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Original poster

chicken pox

15 replies

lucsnowe · 14/03/2009 18:56

My dd, 2.5 years, has chickenpox. At first it seemed really mild, but has definitely developed today. She is scratching like mad and even seems to haev spots in her mouth, on her scalp, and in her genitals. I'd be so grateful for any advice. She is asleep at the moment, having had a bath in bicarbonate of soda, smothered in calamine lotion and dosed up on piriton and calpol. However, I know she'll wake in a few hours- last night she was up every couple of hours. I think she has a temperature and sore throat- would this be something independent of the chicken pox? Any advice v. welcome- I'm a single parent and here on my own this weekend. Thank you in advance!

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RumourOfAHurricane · 14/03/2009 19:27

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RumourOfAHurricane · 14/03/2009 19:30

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choufleur · 14/03/2009 19:36

bathe her in bath with oats. Wrap a handful in a muslin cloth and put it in teh bath with her. it really does help. we found it was far better than bi-carb. Aquaeous cream with clamine lotion i found was better than straight calamine as it doesn't dry out.

try alternating calpol with an ibruprofen based medicine like calprofene. that was you can stop her temperature spiking so much.

it's horrible.

mehdismummy · 14/03/2009 19:36

hiya lucsnowe my ds had the exact same thing a couple of weeks ago, i did all the things you have and also had a cople of sleepless nights and i know what you mean being a single mum, i also have noticed a sore at the side of his mouth and he has suffered with impetigo in the past, shine what did you put on it? i know its not much help but after about day 3 it gets better, my ds said ow alot, do we live near you so perhaps we could come and help you out? also people that say 'its good they have it when they are young' wound me up!!

Original poster
lucsnowe · 14/03/2009 22:33

Thanks everyone- really helpful advice and thanks for the moral support. Will definitely try the aqueous cream- have some here anyway so can do that tomorrow. The oats in the bath is an interesting one- will do that too. Someone told me that ibuprofen was to be avoided- something to do with chickenpox involving toxins in the liver and the way that ibuprofen works, but I don't understand it?

Impetigo sounds awful- hope we don't get that.

Good to know should be better day 3- that means Monday...
She's been up crying from about 8.30-9.30..
Difficult to know what to do except cuddle her.
Thanks again, all of you. x

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Original poster
lucsnowe · 14/03/2009 22:35

Thanks everyone- really helpful advice and thanks for the moral support. Will definitely try the aqueous cream- have some here anyway so can do that tomorrow. The oats in the bath is an interesting one- will do that too. Someone told me that ibuprofen was to be avoided- something to do with chickenpox involving toxins in the liver and the way that ibuprofen works, but I don't understand it?

Impetigo sounds awful- hope we don't get that.

Good to know should be better day 3- that means Monday...
She's been up crying from about 8.30-9.30..
Difficult to know what to do except cuddle her.
Thanks again, all of you. x

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scoobi6 · 14/03/2009 23:03

Hi, just wanted to offer sympathy - my dd had it recently, she's a similar age. Spots in the mouth and in the genitals too, poor little girl. She didn't want to eat ( I think it hurt) so she lived on ice cream for a few days

We played in the bath a LOT, it was the only place she seemed comfortable, and I cut her nails really short to stop her scratching.

We had a couple of awful nights, she was clearly horribly uncomfortable and cried all night. The third night was not so bad, and after that it was ok. Just keep telling yourself it will pass! And then never again...

scoobi6 · 14/03/2009 23:05

oh and the nurses at NHS direct are fab if you need any advice or just a sympathetic voice on the end of the phone! 0845 46 47

LolaLadybird · 15/03/2009 00:09

Another vote for aqueous calamine lotion - much better than the regular stuff. DD really suffered with the spots on her scalp as she's always had really thick hair and it's one of the areas (like mouth and genitals) that you can't ventilate. We went for a lot of walks with the pushchair during the day to keep her cool/distracted and it was also the only way she would sleep.

Being on your own with a sick child isn't easy. When DD had it, DH was away with work - arrived back like the cavalry just as things were getting back to normal ...!

Original poster
lucsnowe · 15/03/2009 13:01

Have tried the calamine and aqueous together- yes- defintitely much much better. That should be much more widely known- thank goodness for Mums' Net! Lolaladybird- interesting what you say about the thick hair being related to spots on scalp, as my DD does have really thick hair. I only realised how many spots she has on her head as I was stroking her head in an attempt to soothe her last night. They're not at all visible. Scoobi6- yes-thanks for reminding me about the short nails. We've had damage in the pas tdue to long nails for other reasons, they certainly can be lethal. ...Thanks again to all of you.

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RumourOfAHurricane · 15/03/2009 17:12

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Original poster
lucsnowe · 15/03/2009 18:41

How do you know if a spot is infected. My DD has two really big ones on her back that look sore, and have been there from the start. Could they be infected? She certainly seems to find them most troublesome.

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choufleur · 15/03/2009 19:24

some can be really large without being infected. ds has a massive one in middle of his chest. it took longer to dry up than the others but basically looked the same, just bigger. i would guess if they are infected that the surrounding area would become red and hot to the touch.

nettyt · 16/03/2009 09:56

we've just had a very similar weekend to you so I can totallt empathise. My little girl who's 17 months got the chockenpox rasjh last Wednesday and was OK until Friday when all hell broke loose! Fri, Sat & Sun have bene nightmare days and we've been really struggling to console her. Been giving her calpol as her temp has been so high and piriton to help the itching, also coverigng her in calamine, hadn't heard of mixing with aqueaous though so will give that a try today. I did actually ask the pharmacist if there was anything in addition to calamine and they said no - I thought I had heard of something else but they looked at me like I wa mad! Like your little lady mine has the spots all in her mouth and genitals and she's just so unhappy. I htought by now she would be on the mend but last night was the most horrendous yet, she woke at 9:30 and then was screaming out all night, ended up watching Mickey Muose clubhouse with her at 3 am as it was the only thing to keep her calm! Fingers crossed both our little ones are feeling better soon xx

Original poster
lucsnowe · 16/03/2009 22:17

Yes- fingers crossed, nettyt. My dd was a little better today, the spots, although very red, seem to be drying out, but she was upset because I had to go to work. Of course I felt terrible leaving her, even though I know she is very well and lovingly looked after (couldn't hope for better) by my parents. I'm really hoping that this will soon feel behind us. How's your dd?

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