Chicken Pox Virgin - advice and tips?

[quickchat]

There has been an outbreak of chicken pox at my DS's nursery.

DS hasn't had it yet, he will be 4 in May, DD is 16 months.
Im bracing myself. I know they need to get it and im happy to get it over with but im also dreading them being ill .

Is there any tips or advice you can give to ease their itchiness if they get it? Anything else that might help?

Secretly wishing it is midweek so I can still at the weekend !

Mine got it early at 22 months and 4 months respectively. I gave them piriton medicine which I highly recommend as it relieves the itching and also use aqueous cream, both of which you can get over the counter.

My two were hardly even ill with it. My oldest only got a few spots and wasn't remotely bothered by them. My youngest however was absolutely covered in spots and was a bit more bothered but still wasn't what I'd describe as "ill".

Lets hope you have a similar experience!

Piriton is a good idea if you can get it. When my two had it DD1 was nearly 4 and she was fine, not very itchy etc. DD2 was 15 weeks and too young for antihistimine (without prescription), so we had to be a bit more inventive.

Oats in a pop sock in the bath, goes sort of milky in the water and relieves itching. My two spent hours in the bath.
Calomine cream instead of lotion goes on more easily.
Ice lollies good for spots in the mouth.
Lots of nappy-free time for spots on the bottom.
Someone said Aveeno is helpful, but I didn't try it.
If any of the spots start to look manky, get down the docs for some antibiotic cream (both of mine had a few infected spots).

Oh, and as many DVDs as you can get from the library. For quite a lot of time they may feel fine but still be contagious. TV is your friend.

DC 1 & 2 had Chicken pox at the same time, DC 1 was 22mths had spots on back and wasn't too poorly. DC2 was only 9 weeks old barely any spots just a grumpy wee baby. DC2 had shingles at the age of 8 and was very ill with them.

DC 3 had chicken pox at the age of 4, I watched as the spots developed before my eyes, peppered in them had some very nasty infected spots around private parts.
Plenty of calamine lotion and oatmeal baths to ease the itch.

Cream is easier and seems to stay on longer on the skin.

Stock up with icepops, ice lollies, jelly. No real reason but if they feel a little off kilter an icepop seems to works wonders especially if they get them in their mouth.

Bicarbonate of soda in the bath works well to reduce the itch

Agree with crazycarol about the bicarb, calamine lotion worse than useless, piriton good and eurax cream also, (be careful if any spots "broken").