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Original poster

Chicken Pox advice please.

30 replies

Writerwannabe83 · 26/04/2015 20:16

DS is 13 months old and on Friday morning, out of nowhere he got quite poorly. He became lethargic, irritable, disinterested in his food, sleeping frequently and had a temperature of 38.8 which needed both paracetamol and ibuprofen in order to come down.

He had a temperature through Friday night and Saturday daytime but seemed ok in himself.

This morning, after my husband had dresses him I saw two red spots on DS's face so I stripped him for a full body check and he had more red spots inside his wrists, between his fingers, across his thighs and calves, some over his shoulder and more along the soles of his feet.

I rang 111 who were concerned it may be hand, foot and mouth disease so asked me to have DS reviewed by a Pharmacist who are trained to deal with rashes and identify illnesses.

I wasn't too impressed with the Pharmacist really, he didn't say much except that it may be heat rash (?) and to just keep an eye on it and see a GP if it worsened.

Throughout the day more and more spots have appeared in various regions of his body, they seem to be spreading in front of my eyes. He continues to be well in himself, he's still a little off his food but is his normal happy and playful self. He hasn't had a temperature since 6pm last night.

Does this sound like chicken pox?

I'm planning on visiting the GP tomorrow like I was advised to but am wary about taking DS out in case he is infectious. If it is chicken pox though surely I must have it confirmed by a GP rather than me just assume it is as for future medical assessments and for his medical history I'd need to know for definite?

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dyslexicdespot · 26/04/2015 20:19

You don't need to have chicken pox confirmed by your GP. I'm terrible at linking but you can google NHS chicken pox in children for advice.

Oh, and stock up on Poxclin (sp?), amazing stuff!

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 26/04/2015 20:21

But what if the rash is something else? I would feel a bit uneasy to just assume it's chicken pox and not take him to be seen.

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Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 26/04/2015 20:22

I will go and Google - thank you Smile

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PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 26/04/2015 20:25

You don't need to have it confirmed. Ring your GP and chat to them, but don't take a baby with possible CP into a waiting room of elderly people and pregnant women etc. What awful advice from 111.

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 26/04/2015 20:26

It was the Pharmacist who told me to go to the GP as he wasn't convinced it was chicken pox because the spots aren't blistered. I didn't realise the spots were meant to blister immediately, I thought that came over time.

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PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 26/04/2015 20:28

Angry at the pharmacist. What irresponsible infection control advice.

dyslexicdespot · 26/04/2015 20:30

Take him to a GP if you are very worried. I remember very well how anxious I would get when DS was little and unwell. chicken pox are highly contagious so you might want to ring ahead and warn the practice.

Poxclin really is amazing. DS had chicken pox at 9 months. he was covered in spots and we slathered him in Poxclin. The spots did not seem to bother him at all. I hope your LO has an easy time with it!

PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 26/04/2015 20:30

They aren't meant to blister instantly either. Have the ones from this morning done so now?

dyslexicdespot · 26/04/2015 20:31

The spots blister over time.

dyslexicdespot · 26/04/2015 20:32

X- post.

SolomanDaisy · 26/04/2015 20:33

If it's chickenpox, the first spots will have blistered by the morning. What do they look like at the minute?

Fridayschild · 26/04/2015 20:36

Definitely tell the GP receptionist you think your child has chickenpox. I did that with Dc2 and we were whisked in front of the GP in record time...

Chickenpox likes to start on the tummy, as I recall. As you don't mention that I think it is all the more reason to go to the GP

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 26/04/2015 20:39

Some of the spots are a big bigger than pin pricks and are level with the skin but very obvious. These ones are mainly across his thighs, calves and shoulders.

He has three much bigger and redder spots on his face which are raised. He also has these type of spots on the inside of his wrists and between his fingers and on the top of his hands.

The ones on his feet are smallish but red and raised. They also feel quite hard when I run my fingers over them, almost like boils.

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Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 26/04/2015 20:41

fridays - he does have some spots on his stomach but they are level with his skin and quite faint.

Ironically I spotted these funny marks on his stomach a few days ago and asked my husband what it was - it kind if looked like the rash you get when you have a carpet burn or someone runs their stubbly beard on your skin.

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PenguinsandtheTantrumofDoom · 26/04/2015 20:42

Do NOT get as far as reception before mentioning CP. Explain in the phone and they can implement procedures. Taking a potentially poxy child into a GP surgery is dangerous for other patients.

dsg222 · 26/04/2015 20:45

My little boy had chickenpox a couple of weeks ago and I already had an apo booked with gp for another issue so got her to look, she said it looked like it but didn't really confirm so wasn't much use!

What your describing sounds very similar to how it started here, couple of spots then rapidly increasing almost before my eyes till he was covered, didn't start blistering till about 24hrs after it first appeared but as they kept appearing for 4 days they were all at various stages of scabbing, virasoothe gel worked for us and also antihistamine medicine, was still bloody hardwork for about a week though, sorry!

Gp did say only to keep away from nursery for 5 days after first spot appeared, hope the helps and good luck!!!

Nolim · 26/04/2015 20:46

Agree with others suggesting ringing in advance so the surgery can take the approptiate measures. A surgery near me has an isolation room for contagious disseases.

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 26/04/2015 20:50

I have already pre-warned my CM and I'm going to ring into work tomorrow to see if my shifts can be changed to accommodate the fact DS can't go to his CM.

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dementedpixie · 26/04/2015 20:52

Chicken pox doesn't normally present on the soles of the feet or fingers so it sounds more like hand foot and mouth

Jackiebrambles · 26/04/2015 20:52

When my ds had suspected chicken pox I called ahead and they put us in a separate room to wait to be seen.

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 26/04/2015 20:55

The spots aren't on the sole of his feet, but on the sides of them, level with the base of his foot.

The nurse on 111 did mention HF&M but the spots are now all over his body.

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SolomanDaisy · 26/04/2015 20:59

It does sound like chickenpox to me. My DS did actually have a couple of spots on both the sole of his foot and palm of his hand.

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 26/04/2015 21:06

Total nightmare. I'm due in work on Tuesday, I think I'm going t ring them now to see if I can take it as annual leave.

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tortoisesarefab · 26/04/2015 21:10

If none of the spots have blisters then I would say it's hand, foot and mouth, my dd had spots everywhere with it. She has also had chicken pox and chicken pox spots are very recognisable, you would know if it was chicken pox

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 26/04/2015 21:28

I'm going to go and google images of HF&M. I just rang work about taking some annual leave and I know it won't go down well with the manager Sad

This is definitely the downside to not having a SAHP.....

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