Chicken Pox

[mummy of 3 boys]

but how do you tell if your child has chicken pox???

My DS1 has come home from daycare today and when i went to pick him up they are saying he has chicken pox now DS1 is almost 3 and hasnt had them yet, he has just got out of the shower and no more dots seem to be appearing but he is scratching at his arm which i know is an indicator of chicken pox

P.S- I don't know if this is the right spot or notsorry Mods

[UntoldAngel]

Is he covered in the blisters, or have any? On what grounds did they tell you he has chicken pox?

After my bout of chicken pox, the drs later recommended no calamine lotion, no pine tarsal, and only luke warm baths... apparently the heat encourages the blisters to emerge etc

[Little Chicken]

Chickenpox (varicella) is a highly contagious viral disease caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV). The main symptom is a blistering skin rash. Outbreaks are more common in winter and early spring. A vaccine is available.

Chickenpox is spread by air-borne droplets from the upper respiratory tract (coughing, sneezing) or from the fluid in the skin blisters (lesions). An infected person is contagious for 1–2 days (possibly five days) before the onset of the rash and remains infectious until the blisters form scabs (usually around day five of the illness). Children with chickenpox should not go to school or kinder until the last blister has dried. You should tell your child’s school or kinder if your child gets chickenpox, as other children may need to be immunised or treated.

For most healthy people, chickenpox is mild and the person recovers fully without specific treatment. However, complications occur in approximately one per cent of cases. It is more severe in adults and anyone of any age with impaired immunity. Immunisation is the best way to prevent chickenpox.

Symptoms
The symptoms of chickenpox include:
The person develops a low-grade fever.
The person experiences general discomfort, illness or lack of wellbeing (malaise).
A skin rash appears as little blisters surrounded by irregular-shaped patches of inflamed skin (‘dew drop on a rose petal’).
The rash usually starts on the body, then progresses to include the head and limbs.
Ulcers may develop in certain areas, including the mouth and vagina.
The rash is intensely itchy.
The little blisters burst and develop crusts, usually about day five.
How it is spread
Chickenpox is spread by air-borne droplets from the upper respiratory tract (when the infected person coughs or sneezes) or from touching the fluid in the skin blisters (lesions). An infected person is contagious for 1–2 days (possibly five days) before the onset of the rash and remains infectious until the blisters form scabs (usually around day five of the illness).

The time from infection to appearance of the rash (incubation period) for chickenpox is around 14–16 days. A few days prior to the rash appears, the person may feel feverish with a sore throat and headache. Their skin may be marked for some months after the rash has cleared.

Children with chickenpox should not go to school or kinder until the last blister has dried or until all blisters are covered. You should tell your child’s school or kinder if your child gets chickenpox, as other children may need to be immunised or treated

[mummy of 3 boys]

UA- he does have dots on his arms that look a little blistery/pussy kind of
Just because he has dots they reckon its chicken pox :| their a lazy daycare centre but unfortently my only closest one. they will try and find any reason for you to keep ur child at home, this is now twice they have tried telling me its chicken pox...We get alot of mozzies bein on the farm & unfortently they eat the crap out of him and they keep thinking their chicken pox

I dont quite think there chicken pox with reading what MIA has posted cause there mainly on his arms not on his actual body oh and his legs have some dots and his feet
they feel like big hard circles and are a bright red, i should probably have him checked just to rule it out

[UntoldAngel]

Sounds like he could be allergic to mozzie bites??
Can you afford to keep him home for a few days and see how it develops? Hope it isn't and he is ok

[mummy of 3 boys]

i never thought he could be allergic to them

he only goes to daycare 2 days a week, i guess i will see tomorrow how he goes and also see if maybe the nurse can have a look at them and see if they are chicken pox or not...Better to be safe then sorry i guess especially having an 8 week old too