Chicken Pox

**Chris** · 05-02-2009, 11:21

It's here ... actually it's been in the house a little over two weeks now. Our son had it, and a fortnight later both our daughters have come down with it.

The whole experience has proven very distressing. Seeing your wee lad's previously perfect skin covered in what basically looks like a medieval plague is bad enough, but seeing the same thing on a nine-month-old, who is far less able to deal with the fact that she's ill, is even worse. Mrs T had to take her to the out-of-hours service at our 'local' hospital (half an hour away) at 2.30am this morning because she wouldn't take her calpol, had a raging temperature and was screaming the place down. She has a lot of spots in her nappy area which must be causing her some serious grief too.

I know there's a vaccine for this so I looked up the reason why it's not given on the NHS in the UK. Apparently its because we rely on natural repeat exposure to the infection from our kids in order to prevent us as adults getting shingles, which is caused by the same virus. For a vaccination to eradicate shingles as well as chicken pox, the entire population would have to be vaccinated.

Is it just me, or does it seem a little cruel to put kids through an entirely preventable disease in order to stop that disease from affecting some adults? Isn't it worth introducing a programme to wipe out the Varicella virus, even if there is some initial expense involved in chasing up the whole population?

Here's a photo of my little darling, yesterday morning before it really kicked off:

Incidentally, middle child has come off best of all, fewest spots and she's too young to be at school so she's not getting behind. Our son, in common with many of his classmates over the past couple of months, now has lots of catching up to do. And all for the lack of a simple vaccine ...

Raistlin · 05-02-2009, 11:26

Such a shame the little ones are ill mate, hope they're all well again soon.

I had chicken pox as an adult and it was bloomin' horrible - I can sympathise entirely with you and with them

Tinky · 05-02-2009, 11:27

Awww she's a little cutie Chris! Poor wee thing hope she is better soon!

**Rob** · 05-02-2009, 11:54

Whilst it's not nice for anyone to be ill, given the reluctance of many parents to allow MMR type jabs, is the jab for chicken pox known to be totally safe. If it isn't 110% OK, then that would be enough reason, in the eyes of the government / medics for it not to be offerred on a national programme.

**Chris** · 05-02-2009, 12:00

It is licenced in the UK and can be given on the NHS to certain at-risk groups, such as adults working in the healthcare profession who have never had the disease themselves.

There's no suggestion on the NHS site that I found that the vaccine is unsafe in any way, simply that there would be a degree of complexity and cost involved in rolling out a vaccination programme without risking an increase in the rates of adult shingles infections.

I think the MMR/autism angle is a fading memory to be honest, vaccination rates have been improving again, especially since the instance of measles began climbing and parents with no prior experience of it saw that it is actually a very unpleasant disease that kills people.

I should add, by the way, that I am further biased when it comes to chicken pox as it almost killed me, due to a rare but ofen fatal complication called encephilitis. Those who survive it are usually brain damaged, but I seem to have escaped unscathed.

Now, there's an open goal ...

joglynne · 05-02-2009, 12:56

My sympathies to you and your family Chris.

The time you and your wife have been dealing with this must be starting to feel never ending and very worrying considering your own history with the illness. Here's hoping the worst is over and that all the spots have come out. Has the treatment advanced past the use of Calamine Lotion that I remember from 25 years ago when our son had Chicken Pox?

**Chris** · 05-02-2009, 13:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by joglynne

My sympathies to you and your family Chris.

The time you and your wife have been dealing with this must be starting to feel never ending and very worrying considering your own history with the illness. Here's hoping the worst is over and that all the spots have come out. Has the treatment advanced past the use of Calamine Lotion that I remember from 25 years ago when our son had Chicken Pox?

Must admit, I was pretty worried last night ...

I'm afraid the treatment is much the same as it ever was, although the pharmacist recommended calamine cream rather than lotion as it's less messy. The doctor at the out-of-hours surgery last night recommended aloe vera gel as an alternative because it doesn't dry out (and therefore start causing itches, rather than soothing them).

One thing that I don't remember getting myself was Piriton (oral antihistamine, used to control allergic reactions). Maybe that wasn't available in the 80s when I had it.

joglynne · 05-02-2009, 13:19

@ Chris. Our son had a pretty severe case in 1984 and the only things we used were calpol and calamine lotion, antihistamines were never suggested.

One thing that we did find that gave us all some relief was a coolish bath. Peter would sit in the bath happily playing with his toys and using his dumper truck to tip water all over himself for getting on for an hour or so.

