Poo, we have the pox

[Moos]

Moosling has chickenpox - so far symptomless other than a few spots and a reduced appetite. He was a bit feverish and upset last night, and responded well to calprofen and extra cuddling. Perfectly happy today, though less buzz than usual.

Can I ask the forum to share its wisdom on treatment, or any tips for helping sprogs through chickenpox with as little pain for them as possible? So far we've been given Piriton and acqueous calamine cream by the chemist. Gave 1st dose of Piriton tonight but not cream yet as he's not yet itchy.

We're watching out, but no spots yet on Twosling. Moosling nearly 4, Twosling 6 mo.

Many thanks! Your experience gratefully received.

[Belle]

We were on CP alert recently as went on hols with a little girl who'd been exposed, as it happened neither child got it but I found this thread by the nappy Lady (thanks TNL!) useful for buying up supplies before we went:

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,621898,621898#msg-621898

I do hear great things about eurax cream.

[charlottep]

My almost three year has just recovered, he dealt with it well - apart from one night of crazy itching. Eurax cream helped a lot and was better than the lotion. We also tried some oats in his bath (in socks).

My almost one year broke out in spots 2 weeks exactly after her older brother first got his spots this saturday. It's hit her harder and she had a fever of 39+ for three days before the spots appeared. She's been really grumpy and very clingy, but her rash is almost non-existent, with only about 10 or so small pox in 3 days, whereas number 1 was covered head to toe. We alternated between calpol and ibuprofen for my daughter simply because her temp was so high. For my son, he didn't need any pain relief, just the cream for the itching.

Btw, watch out for pox on the under-side of the willy and try and give your boy some air time to help them heal.

The quarantine bit has been one of the biggest frustrations, we'd just got number 1 sorted and then number 2 got it. We've been indoors pretty much for three weeks now. Not a great easter hols!

Good luck

[Moos]

Many thanks both - Eurax it is. And yes, expecting to be in quarantine for quite some time. Erk.

[supergolden88]

Sorry to hear about the pox - never fun but best get it out of the way. I found that my daughter did not get many spots and they did not seem to bother her much but after I thought she was all better she got really high fever for four days. She did watch an awful lot of Disney and got rather spoiled while she was stuck indoors. Sticker books and other small treats helped.

Hope that you get a mild version. If not be on the lookout for spots inside the mouth and offer bland food (soups perhaps) so as not to make things worse.

It is possible that the baby will be spared as you are breastfeeding.

[Fuschia]

Eurax is very good

Are you not supposed to avoid ibuprofen for CP?

[Fuschia]

It's Ok

NHS advice is that evidence is conficting

http://www.cks.nhs.uk/chickenpox/management/prescribing_information/analgesics_antipyretics/paracetamol_ibuprofen_issues

[Moos]

Er, oh. Had never heard of that. Should I have done?

[Fuschia]

Don't know... Buggie?

[ludoscotts]

we just went through it too, found after 2 days the itching stopped on our 3.5 year old. best to keep them cool then theu get less spots, and calamine cream from boots was better than lotion, our 6 week old baby got it too 2 weeks after our daughter but he ended up with slight temp and only 6 spots prob because I was breastfeeding so fingers crossed your baby will have mild dose too if they get it.

[buggie]

Hadn't heard the ibuprofen thing - glimpsing at your link (and not having chance to plow through the research paper), I think it might be relating to the anti-inflammatory affect it has - ??could affect the bodies natural anti-inflammatory response, have never seen this be a problem though, and some reseach papers actually work backwards from cases of complications and try to find a commonality between them rather than looking at a sample of people with chickenpox who've used ibuprofen and then looked at rates of necrotising soft tissue infection.

Personally (and put v simply), paracetamol = first line for feverish illness & jabs, ibuprofen = first line for injuries & teething, but always with the other there as second line if nil improvement.