Chickenpox - i know been done a million times berore, but please help...

[caspercat]

DD 18mths. Noticed a couple of blister like spots at the side of her mouth this morning, by lunchtime she has 8/9 spots over her body and some on her scalp. Is grizzly (teething too), off her food & clingy. Also they've had cp at her nursery so was kind of expecting it. Do i need to take her to doctors, or just give her Calpol & calamine lotion. How long does it usually last, and should i keep her off nursery & away from any activities where other little ones are??
TIA xx

don't need to take her to docs. Just calpol, or nurofen. fluids. calamine or calamine with aqueous cream is good.
Usually infectious until all have crusted over , generally about 6-7 days - must be off nursery until that time.
Hope shes better soon

She will be contagious for upto 5 days after the last spot appears. Get some piriton too, that's quite good. Also bicarb for the bath.

Poor little thing. Its the most hideous looking disease every, isn't it?

Thanks for your quick replies. Sorry to be dim, but bicarb of what for the bath?? Soda, as in the baking stuff?? Don't laugh...

Tis true! It soothes the skin and reduces the itchiness. It's only what you find in lots of bath salts, but in the natural form!

Piriton helps to relieve the itching. Can use medised as well (also has an anti-histamine in it).

Lots of baths with bicarb of soda in it. Also put some porridge oats in the foot of an old pair of tights and run it under the hot tap when having a bath - it really helps - they love squishing it in the bath too.

You have my sympathies - my two had it before xmas and at it's peak (about day 3 and 4) it was grim but after that it got better quite quickly. Best of luck - at least it will be out of the way!

dd has just had this too. Bicarbonate of soda seemed to work well - you can get big boxes of it in Boots - put about half a cup in the bath water.