Things you should (and shouldn’t) do if your child gets a dose of chicken pox

Chicken pox can be very common this time of year.

Between school and playgroups, if you're child hasn't already had it, they'll probably catch it soon enough. Only last month my youngest came down with a dose of chicken pox so of course I was running to the press for the calamine lotion. I knew to do this because my eldest had already been through his chicken pox phase but it's not always easy to know when you're a new parent. If your child contracts chicken pox there are certain products you should use and others that you should avoid to prevent worsening their condition. First off the things you should use if your child has chicken pox. As I mentioned above calamine lotion is a great staple to have in the press incase of skin irritants like chicken pox. It's easily available from your local pharmacy and is great at reliving the itchiness. If your child seems to be experiencing a slight fever you can give them the recommended dosage of paracetamol for their age to help bring it down. If you find that their temperature does not go down after a few hours you should consult your doctor. Another great way to remedy chicken pox is to give your child a porridge bath. It might sound strange but adding some porridge oats to your child or baby's bath has been proven to reduce their need to scratch. One product that you should avoid if your child is ill with chicken pox is anti-inflammatory medication. A lot of parents will have a bottle of baby ibuprofen in their house and while it might seem like you're doing the right thing by using it, it can actually aggravate the virus. Anti-inflammatory products tend to react badly to chicken pox and can actually cause a secondary infection to occur. While your child has chicken pox it is best to keep them at home and out of school or creche to avoid spending it to vulnerable people. This includes small infants, elderly people or those who may have compromised immunity. Chicken pox is usually harmless and clears up within a few days but if you have any concerns you should contact your medical advisor. You can also find out more information on chicken pox from the HSE website.