Is there anything that looks like Chicken pox but isn't chicken pox [desperate]?

[JohnsonsShampoo]

red patches of inflammation. Up to 1cm accross.

Then gets a little blister in teh middle, as inflamation starts to recede a little.

If it is chicken pox - how long off nursery. I know that it is until spots have at least gone crusty. But in practice how long is that likely to be? 7-10days? 10-14days? shorter?

DD1 has chicken pox. She has been off school all this week. Doctor said she must stay off scool at least a week after the last spots appeared.

will be about 5 days

exclusion advice

A week usually from the scabbing of the first spot (although my dd got spots on the Saturday and was back and scabby at Nursery by Thursday... and I'm afraid it sounds like the pox!

TBH if it is pox we will need to keep her off until Thurs according to that advice...in which case she may as well stay off unti next week..which would be Weds which would be in 10d time.

TBH though I am suprised it hasn't spread more. Whent DTDs had it spots were practically appearing before your eyes. She had 6-8 spots this morning...which is ahte same as now...although they have gone from generalised inflamation to blisters in that time....

Hand, foot and mouth disease can sometimes look similar to chicken pox. Does she have any mouth ulcers?

6 spots could be chickenpox. there are other (not worrying) causes of chickenpox-like spots, but your doctor would have to diagnose. I would keep her off tommorrow, see what happens. if they go crusty, or more spring up in different places, then probably chickenpox, if you still have doubts or concerns maybe phone your health visitor or GP tommorrow afternoon. would have thought she'd probably have to be off this week anyway, as a precaution.

no mouth ulcers. Spots are all on her back and neck ATM.

I am pretty sure it is the pox...just surprised that has not spread further based on when DTDs had it. DTD2 had 1 spot at breakfast and was covered by teatime.

Unless they disappear by Weds (in which case it obviously not pox) we will keep her off nursery.

here is the exclusion adivse from teh HPA (Health protection agency). It even suggests that her should not be excluded from nursery/preschool.