Doctor won’t prescribe antivirals…

[Duckle]

I’m really freaking out. DS (4) had chickenpox very badly, literally screaming and crying in pain for days and ended up being hospitalised. The doctors said it was one of the worst cases they’d seen. He is on the mend but I keep having panic attacks (other stressful things as well but this just tipped me over the edge.)

This morning DS (6) has woken up with spots which are coming thick and fast. I have called the GP and begged for antivirals considering he’s older and after what happened to DS (4). He said no as although it can be done it’s not in the guidelines. I’m shaking and crying at the thought of having to go through this again.

It's very rare that an antiviral would be prescribed to an under 12 for chickenpox.

Honestly it's just not really something that's needed for an otherwise healthy child unless they have a compromised immune system. The side effects can be worse than the chickenpox itself.

Don't presume that one sibling will have CP in the same way as a sibling. It may be that DS4 manages much more strongly because he's older and has a more mature immune system.

Thanks guys. It’s because he’s older that I’m worried as apparently it can be worse.

He may have a far milder case. If he gets much worse then it would be reasonable to go back to the GP got antivirals, but I can see why they wouldn’t prescribe them speculatively.

Are the side affects of acyclovir bad? I have found some studies in medical
journals that say it’s effective and not dangerous.

They have to give them in the first 24 hours of spots appearing

My 2 had completely different experiences of CP despite catching it off each other.

I don't think a 6 yo would necessarily have it worse than a 4 yo. It's teens and adults that tend to be more ill with it.

I don't think 'shaking and crying' is very helpful to your children here. Pull yourself together. I'm sorry your little one was so ill but that doesn't mean the other one will be too. Listen to the doctors.

You need to treat your own anxiety rather than try to force a GP to give your child unnecessary medication.

My kids were 5 and 8 when they got them. The elder one had a handful of spots. 5yo suffered. My 3 siblings got them (I'm considerably older) when they were 2, 4 and 8. The 2 year old had them the worst, worst case I have ever seen in real life. I actually got them when I was about 9, I got around 10 spots on my back with no other symptoms. Being older (as a child) doesn't always mean it will be worse. More teens and adults! Hope it all goes OK.

When they say it’s worse when they’re older, they mean much older. DBro and I were 17 and 20, and we were very poorly - but still nowhere near hospital poorly.

Try to calm down, or you will make your children panic. They will be looking to you for comforting reassurance, and that needs to be your priority.

I’m not panicking or crying in front of them obviously. I really hope he has a mild case, I didn’t think chickenpox could make anyone so unwell, it was shock.

I understand your anxiety but you need to hold it together and remember that no two cases are the same. Like someone else said, when they say chickenpox can be more severe they’re talking about adults. My 4 year old brought home a mild case of chicken pox back in the day and my 6 month old daughter got a very severe case of it. There’s no way of knowing and I think it’s your anxiety doing the talking.

Hopefully it won't be so bad. It's the same virus and it affects different children differently

Out of interest, if you’re so terrified why didn’t you get him vaccinated?

The BNF says that side effects that are common or very common with oral use is:

Abdominal pain; diarrhoea; dizziness; fatigue; fever; headache; nausea; photosensitivity reaction; skin reactions; vomiting.

The rarer ones are worse but I think if the possibility of those things happening could happen (seizures, anemia, alopecia, coma, hallucinations and lots more long term scary stuff) I would ride out the chicken pox if they are not immunocomprimised.

I am sorry that your little one was so poorly. There is no reason why your other child should be so ill. My 3 all had it in different degrees at different ages.

The concern for "older" people is I think around adults rather than children.

Fingers crossed that it is not as bad this time.

I really thought he’d already had it, my older DC have and had it mildly. Apparently if you’ve had it under one you can get it again.

The age thing isn't necessarily true. My middle DC had it ALOT worse than my eldest.
Don't panic. If the GP thought antivirals were necessary then they would prescribe them.

They had a meeting at the surgery as decided to prescribe them as he has a chronic chest condition (asthma) and it is a risk factor. He was getting spots thick and fast and starting to feel unwell. Within an hour or so of taking the medication it just stopped, no more spots at all and seems to be feeling fine. Doctor said they work very fast.

I have an immunocomprimised child who has never developed immunity to chicken pox (9 times in 12 years). Yes it is possible, always confirmed its chicken pox with consultant.
Yes it can be rough but they would give anti virals if they thought necessary.

My DH got the antivirals as chickenpox in your 30s isn't nice. They stop the spots reaching the blister point and going in deep, spots develop over a few days so you may still see some appear.

He had more spots than our ds but they cleared with no scarring while ds had big craters where huge blisters had been and is scarred.

Fantastic, I'm glad they seem to be working.

Did you have a post just a few days ago about your 4 year old in hospital? The photos looked horrendous, I can see why it's made you worried.