Chickenpox

[PrettyCandles]

dd has just gone down with chickenpox. She doesn't seem too bad, but she has some pox in her nappy area and I think she's trying to tell me that her nappy is uncomfortable. Any tips? Sudocrem? She's only got a handful of pox on her body and they don't seem to bother her.

Ones in nappies do seem very uncomfortable. Try calamine - cream rather than lotion. And if you can try to leave her without a nappy. How old is she?

My dd had chickenpox about this time last year and the spots that really bothered her were those in her nappy area and in her hair and on her ears. She wasn't at all bothered by the ones on her torso either. Trying to remember back and I think the chemist recommended E45 cream and it did really help with the itching. However, she wasn't quite 2 years old and there is another cream which I remember being recommended here on Mumsnet, but when I asked the chemist she agreed it was good but was for children over 3, so I couldn't use it.

If your dd is older it might help to do a search of old threads, otherwise I'm sure other people will be along soon with recommendations.

Dd is 2, just.

I'm rather concerned for my dad - we spent yesterday at my parents', during which time the first spot appeared. My dad has never had chickenpox (or any of the other childhood illnesses - I remember the panics when we were ill as children) and he had heart surgery in November, so he's quite vulnerable. Wish there was something I could do to protect him.

I seem to remember Calamine Lotion was the thing when I had them -no idea if it is still around

Pretty candles , my MIL has never had chickenpox and she was a Reception teacher for over 25 years so came into regular contact with it. Your father may well have got some immunity without realising it, but perhaps it is worth him calling his dr to put your minds at rest.

Calamine lotion or cream is good as are tepid baths in Bicarb of soda and piriton syrup if she seems itchy.

He's called the gp, and she's ordered some sort of special vaccine for him. It should arrive within the next 48h. If it wasn't for his other health issues we wouldn't be so concerned.

That sounds a hassle for him, very unfortunate .

btw I mean "baths in Bicarb of soda, and piriton syrup if she seems itchy " not bath in piriton iyswim !!

calamine lotion is the stuff! splodge it all over the spots, it feels cold when it first goes on but it does stop the itching. Boots sell it, it's pink (went down very well with DD1)

you can also get calamine lotion mixed in with aqueous cream from the chemist - stays on a bit better imo and older children can help put it on, every bit of distraction helps

That's a good idea. We have great pots of aqueous cream and mum's dropping off some calamine lotion later today - dd will enjoy 'helping' me to mix it!

Yes, got the pox here, too! DS2, 15 months, is in the same boat. The calamine and piriton appear to be working really well. May well try the bath with bicarb as he loves his baths.

Hope your DD is feeling better soon. DS2 is almost back to his usual self, so life is looking up.

I made up a paste of water and bicarb and pasted it on her spots, esp in her nappy area, which seemed to help. Medised( available from pharmacy) is ok from 6m and has some anti histamine in it, which i used in the day, saving piriton for night time.

Oh b*r! Just remembered that a friend we saw over the weekend is ttc. I'm pretty sure that she's had chickenpox, so do I need to tell her about dd? I'd rather not as she's ssuch a drama queen, but will if I must.

from 3 they can have a cream called Eurax, which I gave to dd recently. Very good. Plus Piriton. DS is 14 months so just had the Piriton and calomine lotion

My dd2, 17mths, came down with Chickenpox last Friday. She was the 7th to be sent home from nursery in the space of 2hrs.

The only places she hasn't got any spots are in her mouth (does have one on her bottom lip though), palms of her hands and soles of her feet. I haven't bothered with calamine, I've only dosed her up with piriton.

When I bought the piriton, the pharmacist said that you can't use piriton if you use medised.

you can get an aqueous calamine cream - found that brilliant for dd who was about 18 months old when she had her bout of chicken pox.

She then had piriton and calpol for the temp.. she had it everywhere. Seemed to bounce back quite quickly. SHe had it everywhere - even in her eyes, up her nose and so on....The bathing in bi-carb and warm water is also brilliant.

hope it clears up soon.

Dd doesn't seem to be too bothered, just a bit grumpy and clingy. I can't believe how horrid the rash is in her nappy area! That's the only place it seems to bother her - she comes and asks me to change her nappy - but the aqueous calamine seems to soothe it.

Does anyone know about exposure to chickenpox during very early pregnancy in someone who's already had chickenpox?

And ought I to tell dd's creche? She was there the day before the rash came out, so probably infectious. I'm reluctant to because they were so unpleasant about ds having headlice (whcih he caught there in any case! ), but, as with the ttc friend, will tell if I must.

bump anyone?

If she has already had chickenpox then she should be fine, but she can ask her GP for immunity level tests if she is concerned.

Although chickenpox can be a concern in the first 3mths, it is far more dangerous if the mother is exposed when at term. Exposure for new borns is the main concern and if an outbreak/possible contagion is known on a maternity ward, special vaccine will be administered to all the babies.

HTH (used to work in the PHLS, we distributed the vaccine)

Thanks, Snugs, looks like I don't need to unleash the dramatics! What's PHLS?

Public Health Laboratory Service

Oh sht. My father's caught chickenpox. GP seriously concerned, even contacted Daddy's cardiologist. Sht sht sht. This is very scarey.

And ds's temperature has just shot up, so he's probably going down with it now. Which is a good thing.