Share your tips for coping when your children have chickenpox with PoxClin

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Though most children will get it at some stage, chickenpox is an illness that can be difficult for all involved. With that in mind, PoxClin would like to hear the tips you have for when children get chickenpox.

Here’s what PoxClin has to say: “It’s never easy when your children are ill and it’s natural for parents to worry about the itching and discomfort chickenpox can cause. 46% of parents say that stopping children from scratching is the most important thing for them when their child has chickenpox and 34% also worry about longer-term effects like scarring. These issues, combined with children being at home and unable to attend school or nursery until the spots have crusted over can put everyone to the test, with children being restless and parents feeling anxious and stressed from juggling work and unexpected childcare. It’s at times like this that support and advice from other parents can be so valuable. So, if you have some amazing parenting “hacks” to share, we want to hear from you!”

Do you have any tips for dealing with being housebound while your child is contagious? Perhaps you know of remedies that help with relieving the itching and scratching that accompanies chickenpox? Maybe you have tips for dealing with more than one child getting chickenpox at the same time?

All who post below sharing their tips will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

*An online survey was conducted by Atomik Research among 1,300 UK adults aged 18+. The research fieldwork took place on 8th – 12th April 2019. Atomik Research is an independent creative market research agency that employs MRS-certified researchers and abides to MRS code

Lots of cool baths and Calamine lotion here. Calpol also helped if it was too much for my daughter at night time. I also swear by fresh air so try to keep clothing off your child's skin as much as you can too

Calamine lotion to ease the itching ,Capol and lots of cuddles

Long cool baths and yoghurt on the spots

Ice packs and give them their favourite treats. Stay by their side and keep them occupied.

Cold baths and don't let them touch scabs

I had twins who both had it at the same time, calomine lotion worked a treat, calpol, loose clothing when they had to have clothes on, otherwise i didnt bother with clothes as it made the itching worse. I also put mittens on them when they were asleep, which really helped with the scratching. I also gave them all my time for cuddles and stories. They were both very grumpy. One of them had it in their mouth, so lots of ice pops also worked a treat.

Chicken pox was not a big deal for my two, we kept them entertained during the day while stuck at home and cool baths every evening. Except for the blisters they were otherwise fine with no signs of being ill.

Cooling gel and light airy clothing worked for us. Luckily my DS didn't get many spots on his face. He did brilliantly well and didn't moan or scratch. I'm left with a chicken pox scar on my nose from when I was a child, I'm thankful that my DS has none.

Calomine lotion was a lifesaver. Plenty of distractions and active entertainment to try and keep thoughts away from itchiness too.

I have never heard of Pox Clin, and have just survived chicken pox with my son at Christmas of all times! I received a call from my sister to say his cousin had come down with it and we'd all got together so I knew he would be prone. I discovered bicarbonate of soda in the bath (very soothing!) And Rhus Tox cream, which is commonly used for arthritis and joint pain. It was fabulous and immediately made my sons spots less angry and brightens his skin no end.

Oat Baths

I used to put virasoothe on the spots and then let my children play in the garden for some fresh air. I used to bath them at teatime and reapply at bedtime. I used to give antihistamines at bedtime and all my children were fine and slept through.

to reduce itching calamine lotion and biscuits to keep them occupied from scratching

Both my sons had chicken pox about 2 weeks apart. Calpol, luke warm baths and lots of TLC helped. Luckily, they were at an age where they understood not to scratch them.

Try and keep them occupied to take their mind of it

we tried to do lots of art and crafts to keep her mind off it and not going out. Lots of family film nigts

We have been lucky so far and haven't had to deal with them

Cool baths and calamine lotion, scratch mitts at night time.

Our son had horrendous chickenpox when he was 7, it was one of the worse cases i had ever seen and he was just so upset and sad and in pain. The best relief we can suggest is oat baths.....fill an old sock with oats and run it under a warm running tap. it is very, very soothing for itchy, irritated skin and leaves the skin silky soft. Ronan would ask for one twice a day just to soothe the spots.

Tepid baths with oats in a sock then lots of play and distraction during the day

antihistamines, bathed using a non-emollient cream, dab the chicken pox over with calamine lotion. Calpol if needed.

Our three had it together- what a week that was! Luckily we both work from home so it was easier to juggle than if we'd had to take time off. We gave them daily baths in bicarbonate of soda, which reduces the itching, endless dvds and kids tv, lots of ice cream, we even had a barbecue in the garden in mid March for a bit of fun, although they ended up eating it indoors! My DD was 9 and suffered the worst, she was really unwell with it, DS1 was 7, nearly 8 and he wasn't so bad, neither was DS2, who was 6. Pretty much all the infants at school had it at once and all the older ones that had managed to avoid it up until then. It was a really contagious strain that year!

lots of love kisses and cuddles

I went with regular paracetamol, loose clothes and tepid baths.

My son had them twice when he was little - like a small breakout when he was a baby and a full blown pox at about 6! we were housebound and watching disney cars on a loop!! haha
lots of chamomile lotion (which hums!) anti - histamines and for the itching i made him wear oven mitts (al la friends style - only without the tape!) or his dad gloves and pretended they gave him super powers - to distract from the itching!