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Original poster

CHICKENPOX - advice please....

20 replies

hippipotami · 01/01/2008 15:48

Ds (age 8) has just come out in Chickenpox. He was a bit under the weather yesterday, and then at lunchtime today he came out in red spots, some of which are now turning blistery.

He is due back to school on Thursday, I assume that is a no no. How long will he likely be off school for?

Also, he was due to start back at his swimming lessons on Friday. Of course he won't go, but will he be well enough to go next week?
(If not I may cancel the course as missing the first two is not ideal)

Any advice gratefully received!!

Thanks

OP posts:
belgo · 01/01/2008 15:50

Usually he will no longer be contagious five days after the first spots appear.

My children had both recovered four days after the first spots - that's quite fast, if you are lucky.

He will probably be fine for school next week.

Original poster
hippipotami · 01/01/2008 15:57

Oh, fab news, thank you!! Really, school by Monday, that is 6 days from now?

Hopefully it will be done and dusted within a few days then!

OP posts:
belgo · 01/01/2008 16:00

yes, as long as it is straightforward, my dd1 was better within four days, we were lucky.

emandjules · 01/01/2008 16:00

my dd was off for one week. Off from one Monday and went back following Monday

Original poster
hippipotami · 01/01/2008 16:09

Great, I hope it will be the same for ds. So ill today until next week. To be honest I don't mind if he is off school for a bit longer. It is the swimming course I worry about. (it is very expensive, you pay for the term, and if ds was to miss the first two then perhaps it may be better to ask for our money back now and re-book it for hte summer term)

How long from blisters to scabbing over?
And how long will he be scabby for?
(he is quite self-conscious and will not want to go swimming covered in scabs hence me asking, and I can't imagine others wanting to share a pool with a child covered in scabs)

OP posts:
belgo · 01/01/2008 17:21

if he is unlucky and gets lots of spots they will probably still be visible at the end of next week, even if he is back at school by then.

I wouldn't know what to do about the swimming classes.

Original poster
hippipotami · 01/01/2008 20:32

He is certainly getting spots in front of my eyes (well it seems like that)

Never mind, won't worry about the swimming. Nothing I can do about it till next week anyway.

On the positive side, at least he will have had them now and I won't need to worry about him getting them just as we are off on holiday or anything like that.

He doesn't seem too poorly. Bit headachy so have given calpol. He is off his food, but is quite happy to drink juice and water.

So, any good suggestions to counteract the itching?
Have nothing in the house so will head up to the chemist tomorrow. Dh suggested calamine lotion? Or is there something better?

OP posts:
tassisssss · 01/01/2008 20:33

you can get calamine in a cream that's a bit easier to apply than the lotion

you could try bicarb in the bath

also piriton syrup

hope it passes soon.

mrspink27 · 01/01/2008 20:36

Witch hazel is actually better than calamine from my experience. Chickweed ointment helps to stop scarring and rhus tox (homeopathic)helps generally.

forkhandles · 01/01/2008 20:51

I used Rhus Tox, calamine cream, piriton and lots of bicarb baths. As to the swimming you'll have to see how badly he gets it. Your next two days/nights should be the worst and then hopefully you'll find it starts to clear up quite quickly. The first crops of spots are the worst and the later ones are much smaller and scab quicker.

2 of my 3 DC had it badly all over (in hair, in mouth and down below) and they were fully scabbed and ready to go out in 7 days but looked very scabby The other had it much more mildly and was better in 5 days and hardly had a mark on her.

Once he's feeling better you'll have to find some friends who've already had it to play with! Hope he's better soon.

Original poster
hippipotami · 01/01/2008 20:53

FAB! Thanks

Now, the homeopathic remedies, where can I buy them?

OP posts:
Original poster
hippipotami · 01/01/2008 20:58

He has two inside his mouth (unless they are mouth ulcers???), 5 or so in his hair at present, and quite a few down below. But hardly any on his arms or legs.

OP posts:
mrspink27 · 01/01/2008 21:04

Some Boots have the homepathic remedies... Where are you located?

forkhandles · 01/01/2008 21:13

I got my Rhus Tox in boots.

The ones in his mouth will almost certainly be blisters. See how he wakes up tomorrow. I don't want to be doom and gloom but from lunchtime today to now it sounds like he's got quite a few spots. You may well find he's got loads more on his body tomorrow. I think the majority of the spots on my DC were on their torsos, the ones on their arms/legs were the smaller ones they got last.

My friends caught it from her DD last year and she said it felt like she was being rolled with thousands of tiny pins, and of course the nights were worse. But although you might have a couple of horrid days if he's got it bad it really does get better very quickly.

Hopefully DS has it mildly and will not be too uncomfy.

madamez · 01/01/2008 21:22

ANother thing that's soothing is to take an old sock or muslin, fill with porridge oats and stick under the hot tap in the bath (DON'T just bung a handful of oats into the water or you will be scraping sludge off both the bath and the DC for days). Calpol and calamine generally work well enough but sadly an 8 year old is going to suffer more than a toddler. (I had it at 12 and was pretty miserable).

Original poster
hippipotami · 01/01/2008 21:31

Thanks for the advice
I am in Surrey. There is a big Boots in the nearest town so will go there tomorrow. Dh is working from home tomorrow (paperwork day he calls it ) so I can leave ds home with him.
Once we noticed the first batch of spots more seemed to come out rapidly. So yes, I think he will be covered tomorrow I expect

Dd had chickedpox when she was two and only came out in 10 spots. (I did not even suspect chickenpox but a friend who is a nurse confirmed it was) She did not even feel ill.
Ds did not get it then for some odd reason.
Is dd likely to get it again seeing as she had it so mildly?

OP posts:
forkhandles · 02/01/2008 19:29

how is he today Hippipotami?

Original poster
hippipotami · 02/01/2008 22:08

Hello, thanks for asking

Today he has not moved from the sofa. He woke up with many more spots, and some are very red and angry looking (with red circles around them)
He has a slight temperature so am keeping the calpol at hand.
The itching started today, so have done the oats in the bath thing (lovely according to ds) and slathered him in calamine cream (also lovely apparently)

He is still not eating much, has had some custard and some freshly squeezed oj.
He has at least 5 chicken pox in his mouth and says that swallowing hurts (am not surpised)

He went a bit pale and weak when trying to walk to the toilet, so he is a bit worn out.

Hopefully he will be on the mend in a few days

OP posts:
forkhandles · 02/01/2008 22:17

I would say he'll be feeling significantly better by Friday. Bless his heart, you feel for them don't you.

Original poster
hippipotami · 03/01/2008 21:38

He has been feeling a lot worse today

Many more spots, a lot in his mouth and down his throat. Hurts ot swallow and does not want to eat.
He is also feverish.
But the cream is keeping the itching at bay, so that is a good thing

I hope to see an improvement soon, I hate to see him so icky and fed up. He actually wants to be at school as he misses his friends

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