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Urgnet - Chicken Pox, piriton, major distress

30 replies

christiana · 09/08/2009 08:04

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
MIAonline · 09/08/2009 08:18

Sorry haven't experienced this yet, but so sorry for your poor DD and bumping for you.

FlyMeToDunoon · 09/08/2009 08:23

Hello.
You can try a lukewarm bath with oatmeal in it. I put the oats in a sock and swirled it around in the water.
I also got some aloe vera gel from Holland and barret which is cooling and soothing.
And we found some specialised cream for chicken pox in boots I think.
DD2 had CP quite badly and so we just slapped on masses of everything and let her do what she wanted basically.The worst time only lasts a couple of days but it is horrible.
Maybe some Sudocream thickly on her bottom and genital area would help there.

christiana · 09/08/2009 08:36

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FlyMeToDunoon · 09/08/2009 08:42

Would she put it on herself?

christiana · 09/08/2009 08:47

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FlyMeToDunoon · 09/08/2009 08:50

Oh poor you.
Is DH taking her then?
TBH it sound like she has worked herself up into one and can't get out of it. Can't DH put her in a bath?

MrsPuddleduck · 09/08/2009 08:51

Eurax lotion is fantastic for chicken pox- far better than camomile- and chemist recommended oilaitum in the bath if you can get her in there.

gatheringstones · 09/08/2009 08:54

i really feel for you. both my dd's had chicken pox really badly, one was just a baby and it (literally) made both me and dh weep to see her suffering so much. the gp advised exactly as you have been advised (except the poor baby couldn't even have piriton). i'm afraid i don't have any startling solutions just what everyone else has said. will she dab c lotion on herself with a cotton wool ball? could you or your dh dab it on yourself first and do the whole 'look how silly and spotty i/dh looks..'? this would work for our 3 year old but maybe not for an older child.
otherwise an oatmeal bath calms it at least while they're in the water.
and of course the piriton if you can get it into her.
it's a horrible illness.
i hope she feels better, or at least calmer, soon. good luck.

misdee · 09/08/2009 09:00

sounds liek she has worked herself up and cant calm herself down.

christiana · 09/08/2009 09:01

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sybilfaulty · 09/08/2009 09:03

Huge amounts of sympathy. My DD2 got it really badly and I ended up taking her to the OOH GP, who prescribed Phernegen (a mild sedative). This meant that she could at least sleep and get through the worst of it.

If you can get her in the bath, bicarb is very soothing and you can buy it in the chemist so much cheaper. DD2's bottom was very bad so I left her with the nappy off as much as poss and kept her drinking so that her wee would be dilute and less stingy. Other than that, we survived on a diet of ice cream and c beebies till it passed off. Her spots came out on the Friday and Monday was by far the worst day so with any luck your DD should rally soon.

Best wishes to you all and take care.

ItsAllaBitNoisy · 09/08/2009 09:03

I think cool water would help.

Can you try to put a large tub of lukewarm water on the kitchen floor with a couple of toys in, and maybe she would go to it herself. If you sat quietly beside it pouring water from cups or something, she might get curious - then hopefully she will calm down and get in.

Or if you got in the bath quietly, would she join you eventually.

The cool water should calm her enough so you can use calamine etc afterwards.

You poor thing. IT WILL PASS.

ItsAllaBitNoisy · 09/08/2009 09:05

X posted. Best of luck.

Polgara2 · 09/08/2009 09:11

When dd1 had chicken pox she was really poorly with it, she was 9 so not quite the same but the only thing that helped the itching was a cream by Greens or Green lanes I think, it was a mixture of tee tree and something (sorry am am being a bit vague it was a few years ago!). It is a bit whiffy but excellent stuff.

None of the usual suggestions helped at all and Piriton was useless. The doc did prescribe her a stronger antihistamine but she said it was disgusting and wouldnt take it.

Hope your dd is soon feeling better.

christiana · 09/08/2009 09:20

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christiana · 09/08/2009 09:24

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bigchris · 09/08/2009 09:25

you poor thing
you must be exhausted
have you got any family or friends nearby who could take your baby for a walk in the pram while you close your eyes on the sofa for half an hour until they get back?

christiana · 09/08/2009 09:30

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bluejeans · 09/08/2009 09:58

Christiana, My DD was like this when she had chicken pox 6 years ago (also age 3.5) I reckon it was the piriton - it even says on the label in small writing 'may cause sleep disturnbances'!!- we'd given it to her thinking it would help the itching and make her sleep! I remember having a very sleepless night an having to phone in and take the day off work even tho DH was at home with DD. We found calomine lotion the best thing

Hope your baby doesn't get it and you all get some sleep tonight!

PS thanks for the Two Fat Ladies recommendation the other week

sybilfaulty · 09/08/2009 13:00

I found the piriton a bit useless for DD2 (though DD1 liked it!) but phenergan worked well, even if it is from the same drug family. Meant she got some sleep.

I am sure you must be wrung out with it all, esp with a small baby to look after. Deep breaths. If a neighbour can take the baby for an hour, you will feel refreshed. And look forward to a nice glass of wine come 7pm and a big bar of chocolate.

Confuzzeled · 09/08/2009 13:12

Oh you poor thing.

My dd had CP a few weeks ago and I'm pregnant, I found it really hard. Having a tiny baby must be exhausting, we send big hugs.

We used a mix of calpol, calprophen, boots own version of piriton and Aveeno cream. We used the aloe vera gel from Holland and barret after to help heal the spots.

I put heaps of bubbles in the bath and got in myself to convince dd to get it. She did eventually and then I was giving her up to 6 baths a day to stop the itching.

My dd also got spots in her mouth and nose so she stopped eating and drinking. The only thing she would take was ice cream or chocolate milk.

After the spots have scabbed then I recommend putting lavender oil in the bath. It has amazing healing properties and helps the scabs heal without scarring. I couldn't use it because I'm pregnant and it's been known to bring on labour. But in your case it would help the scabs and hopefully send your kids off to sleep.

Good Luck

christiana · 09/08/2009 13:15

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nappyaddict · 09/08/2009 13:19

Try Eurax and Poxcilin.

Also aloe vera gel and lavender oil is good.

nappyaddict · 09/08/2009 13:24

Oh and tea tree and chamomile.

ItsAllaBitNoisy · 09/08/2009 13:33

Lol at committing small fraud, I remember that feeling.

Sod the tidying - SLEEP woman!

Hopefully your DD is over the worst of it. Ask your DP to pick up some new bath toys while he's out, keep them hidden until needed for emergency bath enticement.

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