LondonRoad · 05-02-2009, 13:42

Yes. Been there. Piraton, calamine and cool baths. Christmas 2006 our eldest had it (total of 3 spots, one on her face) By New Year our youngest had it, only 9 months at the time. She was absolouterly plastered in them, on her scalp, eyelids, in her ears. Pretty similar looking to your little cutie.A couple of sleepless nights and she was over the worst. At least they've both had it now.

I'd never heard of a vaccination for Chicken pox before. This forum never fails to educate.

I hope their recovery is rapid.

alferret · 05-02-2009, 14:09

I was 16 when I got chicken pox and from what I remember it wasnt nice. Still kids are pretty resilient and they wont remember much of it if anything.

05-02-2009, 14:31

chicken pox is much better to have when you are young anyway. Some people even have chicken pox parties to get it out of the way

**Chris** · 05-02-2009, 14:46

Well I'm glad that she is so young she won't remember it. Even our eldest is only 6 so it won't be a major childhood memory for him, and middle child may not remember it either. I'd say in terms of severity of spots, eldest and youngest have about the same, but it looks far worse on her as she is tiny and he is quite big, so they are more concentrated on her body. Middle has got off relatively lightly.

In terms of how sick they feel, I'd say middle and eldest have both been about the same with the loss of energy and appetite. Youngest is doing better since the doctor gave us an alternative means of giving her paracetamol, and thus getting the fever down (suppositories, which are not nearly so yucky as I thought they would be, and she doesn't even seem to notice). She's still unsettled in her sleep, but we just discovered a spot right on the finger she likes to suck, which won't be helping her.

I've heard about pox parties. I believe they were especially popular in the US, until the vaccine became widely available over there. We certainly didn't attempt to keep our boy away from the other two once he had it, but on the other hand we certainly did try to keep all three of them away from it beforehand.

Wanting your kids to catch it is a bit like watching someone getting waxed. You know they have to pull that strip but you know it's going to hurt, so you wince along with them and share their pain ...

**Rob** · 05-02-2009, 14:47

I seem to recall catching it when I was young and my mother sending my sister out to play in a tent with me. She's never quite forgiven my mother for that

05-02-2009, 15:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris

Well I'm glad that she is so young she won't remember it. Even our eldest is only 6 so it won't be a major childhood memory for him, and middle child may not remember it either. I'd say in terms of severity of spots, eldest and youngest have about the same, but it looks far worse on her as she is tiny and he is quite big, so they are more concentrated on her body. Middle has got off relatively lightly.

In terms of how sick they feel, I'd say middle and eldest have both been about the same with the loss of energy and appetite. Youngest is doing better since the doctor gave us an alternative means of giving her paracetamol, and thus getting the fever down (suppositories, which are not nearly so yucky as I thought they would be, and she doesn't even seem to notice). She's still unsettled in her sleep, but we just discovered a spot right on the finger she likes to suck, which won't be helping her.

I've heard about pox parties. I believe they were especially popular in the US, until the vaccine became widely available over there. We certainly didn't attempt to keep our boy away from the other two once he had it, but on the other hand we certainly did try to keep all three of them away from it beforehand.

Wanting your kids to catch it is a bit like watching someone getting waxed. You know they have to pull that strip but you know it's going to hurt, so you wince along with them and share their pain ...

I had mumps when I was 6 and for some reason my glads did not swell up properly but instead I developed Encephalitis which is cronic inflamation of the brain. I can remember the itch of chicken pox but my memories of my time in hozzie are much more vivid.

I hope they all feel better soon and do not scratch to much

**Chris** · 05-02-2009, 15:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

I developed Encephalitis which is cronic inflamation of the brain. I can remember the itch of chicken pox but my memories of my time in hozzie are much more vivid.

Well, you're the first person I've ever 'met' who had encephalitis. I had it as a result of chicken pox. The only other person I ever heard of who had it, died from it. I had to interview her family when I was a newspaper hack.

I almost posted earlier, that my own memories of chicken pox have been pretty much over-ridden by the experience of encephalitis and hospital. They had me in twice, first time in isolation (I don't think they knew what it was at first, and thought I might be infectious), second time so they could get me at the top of the queue for an EEG. I think I was off school for over a month.

My classmates donated loads of comics, especially Beano Comic Libraries, while I was in isolation, but because it was an isolation ward they all had to be thrown out and incinerated as clinical waste when I was discharged. I was gutted, for a few days I had the best comic collection in the universe

Nasty business overall though ...

Quote:

I hope they all feel better soon and do not scratch to much

Thank you.

We seem to be getting through it so far ...