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Original poster

Can anyone tell me what to do with a chicken pox ridden 8.5mth old?

26 replies

TattooedGrrrl · 22/07/2008 10:36

PLEASE!?

He is covered in chicken pox- eye lids, bottom, back, the lot. He's inconsolable, and is screaming / crying for at least 40mins out of every hour. He slept about 5hrs all together last night.

I saw a doctor yesterday, because he'd also been sick and had a temp of 39, but the doctor was very dismissive and said he was fine (he wasn't screaming at this point)

He has calpol here, and an antihystamine liquid which he can only take twice in 24hrs. I've smothered his nappy area in a calamine cream from the chemists. I really can't convey how covered he is in blisters / rash. He's only taking about half his usual fluids.

Does anyone know what i can do for him? I had to leave him cry in his cot last night for 10mins, because he was hysterical if i tried to comfort him or touch him. I can't stand feeling so useless, and i can't face another night like last night.

OP posts:
WilfSell · 22/07/2008 10:40

Oh you poor thing: Chicken pox is horrible. My youngest has not had it yet and I'm dreading it...

Cool baths might help. Undress him as warmth seems to make it worse. I'm assuming the antihistamine liquid is piriton or somesuch? I'd go to another doctor and check if he can take it more frequently than twice in 24 or if there is something else, because at that age it is awful. You could also check if there is something else that will help him sleep that you can take as well? I think other sedatives, like medised etc are pretty much the same thing though so please check.

If the GP is useless, try ringing or going to a large pharmacy for advice also.

Is there someone who can give you a bit of support - just sit with him for an hour while you have a shower and cup of tea?

jelliebelly · 22/07/2008 10:43

I have every sympathy for you Tattoo - we went through exactly the same with ds at about the same age - so much for everybody saying its best for them to get it young because they only get a handful of spots and hardly notice it

There really isn't an awful lot you can do because as you have discovered it hurts if you cuddle and it hurts if you don't - I remember sleeping on the floor of ds room and every time he woke up for 2/3 nights having to just try and sooth him with shushing and singing nursery rhymes. Cool baths seemed to help a bit first thing in the morning - also we used calamine lotion combined with aqueous cream (from Boots) which was much less drying than calamine and seemed to work a bit during the daytime - a bit easier to try and distract with TV etc during the day too - we spent a lot of time lying on the sofa with TV/books etc.

Ds is nearly 3yo now but still has a few really deep scars which I suspect will never heal - impossible to stop an 8mo scratching/rubbing ime. We had 2/3 days and nights that were horredous but gradually got better - I was off work for the best part of 3 weeks with him though before he was able to go back to nursery - the scabs lasted probably another 3 weeks or so iirc.

definitely worth trying the calamine/aqueous if somebody could nip to Boots for you.

Good luck

Original poster
TattooedGrrrl · 22/07/2008 10:46

no help- DH had to go to work, and i sent DS1 to CMs yesterday, can't afford to send him again this week, so i have a 2yr old to look after aswell.

Maybe i could try the HV?

DH is going to get some Medised later hopefully, but he'll have to lie about what age child it's for to get it.

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herbietea · 22/07/2008 10:49

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jelliebelly · 22/07/2008 10:50

Tattoo, I'm not sure that Medised is a good idea for an 8mo esp if he is on other prescribed medication too. Can you ring the doctor and ask if it is safe to up the dose or try something different? Our doctor didn't prescribe anything but tbh I'm not sure it made much difference anyway.

Original poster
TattooedGrrrl · 22/07/2008 10:53

as far as i know, you can't mix medised with other paracetamols, so i'll be careful to not double-dose. i just want him to sleep

thanks herbietea- will get DH to get some bicarb later.

OP posts:
WilfSell · 22/07/2008 10:55

I also don't think you can mix medised with antihistamine liquids such as piriton too since I think they have the same active ingredients but please do check with your GP again about what you can do...

Original poster
TattooedGrrrl · 22/07/2008 10:58

i'll ring my SIL later- she's a pharmacist- she'll know whether the doses can overlap or not.

he's fallen asleep in my arms for now anyway. if only DS1 was alseep too, i might get a nap.

OP posts:
jelliebelly · 22/07/2008 10:58

Please be careful with the Medised. TBH I think you are just going to have to manage for the 2/3 sleepless nights, easier said than done I know

missblythe · 22/07/2008 11:01

Have you got an electric fan? The breeziness can be very cooling, and take away the heat that makes the itchiness worse.

