Mumsnet users share their tips for helping their child through chickenpox with PoxClin

[JustineBMumsnet]

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It may not be front of mind for many parents right now, but chickenpox is an illness most children will get, making it almost a rite of passage. Despite this, having a child who doesn’t feel well - whether that’s with chickenpox or anything else - can be something that’s difficult to deal with. With children at home (along with almost everyone else at the moment) and feeling restless, as well as parents feeling stressed from juggling work and unexpected childcare, it can make the situation even more challenging. With that in mind, PoxClin Cool Mousse would like to hear your tips for helping your child and the family cope with chickenpox.

Here’s what PoxClin Cool Mousse has to say: “It is natural for parents to feel concerned about itching and scarring, in fact, 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. It’s at times like this that support and advice from other parents can be invaluable. So, if you have some amazing parenting “hacks” to share, we want to hear from you!”

Do you have tips for helping to relieve their itching and scratching? Perhaps you have practical tips for keeping their mind off of it and making them feel cared for? Maybe you’ve picked up tips for helping your child when they have been poorly with something else that could be just as helpful if they came down with chickenpox?

Whatever your tips for dealing with chickenpox, share with PoxClin Cool Mousse below to 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

Calamine lotion, cuddles and chocolate helped my daughter.

lots of rest, taking it easy and TLC. I had one child who got it very mildly, very few spots and was keen to get out and about but obviously we had to keep him home - so having lots of home activities ready can help. The other son got it badly and felt very poorly with it. I don't have any specific tips re: spots other than encourage no itching as one spot did scar on the face.

Lots of time in soothing oat baths, playing in the garden to distract them from the itching.

Baking soda baths. Several a day if needs be. When I had CP as child my mum bought the local shop out of baking soda!

Loose clothing also helps as does an antihistamine. I had spots on the insides of my eyelids and a cool flannel placed over my eyes was the only thing that helped these.

Also try not todotoo much as I found mov8ng around caused clothing to rub on my skin. When my kids had CP at age 3 and 1 I done all these things. Kept foods quite cool and plain too. Easier on their mouths and their stomachs.

My kids both had quite severe doses with high temperatures but my GP told me under no circumstances was I to give them nurofen as there was some research that suggested that ibuprofen can make the spots deeper, more painful and stick around for longer.

Baths, calomine lotion & lots of snuggles!
Chicken pox can be nasty so lots of tlc is needed as well as lots of distractions to try to stop the itching/ uncomfortable ness that it can bring.
Reading together is always nice :)

Chickenpox is the worst for kids! My eldest had it twice and my youngest hasnt had it yet but what helped my eldest was a cool oat bath, chamomile lotion, the less clothes the better and cotton sheets and piriton.

My oldest has scars on his face from picking at them towards the end, so when the 2nd one got it I used antihistamines (piriton), kept nails short, kept them busy & distracted. I used a lotion too, would try this poxcillin if the youngest gets it!

Poxclin was amazing for my little boy and he was absolutely covered! Also lots of oat baths and we gave him homemade ice lollies which helped with the ones in his mouth.

Bathing in ‘Head and Shoulders’ original shampoo. I read this on a mumsnet post and it worked wonders for my daughter. It really seemed to take the itch down and resulted in quick recovery over the itchy phase and no infected spots. This was compared to my son who we religiously applied calamine lotion to and who got 10 or so infected spots which took ages to heal.

Mine had the pox relatively mildly but we found an oatmeal bath helped to soothe a little but mostly aid drying them out. Lots of cuddles and treats

Funnily enough I was born with Chicken pox! I obviously don't remember it lol, but my poor Mum was in agony, worried about me, and of course felt really rough with it.
When my own children had it they got it quite mildly thankfully, I made them cooling oat baths, but none of the three that have had it really had many spots, so I was pleased they got through it quite quickly.
I do have a ten yr old though that hasn't had it, I am thinking of getting her vaccinated against it after reading the posts on here...but I have heard good things about Poxclin with my nieces and nephews. Heard its very soothing which you definitely want with Chicken Pox! x

Run a bath through an oat filled sock and then use the sock to wash in the bath, lovely and soothing. Also anti histamine to help the itch

Cool loose clothing, a cool bedroom with a fan ,camomile lotion, fresh bedding as that lotion covers bedding! and we made our son wear cotton gloves when he was super itchy!
I'd help to gently rub them if he got an 'itch attack' but obviously wanted to prevent scarring and it seemed to work!
Not nice to see him so uncomfy!

A good soak in a bath full of bicarb solution and calamine - and some distracting tv or sticker books!

Lots of oaty baths and aveeno cream!

Honestly... vaccination

Poxcilin, cool baths and antihistamines.....and lots of cuddles.

Bicarbonate of Soda in a warm bath. I had chicken pox as an adult and it is wonderfully soothing.

Daily piriton, plenty of baths and smothering skin with poxcilin.
Distraction was key, so activities they don't get very often such as play doh and paint. Several baths a day, even let them eat lunch in the bath if they wanted.

Calamine lotion, keep as cool as possible and distraction.

Oat baths in tights (the oats not the child!), calamine lotion in the fridge, poxclin mousse, kiddie paracetamol and ice lollies!
My eldest had it and then just as he got over it, the youngest broke out in spots...

Both my girls got the really bad on there scalp so we coated there scalp with calamine lotion before bed and they slept in a shower cap. Helped loads but took several washes to stop there hair looking white.

I was very annoyed at the government for not providing vaccination when the kids got it, so much unnecessary pain.

The poxcillin mousse was really easy to apply. Neither would go near the bath, so the planned oatmeal baths were useless. Then cotton clothes with long sleeves and constant nagging to not scratch.

Get the vaccine if you can. I had my daughter vaccinated at Superdrug health clinic.

Cool baths. And cool baths with porridge oats.