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

I did cool baths and gave them piriton :)

my 2 had it not long ago, my 4 yr old got it from nursery and he just had loads of calamine on him, my 20 month old had it not long after and she had it a lot worse but it was still calamine, cutting all thier nails so they can't scratch and lots of mummy cuddles

Scratch mitts or socks are essential in our eyes. We also got on well with using head and shoulders to wash her that seemed to help a lot.

Calamine lotion

Chicken pox vaccination

I don't have my own personal experience yet as DS hasn't had them, however my mum used to give us an oat bath and soothe in calomine

Lots of warm baths and cream!

Get a load of supplies in and batten down the hatches! Make sure that nobody visits. Supply lots of water and vitamin-enriched food. Calamine lotion for the patient and gloves if they will wear them. Distract them from the itching with a film or a programme that they enjoy because scratching can really leave scars.

I've recently heard that having a bath with Head & Shoulders Classic in is great for chicken pox.

Stock up on calamine lotion and prepare yourself for a lot of moaning

Virasoothe really helps with itching so after the first day or so when they just want cuddles its down to keeping them occupied, helping Mum or watching Mum bake is always a good one, and it means if you are in the kitchen you can get some jobs done

We used cool baths, followed by some calamine lotion and cool cotton pyjamas. We then tried to keep DD as busy as possible to take her mind off of the situation by playing games.

PoxClin was great when we used it for little ones last month, that and head n shoulders as a bubble bath

It’s horrid!!! Lots of love hugs and calpol

My son had chicken pox on his bottom (very intimate part) and he was very uncomfortable. I put an ice block in a tea towel and he had it between his legs which relieved the discomfort

My son had them as a baby so no real issues other than he has had shingles since and my daughter hasn't had them yet

Oat baths were great with my 2

Oat baths, aqueous cream to soothe skin and plenty of hugs and fuss from everyone!

My DC had it back to back, so 4 weeks at home! We played in the garden lots, and used calomine lotion to help with the itching.

Fill an old stocking with porridge oats, tie a knot in it and put it in the bath with your child. It helps to soothe the itching, I don't know why! Also, cover them in chamomile lotion when they get out of the bath!

As well as the medication, trim the fingernails and toenails, and frequent baths did seemed to help ours when they had it.

Calpol & calamine lotion. My three all had it at the same time and it was a nightmare. Chickenpox was always something I was really scared of, as they all had steroid treatment for their asthma and weren't allowed to come into contact with chickenpox for three months after each round of treatment. Fortunately it fell when they hadn't had steroids for quite a while, so I was just glad to get it over with.

Keep on top of applying cream and try to distract your child with activities to do at home. Puzzle books, jigsaws, crafts, den building. Just try and keep their mind off the itching

Luckily ours had really minor outbreaks when they caught Chicken pos which I put down to them being up to date with their inoculations.
We were told to give them piriton to help take the itch out of the spots, calpol for the pain and they did enjoy the oat baths which really did help, and sleeping with gloves on helped stop them clawing any itchy spots in their sleep.

lots of calamine lotion, and lots of things to keep them amused and stop thinking about the itching. home works sent home by the school helped them not fall behind. Crafts and board games were a good idea. We made a dragon out of cardboard boxes. By the end of the fortnight it looked amazing all coloured in.