dirty ethel rackham Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 DD8 has chicken pox. Not only does she have at least 100 spots, her eye is really red and watery. Should I be concerned about that? On Thursday night, she said that she felt kind of crummy (after playing with a bunch of children at book club.) On Friday, she still felt bad and then showed me the rash. Yep, chicken pox. We notified everyone we have had contact with this week, pumped her with our usual immune boosting supplements. I feel terrible because I was away most of the weekend helping run a retreat at church. DH was a good mom substitute:). Ds12 has not had them and not been vaccinated (we've been on the fence about doing so.) Ds15 has been vaccinated due to his boy scout outings. Besides calamine lotion and Aveeno oatmeal baths, how can I help her? How can I help my middle son? I am calling the doc in the morning, but I know the nurse will just chastise me for not doing the vaccine. (Please, I don't want to debate universal vaccination for CP.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in KY Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 (edited) Can I come expose my kids? :-) Other than that (oh, bother, I can't get the smilies on edit). I hope they feel better soon! Edited March 23, 2009 by Susan in KY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalynnrmc Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Chicken pox is really just a "control the symptoms" kind of thing. Control the fever, control the itch - wait it out. The big concern with it is if the fever gets too high and stays that way for too long. Honestly, I'd probably skip the trip to the doc. ;) The older a person is when they get them, the worse it tends to be. I'd either try to isolate the 12yo and vaccinate after it's done (which runs the risk of said child getting it anyway), or expose the kiddo now to avoid running into it even later. :D m2c. *also wants to come expose kids* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 My son had the vaccine and still developed chicken pox. I was working at the time and it was required for his day care center, and well, I didn't question it. Now I would though. Back to your other questions... I might have the doctor check her eye. My cousin had them in her eyes and had to have special drops. For the itching, you can give benadryl or another anihistimine to take the edge off as well. For my son it was also importatnt to keep him in all cotton clothing and to keep the house cool. The clothes didn't stick to him and the cool house helped keep him cool which also helped control the itch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 (edited) My kids found calendula gel more soothing than the calamine - and it's way less messy. The oatmeal baths are great - someone suggested to me adding a bit of vinegar to the bathwater. During the early part, I also gave them homeopathic Rhus Tox, and later Sulfurus. (This was a recommendation in Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child, I think - great book, has recommendations for tradtional western, herbal, homeopathic, and acupressure treatments for just about everything). I also gave them an herbal supplement that's supposed to be antiviral - called VS-C from Nature's Sunshine - a friend whose kids had it right before mine recommended it. I also gave them other immune support (echinacea/elderberry and vit C). Another thing that I did was get those little circular band-aids and put them over really big weepy ones - that seemed to help prevent them scratching those so much, helping to prevent both scarring and infection. Pretty much all the "scary" stuff you hear about with chicken pox is secondary infections from scratching the bumps. Of course I am not a doctor or giving any official medical advice - just sharing what we did. :001_smile: Edited March 23, 2009 by matroyshka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I am not sure what will help...but the vaccines are not what they are cracked up to be anyway. Example: Little boy at my younger ds's preschool last year got chicken pox even though he had had BOTH vaccines (the first and the booster). My ds only had ONE of the vaccines (we aren't getting the second or the second MMR for that matter) and never got chicken pox even though he played with the boy after the dots appeared but before they realized what it was. Other kids did get chicken pox at the preschool - ones who had been fully vaccinated included. So don't feel too bad about that. I don't think there is anything you can do for your middle since exposure has occurred...other than get ready for round 2 of the chicken pox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 (edited) make sure he gets a good dose. No isolating. They are contagious before the fever starts and before the first pox starts until the last one dries. Control the symptoms like you have already been advised. A trip to the doc might not be all that bad since you will get a nice little mark on the shot record that she has the chicken pox so they won't ever bug you about the shots. We had them last spring at my house. My youngest is on a delayed shot schedule because of adverse reactions to DTap so she never had her pox shot and managed to catch "Wild Chicken pox" as my doc called it. He was excited because he hadn't seen wild pox in years. My middle had been fully vaccinated and still got them - she even had them worse than her sister. :glare: She wasn't happy about having to get both the shot and the virus. Just imagine the next 7-10 days of your life away from others. :grouphug: My girls found that they preferred baking soda baths to the Aveeno. They would take cool baths a couple of times a day to relieve the itching. And try a few different types of anti-itch creams. One girl