Chicken pox questions

[Booboostoo]

DD (2yo) has just come out in very chicken pox looking spots. I know it is very contagious and will keep her at home for a week (that's right isn't it?), but are DP and I also contagious? We both had it as children and are not showing any signs, can we go about life as usual?

Also can anyone recommend any creams to help with the itching? Or any other good ideas on how to stop a 2 year old from scratching herself?!!

[rufusnine]

You are not contagious and although some people do get it twice it is rare. I used a product called virasoothe on my dd and dgs last year which seemed to be very soothing. i also put bicarbonate of soda in their bath water. most contagious just before the spots appeared and the next few days.Are you sure it is CP? The spots are quite unique being clear quite fragile blister type pustules which become cloudy then either burst or dry up. They come in waves over a few days x Also i was told by doctor not to give ibuprofen only paracetamol - something which I wasn't aware of!!

[wigglesrock]

I used Virasoothe. My 3 (7,5,2) all had it seperately over a 5 week period - good times

We had to go on as usual - work, shopping etc. Obviously we didnt take the ill child out but my eldest daughter (she got it last) still went to school before her spots came out.

[OhHullitsOnlyMeYoni]

I think you are contagious before spots anyway so don't fret!
Virasoothe was good but best was Poxyclin mousse which you can get in boots. Also your GP can give you a mild antihisthamine which can help with controlling the itching. DD's itching got worse when they scabbed over. We bathed in bicarb (I used half a pot per bath). Good luck, sleepy times ahead!

[BrienneOfTarth]

A week is an estimate - your DD will be contagious for as long as she has fluid-filled spots anywhere on her body - once the last spot has burst/dried/crusted she is no longer contagious.

What is really importatant is to keep DD away from anywhere where she might get close to someone with a compromised immune system - e.g. especially public transport and leisure facilities/parks/swimming pools etc - for most children it's not a particularly serious illness but the quarantine is for the sake of the small number of people who could have really serious side effects if they catch it. Phone around a few friends and you should be able to identify one or two households where everyone has had it, and you can happily go and socialise there so as not to spend the week in isolation.

Readybrek in an anklehigh stocking tied around the hot tap faucet while the bath is running, such that the water flows through the cereal, gives the bath an oatiness which is very soothing to itchy skin.

[Manda472]

DS is on day 11 and I sent him back to school today-I don't know whether that was right or wrong. All spots had scabbed but he still has loads he suffers with hay fever so I dosed him up with piriton for the itching and the day/night he was running a temp I gave him calpol.
My question is about 2yr old dd, do I keep her away from toddler groups etc just in case..... And when will I know she's not going to get it?

[HanShotFirst]

We used Piriton Syrup for children at night and a smaller amount in the day as it makes them drowsy. After one hellish night with itching and screaming, we found that using this at least got them sleeping and it really did help with the itchiness and scratching, good luck!

[Booboostoo]

Thank you. I shall go to the chemist's first thing tomorrow with a clear conscience!

I am fairly sure it's cp. She has one very distinctive clear blister spot, and many other plain spots cropping up. A child had it at the ludotheque (toy library) on Saturday and DP whisked her promptly away as soon as he saw the infected child but I suspect it's doing the rounds of our small town and she already had it anyway.

Yes I am aware she is very contageous, I have cancelled nursery, a coffee morning we had set up for Friday and my riding lesson - happy days indeed!

[Manda472]

My question has been answered after 14 days since ds first got it dd has started getting spots this afternoon. So another wk indoors

[Booboostoo]

Sorry to hear that Manda472!!! Hang in there!

DD is doing OK with it, no fever and no itching so maybe she's been lucky and had a mild version.

[DolomitesDonkey]

I'm at my wit's end. My 14 month old has it really bad right now, much worse than his 2 year old brother a couple of weeks ago.

I'm just about to give him an oatmeal bath - as above. Is there anything else I can do? I've got a "calomine type" lotion (not quite calamine as that's too drying, but same active ingredient). Is there anything else I can do for him tonight? We don't have any piriton in.

[OhHullitsOnlyMeYoni]

Gt the Poxyclin mouse from Boots and bicarb of soda in the bath. DD asked me to put the mousse on for about a week afterwards because she found it so soothing!