not allowed in the surgery and they will have the doctor call me instead🙄

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FallOutPloy · 16/08/2022 08:58

She was very poorly. Like, couldn't get off the sofa, poorly. I didn't have a thermometer at home, but her temperature was 39.5 at the GP and over 40 by the time we got to the hospital, despite paracetamol.

I asked a couple of friends if it sounded "normal" and they all said "oh yeah, they can feel pretty rough for several days with chickenpox". So now I'm a bit evangelical about telling people that chickenpox can occasionally be quite dangerous.

But 24 hrs on the IV she was back to regular poorly, and after 48 hrs she was pretty much back to normal! She was 5yo at the time.

Neighneigh · 16/08/2022 09:00

@Bellybutton88 good luck, let us know how you get on (only when you have time!)