favored one over the other - neither got scars. We tried hydro-cortisone, calamine, caladryl, and an aveeno type. Sooth them and baby them and take care of the symptoms. My girls were actually pretty sick for about 3-4 days with fevers and generally yuckiness. Edited March 23, 2009 by Karen in CO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I don't think your doctor will even want to see them. My 2nd and 3rd sons had chicken pox a few years ago and they sure didn't want to see mine! I agree with above - control the symptoms, wait it out. FYI - it can be worse for the 2nd kid in the household to get them - because he had longer more focused exposure to the pox. So your DS11 might be truly miserable - I would read up on webmd or call the dr for info on anything you should watch for as a danger sign since he's getting to an age where it could be more serious. Good luck this week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I would call the doctor to ask, but don't assume he'll want to see her, as she would be exposing others by going into the office. I would ask, though, about her eyes, and I would ask if there is an anti-viral med that might help her. I took one when I had the chicken pox as an adult, and it helped reduce the severity. I'm not sure they give them to children, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Ok, so, if it doesn't get under control, the DR can give something for viruses. Yup, ours did....my son's chx pox wasn't clearing and it was going secondary...he gave the virus medicine...and it cleared up fast! I would way rather maybe get the virus meds than the vaccine...for sure. Also, the Dr looked at my son and said, "Good thing he's a boy." because of how bad the scarring was going to be. Now, when you go to the dermatologist and have, say, a mole removed...you're told to keep everything covered with vaseline. I think that's what saved my son. (I hadn't even heard the info from the dermatologist yet, so it was luck for us!) Anyway, I made a concoction of various things I found online. I used Lemon Balm EOs I think...lavendar EOs, lots of Neem oil...(totally worth the $10 or so for that!)....jojoba oil... Big batch...and kept him covered. You can't even see the marks on him anywhere, except maybe a little one...somewhere...anyway...none anywhere it counts. Anyway, the antiviral is the same one they give for genital warts, I think...in the proper dosage, I'm sure... I would find out what it's called, and then just ask for the prescription. (This is the same one, that if you know the early symptoms for the shingles, that you can circumvent the shingles being manifested.) Also, oatmeal baths made it way worse for my kids...so just know that it may be better without them... Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wide eyes & laughter Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 ckn pox (as I recall) can be serious if they get inside the body and wreak havoc on the organs. I would definitely go have the eye checked out by a doc - and I'm not one to go to a dr. for much. Fwiw, we don't vaccinate either so I've tried to be aware of all symptoms and "red flags". Said a prayer for you & your dc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 (edited) Kids with routine cases are often discouraged from coming in to the office, to avoid spreading it to other patients. Eye involvement is rare, but can happen, so they will probably want to see her for that. Vaccination within 3-5 days after exposure reduces the likelihood of infection and decreases the severity of disease, so they will probably recommend that your 12 year old be vaccinated. Edited March 23, 2009 by Perry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschool_mom Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 My son had the vaccine and also got the chicken pox. Although his case was pretty mild. I read somewhere that acyclovir can help the chicken pox. To help control the itching, try a bath with baking soda and finely ground oatmeal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 my children all had them in Dec. 4 of them got it really bad. 2 of them had to have drops for their eyes, as they had pox on the inside of their eye lids. they had pox on their tongues, on their gums and down their throats. my 14 year old had them the worst. he is over 6 foot tall and just had more body to fit more spots on. they all still have the scares. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 If you catch it early, an anti-viral jab can reduce the severity. Both my boys had an anti-viral when they caught chicken pox, and it was much less miserable than I've heard of in other families. It's probably too late for the child who already has it, but watch the other children and call your doctor when you see any signs, asking about the anti-viral. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Can my 9 yr. old come as well? She is the only one that hasn't had them yet. I got them when I was 33 and let me tell you, not pleasant. I used a benzocaine type med to numb the skin and liberal amounts of benedryl and still had unbelievable itching. No scars though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Don't give the kids aspirin. Ok, got that out of the way. All my four had the pox - you just lavish them with ointment and oatmeal baths, do a lot of "Poor baby!" coos at them, break out the dvds and ice cream, and wait it out. Your Boy Scout may still catch it - just not near as bad, since he had the shot. Keep an eye on him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BonAmy Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Just wondering! thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Oh my. You are scaring me. Is scarring really that common? Most people I know who have had chicken pox haven't had