[nlsmith3]

My son has chicken pox, not the end of the world i know but how long could he potentially be unwell for? The spots came out today and this is when he became unwell. Feel heart sorry for him, he's only 3

[Waitingname]

Maybe 4 or 5 days, he'll never remember it though and kids are pretty easy to distract. Just keep him from scratching.

[nlsmith3]

Thanks 4 the advice. Luckily he hasn't scratched yet, i've kept on applying calamine lotion to ease the itchiness and it seems to be working. It's his high temp and chills that's causing all the fuss

[ak137]

(Original post by nlsmith3)
Thanks 4 the advice. Luckily he hasn't scratched yet, i've kept on applying calamine lotion to ease the itchiness and it seems to be working. It's his high temp and chills that's causing all the fuss

Do you have any other children?

[nlsmith3]

(Original post by ak137)
Do you have any other children?

No just the one. Why do you ask?

[Jamie]

(Original post by nlsmith3)
Thanks 4 the advice. Luckily he hasn't scratched yet, i've kept on applying calamine lotion to ease the itchiness and it seems to be working. It's his high temp and chills that's causing all the fuss

Avoid ibuprofen with chickenpox (has a complication that can occur in rare occasions), regular paracetamol/calpol is a must [will be much chirpier when the temp down].
Might be off food a bit, but make sure is getting plenty of fluids.

If itching gets too severe (cannot sleep, very irritable with it) then you can get some piriton (anti-histamine) from the chemist to help. Calamine as you've already discovered though is great.
Don't take out the house until all the chickenpoxes have burst and crusted over. For most this will be about 5-7 days, although it will often take weeks for the marks to fade.

And if you haven't already then bookmark www.patient.co.uk which has great information for medical problems.
This is the leaflet for chickenpox - http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Chic...n-Under-12.htm

Hope that helps

Jamie
[Childrens A&E doctor]

[ak137]

(Original post by nlsmith3)
No just the one. Why do you ask?

Just wondering if they're infected or not, if you had any. But if you go to the chemist, you can get a better lotion designed for chicken pox than calamine, I believe

[carnationlilyrose]

Don't worry. He is much better getting it now than as an adult, when it can be really unpleasant. It'll be over very soon. You will be suffering more than he is. (Been there, done that, bought the t shirt, given it away to Oxfam.)

[nlsmith3]

Thank you to everyone that has replied, it's much appreciated! I realise that chicken pox isn't a serious condition but as a first time mum and never havin experienced caring for someone with chicken pox before I have been quite hysterical lol I was 8 when i had it so i dont remember anything apart from itching.
My son is doing a bit better then yesterday and thats mainly due to being able to now control his temp n bring it down. I'm struggling to believe that any more spots can fit on his little body, he's pretty covered now bless him.

Thanks guys!


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[carnationlilyrose]

(Original post by nlsmith3)
Thank you to everyone that has replied, it's much appreciated! I realise that chicken pox isn't a serious condition but as a first time mum and never havin experienced caring for someone with chicken pox before I have been quite hysterical lol I was 8 when i had it so i dont remember anything apart from itching.
My son is doing a bit better then yesterday and thats mainly due to being able to now control his temp n bring it down. I'm struggling to believe that any more spots can fit on his little body, he's pretty covered now bless him.

Thanks guys!


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Fully sympathise. He'll be fine before you know it. They're astonishingly tough.

[almosttrue]

(Original post by nlsmith3)
My son has chicken pox, not the end of the world i know but how long could he potentially be unwell for? The spots came out today and this is when he became unwell. Feel heart sorry for him, he's only 3

Why feel sorry for him, its only chicken pox almost everyone gets it lol. I think the most useful advice is dont let him scratch the spots at all, this is what i did when i was that age and Ive still got white scars all over!

[OU Student]

(Original post by carnationlilyrose)
Don't worry. He is much better getting it now than as an adult, when it can be really unpleasant.

I've heard this a few times before. Why is it worse as an adult? I didn't get it as a child, somehow.

[carnationlilyrose]

(Original post by OU Student)
I've heard this a few times before. Why is it worse as an adult? I didn't get it as a child, somehow.

I'm not a medic so I don't know why, but I had it myself at 23 and was really ill with it. I got a chest infection alongside it and the doctor told me it usually affected adults more acutely. That's all I know, I'm afraid.

[nlsmith3]

(Original post by OU Student)
I've heard this a few times before. Why is it worse as an adult? I didn't get it as a child, somehow.

I thought adults got shingles, kids get chicken pox. Don't know if this is true though. Shingles is supposed to be really horrible


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[carnationlilyrose]

(Original post by nlsmith3)
I thought adults got shingles, kids get chicken pox. Don't know if this is true though. Shingles is supposed to be really horrible


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Shingles is indeed horrible. I'm no medic but my understanding is that shingles is what you get if you have already had chicken pox before. I hadn't had it as a child, so it was first time for me. Shingles appears, from observation of friends and family who have had it, to be much worse, but I'm still awaiting my inevitable encounter with it.

[rainbow.panda]

(Original post by carnationlilyrose)
Shingles is indeed horrible. I'm no medic but my understanding is that shingles is what you get if you have already had chicken pox before. I hadn't had it as a child, so it was first time for me. Shingles appears, from observation of friends and family who have had it, to be much worse, but I'm still awaiting my inevitable encounter with it.

I read that something like 10% of people who have had chickenpox before will get shingles later in life. It sounds horrible and really painful, I hope I don't get it :/

OP, if possible make sure he doesn't scratch the sores, I did this as a child and now I have some lovely scars on each side of my nose

[carnationlilyrose]

(Original post by rainbow.panda)
I read that something like 10% of people who have had chickenpox before will get shingles later in life. It sounds horrible and really painful, I hope I don't get it :/

OP, if possible make sure he doesn't scratch the sores, I did this as a child and now I have some lovely scars on each side of my nose

Here's hoping I'm in the 90% then. I too got scars on the side of my nose and a couple of people asked me if I'd had it pierced, which if you knew me, you would realise was pretty unlikely and highly amusing. The scars faded after a few years, but if yours are from childhood, maybe they've faded as much as they're going to. I'm sure nobody notices them as much as you think.

[Annie72]

I've never had chicken pox and neither have my children.I dont fancy getting it at my age .

[carnationlilyrose]

(Original post by Annie72)
I've never had chicken pox and neither have my children.I dont fancy getting it at my age .

If you are indeed 72, you are right to be worried.

[Annie72]

(Original post by carnationlilyrose)
If you are indeed 72, you are right to be worried.

I'm not actually 72 years of age.