Chicken-pox - top coping tips needed please!

[pippylongstockings]

My 'sensitive' DS1 has the pox - his brother had it a few weeks ago and apart from one rough night, it went without a hitch.

But DS1 is a nightmare - he has it really badly and keeps on picking at them. It is only day 3. I have him dosed up on piriton and calpol. I even bought that poxclin stuff but think that was a waste of money.

What top tips can anyone share?

tepid baths with bicarb of soda or oatmeal

Make a paste out of bicarb of soda with a little water and dab it on the worst ones - will soothe the itching.

Tried the oatmeal bath - but he just freaked out that the bath smelt funny (as I said he is overemotional pain in the backside sensitive!)

Not tried Bicarb - how much should I put in ?

Could I use something like waspeze on a 4yo?

Just enough bicarb to turn the water cloudy - couple of teaspoons should be fine. With oatmeal you coudl put some in a sock or stocking , tie over the taps and run the water through it.

piriton, calpol and a gel ice pack - encourage him to put the ice pack or a cold flannel on the itchy bits rather than scratch. We told ds he was allowed to rub the spots lightly (with the ear of his soft toy) rather than scratch it. That said, he picked them at the end!

We have had the pox in this house for the last 5 weeks and it's been awful.
Ds2 had it first.He had it quite badly but luckily he wasn't ill with it,and never picked any spots.
We used Calamine cream,Calpol and lots of Aveeno in the bath.
Next was dh.His spots were so bad that he had to see the emergency doctor twice and was given Aciclovir which is an anti viral.He also took paracetemol and Piriton and again used the calamine cream,which he thought was better than the lotion.
Ds1 now has it and it's horrendous.He was circumsised last Weds,then came out in spots on Monday and his wound/willy is now covered in blisters.He also has them in his ears,bottom,hair,mouth(hasn't eaten for 2 days) and on his eyelids.It has been made worse as he cannoit have anything in his bath except water,due to his operation.We have been alternating Calpol and Neurofen and using calamine cream(although can't use near hus wound) and giving him Piriton.I also phoned our gp today and managed to get a prescription for Aciclovir aswell,which seems to have kicked in.He's had 3 doses of it today and is alot better.Just hoping tonight is better,as we had screaming from 1am through til 6am.He is also picking at all the spots.
I wish your ds well,but if he's stil bad it may be worth asking for the Aciclovir.

Poor you Bubbaloo!

Yes, his spots are very horrible - his eyes, mouth covered and even on his fingers and toes - I spent most of last night 'sleeping' in with him, as he went down ok but once the piriton had worn off at about 10.30pm he just couldn't settle back - kept on crying that he was hot/cold/itchy/sore and he hates the taste of it so wouldn't take anymore!

I think I will ring the doctor to see what she says about the Aciclovir. It's a shock to see him so bad when my DS2 sailed through it.

Poor you too.
My ds2 also sailed through it and you wouldn't have even known he had it,if it wasn't for the spots.
Ds1 also hates the Piriton but luckily he will take it,although after a lot of fuss.
We're also going back to the doctors today as although we had a better night,ds couldn't open one of his eyes this morning,because of the blisters on his eyelids.He seems ok today,but I'd rather get it checked out,especially as it's now the weekend,and the doctors won't be open again til Monday.
Hope you both have a better day today.

Aveeno or oilatum in the bath.

Add 10 drops of chamomile oil, 10 drops of lavender oil and 10 drops of tea tree oil to his bath and also add the same to some aloe vera gel if you can get hold of it, aveeno cream or eurax, keep it in the fridge and apply that instead of calamine.

Gel ice packs and ice cubes good for numbing the itching.

Ask the doctor to prescribe phenergan - it's much better than piriton and also helps them sleep at night.

camomile oil in the bath.

Also dip a jug in the bath water and tip it over his head - will reduce the itching there as well.

If he doesn't like the piriton syrup you can give him half a tablet instead. Tiny and easy to swallow down with a bit of water.