noticeable scarring. I had it REALLY bad as a baby (according to my mom) and I have 1 scar. BTW, I think the antiviral is acyclovir and that is for genital herpes, not warts (unless they have started using it for that as well.) Herpes is in the same family as chicken pox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in SJ Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 I would recommend calling about the eye and see if they want you to come in. If the nurses/ reception staff question you about not getting the vax, you just give them the hairy eyeball and say in your meanest voice, "I have already discussed it with the doctor." For the 12yo you should watch him closely & when you see the first bumps call the DR & let them know you want the anti-viral (acyclovir?) If you catch it in the first 24-48 hours it can shorten the duration and lessen the number of pox which decreases the chance of secondary infection & scarring. When we had it it was an oral medication, not an actual shot. And yes, it is the anti-viral used for herpes. When our dd got chicken pox we gave "chicken pox manis/pedis" I trimmed her nails short and made sure there were no ragged or sharp edges. We painted each nail a fun/funky color. We also gave her new cotton pjs, made her smoothies and read piles of books. In short tons of pampering & sympathy. I wish I could bring my two youngest over to visit. I would love for them to catch "wild chicken pox." Amber in SJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 (edited) Thanks for all the advice. After being up late with dd who was crying that "time just moves so slowly" (she had a fever again) I slept in. I am working up the nerve to get past the "dragon lady" nurse to call the doctor. This nurse is new to his office and I have had a few less than productive conversations with her. ETA: ds12 is complaining of a sore throat. Perhaps our quarrantine will be shorter than I thought - we may make it to Easter Sunday mass as a family after all. Edited March 23, 2009 by dirty ethel rackham hit submit too soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hopefully they will get over this quickly without much trouble. All of my kids had the shot and all of them got the pox anyway, so don't worry about that. Drops for the eyes might be helpful. We have a friend with a child that scratched her cornea, because her eyes itched so bad from the pox. Other than that what everyone else said, symptom management and time. There may be scars, but mederma (sp?) can help take those away if they end up being an embarrassment. I have several scars on my face and hands from cp, but they are easily covered with make up. It is so hard to watch them be sick, but at least this will be one thing you no longer have to think about. Prayers for quick healing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 :grouphug: Thanks for all the advice. After being up late with dd who was crying that "time just moves so slowly" (she had a fever again) I slept in. I am working up the nerve to get past the "dragon lady" nurse to call the doctor. This nurse is new to his office and I have had a few less than productive conversations with her. ETA: ds12 is complaining of a sore throat. Perhaps our quarrantine will be shorter than I thought - we may make it to Easter Sunday mass as a family after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Oh my. You are scaring me. Is scarring really that common? Not so terribly - it's mostly the big honking ones that scar, and then only if you scratch them a lot - that's why I covered the worst ones with the little band-aids. When some people heard I wanted my kids to get wild pox rather than vax, they'd say "oh, but their faces could get scarred!" And I'd say, "well, I've got at least 4 pox scars on my face, can you tell?" The answer is no. They're tiny and round and the same color as the rest of the skin. The only reason I have so many on my face is that I had it worst on my face, and I was only 3, and I scratched like crazy. But you really can't see them unless you know exactly where to look and what they are. My only kid who got a pox scar on her face is my littlest, and it's one right near her eyebrow, and I almost think it's cute, a little divot. Another dd has been having break-outs (like pre-acne) and has been scratching the heck out of them, and she's been getting scarring from that worse than any pox she ever had - driving me nuts, actually (I make her wear gloves at night now). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 DD8 has chicken pox. Not only does she have at least 100 spots, her eye is really red and watery. Should I be concerned about that? On Thursday night, she said that she felt kind of crummy (after playing with a bunch of children at book club.) On Friday, she still felt bad and then showed me the rash. Yep, chicken pox. We notified everyone we have had contact with this week, pumped her with our usual immune boosting supplements. I feel terrible because I was away most of the weekend helping run a retreat at church. DH was a good mom substitute:). Ds12 has not had them and not been vaccinated (we've been on the fence about doing so.) Ds15 has been vaccinated due to his boy scout outings. Besides calamine lotion and Aveeno oatmeal baths, how can I help her? How can I help my middle son? I am calling the doc in the morning, but I know the nurse will just chastise me for not doing the vaccine. (Please, I don't want to debate universal vaccination for CP.) Sooo in about 2 weeks the other kids will come down with the pox too. Self-quarantine, stock up on items you'll need, hunker down for a few weeks. This is the kind of thing that inspired drive-thru's and home delivery. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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