Original poster
TattooedGrrrl · 22/07/2008 11:05

we do have a fan somewhere, but if i remember correctly, it makes a noise not unlike rumbling thunder It's quite old.

OP posts:
Original poster
TattooedGrrrl · 22/07/2008 11:13

SIL says i CAN'T give medised too, as it has similar properties to the anti hystamine liquid he has, but she's pretty sure he can have 3 doses in 24hrs, because he's so heavy, and she's going to check.

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theressomethingaboutmarie · 22/07/2008 13:37

Oh poor you! My DD had the pox at this age too. We used Boots Calamine cream with glycerin for my daughter as the calamine lotion dried out her skin too much. We gave her two cool baths per day too.

The poor thing was very subdued throughout and had very little appetite. We gave her the usual milk but plenty of water and very diluted pure apple juice too.

We kept her in babygro's and then duck taped socks on her hands (duck tape sticking to the sock and then to the babygro). She looked awful (it wasn't the slightest bit amusing ). She was fine after about a week and a half.

funnypeculiar · 22/07/2008 13:44

best thing for ours were baths with bicarb & oats (in bag made out of an old muslin - squeeze the bag and gooey stuff comes out. Get in with him in need be & spend as long as you can in there.

WilfSell · 22/07/2008 13:49

Forgot about the oats: we did this too with DS2 - seemed to soothe him.

Original poster
TattooedGrrrl · 22/07/2008 13:50

i don't have a muslin. would a pillow case do, or am i being dense?

OP posts:
funnypeculiar · 22/07/2008 14:20

No reason why not - you basically want something that is very porous, so that the oatmeal 'gunk' can get out. Couple of handfuls of oats should do it.
It's wonderfully softening - my hands felt great after the dcs had pox

mckenzie · 22/07/2008 14:26

porridge oats in the bath!!! My DD was about the asme age and got it very badly too. You can strain them through a tea towel probably is you dont have a muslin of a sieve (but a very fine one). The water will go nice and milky looking. We bathed DD up to 4 times a day when she was very bad with the spots, she'd play int he bath for 30 mins at a time and seemed very eased by it.
Hope DS likes it too. Be careful if youare using any lotion on his body (sorry, haven't read all the psots). A good friend of mine is a paed consultant and she warned me away from lotions and cream (on the off chance one spot gets infected you will spread the infection to all the others).
Thinking of you.

Chaotica · 22/07/2008 14:51

You poor thing, and poor DS2.

Like everyone says: oats! You can use an old pair of tights/stockings instead of muslin in the bath for the oats -- clean ones, obviously.

Megglevache · 22/07/2008 14:55

Porridge oats.

Stick them in an old (clean) pair of tights and tie under the hot tap- Run bath and let the oats soak. You can then use the tights as a sponge, the oatie stuff that oozes out is fabulous and not yuck to them if them smear a handful into their mouths or eyes (unlike calamine)

You have my sympathies DD was also 8 months when she had it sooo badly. She also had to sleep with no nappy on or she got too distressed.

Original poster
TattooedGrrrl · 23/07/2008 08:17

well i did the oat bath...i used a pillowcase. Had i not been so tired, i might have thought to use old socks / tights. Now i have to get the oats out of my good pillowcases

He slept much better last night, some initial crying, then he slept 30mins in his cot, then in bed with me. Came down around 1am for medicine and cream for him, and he did wake a bit through the night, but without screaming.

OP posts:
mckenzie · 23/07/2008 09:17

Please to hear you had a better night. Use the oat bath as often as you can tattooedgirl. If you've got the weather that we have today so could even use it in the paddling pool if DS might like that. As long as none of his spots are infected, your other dc could then go in too and you might actually get 5 mins to sit down yourself

Megglevache · 23/07/2008 11:46

Great idea McK. I was also going to suggest adding the oat mix to a hot bath/letting it cool down and then put LO in when cool.

God it's muggy today!

mckenzie · 23/07/2008 22:10

thank you megglevache .
How is DS now Tattooedgrrrl?

RiojaLover75 · 23/07/2008 22:20

Hi Tattooedgrrrl,

Have you tried bicarbonate of soda in DC's bath? It worked twice a day for my DS's Pox last year. Calamine didn't suit him, he screamed blue murder, like the stuff was burning him!

You could try Medised (for the slight sedative effect), it's a pain killer too.

Hope you all get some rest soon!

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