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

[JustineBMumsnet]

This activity is now closed

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

My daughter hasn't had it yet so I'm reading all these tips with interest. I remember my mum saying she covered me and my brother in xxxx calamine lotion, cut or nails really short and put thin gloves on us.

I used calamine, cool baths and made sure their nails were short. I owed the occasional anti histamine if they were really itchy. My daughter had severe chickenpox, poor baby!

Dd had a very bad case when she was 4, they were everywhere including inside her mouth and eyelids, we spent a fortune on every lotion and potion we could find but the thing that made her feel better, albeit briefly, was a walk at our local nature reserve to feed the ducks.

We kept away from people and I can still remember the feeling of seeing the smile on her spotty, swollen face for the first time in days.

Both my kiddies have had chicken pox. The key is distraction. I thought calamine lion worked really well. Keep hydrated. I did colouring, watched dvd and played games with my kiddies.

We’ve just had chicken pox in the household and my top tip is if it’s raining get outside! We wrapped up in puddle suits every time it rained and went to the woods/beach etc - it was deserted and meant we got some outside time away from the house. We also used poxclin mousse as my toddler hates creams in her skin - soothed her itching really quickly!

socks on hands and lots of lotion to soothe it.

Call their grandparents!

Antihistamines were a god send but she was allowed lots of sweets and ice cream. We had movie and pyjama days and did lots of crafts to take her mind of it xx

The oats bath is the one that seems to work best

I remember yhis being a really difficult time. Lashings of lotion and trying to establish an air of calmnrss and control in the house. Difficult when the house is full of kids.

Oat baths helped a lot and they enjoyed seeing their Dad's sock floating about for some bizarre reason.
Plenty of Calpol and as many antihistamines as they're allowed. The itching is the most miserable bit.

Oat baths and calamine lotion for when the itchiness starts!

We used calamile lotion and gave cold baths.

Calamine lotion at bed time has worked a treat here! My little boy has it at the minute, and luckily he hasn’t complained of too much itchiness. Just thirsty and a bit warm at night so open windows and extra water. Frozen Frube yoghurts are great if the have them in their mouth or lips.

I’m hoping my littlest (4yrs) will catch it ASAP too so it’s not here for the summer holidays.
It’s been tough being house bound but today we went for a car wash (very exciting!) and drive through Tim Hortons for timbits! Anything that doesn’t involve getting out of the car!
I’ve had oats in a sock recommended for the bath to help if the itching gets bad, luckily we’ve not had to try it so far.

Calamine lotion at bed time has worked a treat here! My little boy has it at the minute, and luckily he hasn’t complained of too much itchiness. Just thirsty and a bit warm at night so open windows and extra water. Frozen Frube yoghurts are great if the have them in their mouth or lips.

I’m hoping my littlest (4yrs) will catch it ASAP too so it’s not here for the summer holidays.
It’s been tough being house bound but today we went for a car wash (very exciting!) and drive through Tim Hortons for timbits! Anything that doesn’t involve getting out of the car!
I’ve had oats in a sock recommended for the bath to help if the itching gets bad, luckily we’ve not had to try it so far.

Oats in a sock in the bath definately

Let them play in the garden if it is warm enough as it distracts them from scratching and the breeze helps with the itching

We tried calamine first, didnt help. Someone recommended poxclin. It was great, stopped the itching. I put socks over my little ones hands at night

Calamine lotion and TLC

No tips really - its an unpleasant time. I hated seeing DS so uncomfortable and being cooped up inside for a week.

We tried poxclin too and it seemed to relieve some of the itching.

Mine all at the same time - in a way it helped with boredom issues! Family movies helped too. Cool baths and soothing balms helped itching and soreness - and cool cotton clothing.

Children’s piriton to stop itching. Camoline lotion on spots.

The best tip I have is not always practical - ensure your kid's friends are ill at the same time so you can hang around with each other without going completely crazy!

My son was infected at a party with all his friends so when he was ill it was actually quite a social time (needless to say they all had it quite mildly or it might've been different).

wasn't very ill at all lots of fresh air was all that was required

lots of baths to cool and help with itching.