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I think our 3 year old daughter has chickenpox, she does not have loads of spots yet, just about 12 on her neck and torso, so not 100% sure.
She was out of sorts yesterday, has a temperature this morning and did not sleep well last night. We suspected yesterday she was coming down with something and then when we saw the spots yesterday evening, guessed it might be chickenpox as there was an outbreak of it in her school 2 weeks ago. The spots were light red yesterday and are darker red today.
I am 13 weeks pregnant so am worried about this having an effect on the baby, is this dangerous for me? is there anything I can do?
What can we do to treat our daughter, have not been through this before.
thanks for any advice.
Did you have chickenpox as a child? If so, you’ll have the immunity in your system. Phone your GP, and advise them of your situation. He/She will advise what action to take. Alternatively contact your pharmacist.
For your DD….
I went through this twice last year, and we all know what DS went through with it…… 🙁
Firstly, calamine cream… not lotion. As the cream is thicker, it goes on thicker and just seems to work better. This you would use when the itch sets in. Also, get a hold of some anti-histimine… like Phenergan. Hopefully with that in her system the itch will be manageable.
Tepid baths help….Just keep an eye on the temperature…. alternating with ibuprofen / calpol as needed. And be aware that if she starts complaining about her ears, get to the doc. Ear infections can be a secondary result of chickenpox.
Are you sure it is chickenpox…. the spots will have little waterblisters on top of them…. and then they scab over. Once she they all scab over, and there are no new spots, she isn’t contagious.
And don’t discount the temp…. most of the time kids won’t have one with chickenpox, but you get the odd case where they do….And if she does have it…. the liklihood is strong that in two weeks your next dd/ds will come down with it too…. but rather get it all over and done with. When DD got it, you’d never have known she had it, and she was covered with spots… but she just got on with it….
Rang the doctor on call and gave her April’s symptoms and she said it sounds like chickenpox alright.
My mum does not know if I had it or not as a child, she thinks I did not so now I have to go see a doctor and get a blood test done to see if I have any immunity to it.
Feel in a panic now, thought getting to 13 weeks pregnant that hopefully everything would be ok and we would be safe – after our miscarriage last year cannot bear the thought of going through that again.
Keep fingers crossed for us baby will be ok.
Babe will be fine….. just try to relax. She has obviously had it in her system for the past week, as that is how it works.
Go and get the blood test done asap, to try and put your mind at ease…icken Pox and Pregnancy
It is quite often that women who are pregnant come into contact with someone who has chicken pox. This can cause great worry, but it is uncommon for there to be major problems.80-90% of women who are pregnant are likely to be protected from chicken pox, either from previously having the disease or a sub-clinical, ‘silent’ infection.
What are the Symptoms of Chicken Pox?
Chicken pox ishighly infectious and is spread by droplets through the air and via contact. The infection causes fever, a feeling of generally being unwell and an itchy rash that develops into small vesicles which crust over before healing.
The incubation period is on average two weeks, which means that it can be brewing this long before even showing itself, and a person is infectious (can transmit chickenpox to another person) from two days before the rash appears until after the vesicles crust over.Risks to the Baby
Firstly, if the mother has definitely had chicken-pox, there is no risk to the baby or her. In any case, even if she doesn’t recall having had chicken pox, it is likely she has antibodies (80% do) from a silent (asymptomatic) infection. So if there’s any doubt about it, she should see a doctor for a blood test to check if she’s immune.
Risks to the baby are important at the following two times, if mum gets chicken-pox:1. Before 20 weeks – risk of chicken pox syndrome. This is actually quite rare. Up until 14 weeks the risk is about 0.4%, whereas between 14-20 weeks it is 2%. If a woman has VZ-Ig treatment (see below) after being exposed, the risk is even lower.
2. Mum’s rash developing within a week before delivery to a month afterwards. It takes about a week for mum to pass the protective antibodies to the baby, so if born before that time, the babe is at risk of overwhelming infection after birth.
Between 20 weeks and term there is no risk to the baby. The other big risk of chicken pox is to the mother. She is much more likely, during pregnancy, to get a chicken pox pneumonia (10%) which can be very severe (even life-threatening).
Getting Treatment
In cases of ‘at risk’ exposure it is important to give Varicella-Zoster Ig (‘man-made’ antibodies) to mum and/or baby. This can be lifesaving and significantly reduce the disease severity. It must be given not later than 10 days after exposure.
Remember all of the above ONLY apply if at-risk – ie mum proven not to have antibodies. If in doubt, see your doctor who can do the blood test.Get the blood test done to put your mind at peace.
It is very likely that you had it as a child, could have been silent. Sometimes a person can have chickenpox without showing any of the symptoms, but the body still developps the antibodies.Because it’s so contagious (a doctor told me that is the most contagious disease), and if you did not get it as a child, if it’s the house you might catch it either you hug your daughter or not.
I would not rub her skin against you, but stay about the same, no need to avoid her and stay in separate rooms.Once the blister are out, the risk of contagion is lower.
For many infections, the risk is during incubation period, when you actually don’t know that there is an infection.Keep fingers crossed and you are immunised.
If your daughter is scraching too much, that will scar. Best thing is to put gloves / mittens on so she’ll scratch less.Take care,
Fabienneoh Sabbi,thats such a worry for you….i cant offer any chicken pox advice …i am sure all will be ok with baby….but that doesnt stop u worrying i know…just to say thinking of you & hope your mind can be put at ease soon.
Moonflower xx
I love being Irish, even though we are the embarassment of Europe right now, generally, I have faith we will be a great nation once again. I honestly believe this but somedays, like today, have to admit my faith is really shaken.
The doc on call told me to get to hospital straight away for an emergency blood test and as my mam is sure I did not have chickenpox as a child. This panicked me a little so I set off asap.
I paid to park for 3 hours right outside the hospital, thinking that would be loads of time.
Saw the triage nurse and explained I was nervous due to our miscarriages and she could not have looked like she cared any less. She called gynae and told me to wait outside.
At the end of 3 hours I still had not been seen and had to move my car, as there was a 3 hour max there.
Moved in to the hospital car park, as suggested by the receptionist and when I got in there discovered it was 4 euro an hour to park there. The A&E was empty so I asked if I would be seen soon and she said as soon as the doc was available…I only had about 10 euro left in my purse and I was worried about how I was going to pay for the flipping car park. This is not something I should have been worrying about today!
Eventually a doctor came and called me in. She took bloods, asked questions and said that the blood needs to go to Dublin for testing and results would not be available for 2-3 days. I explained I was nervous, due to our miscarriages and asked if there was anything I could do myself, to protect our baby. She said no. If I get the chickenpox, go back in and they’ll give me drugs and hope the baby will be ok and if I don’t get it, it should not be anything to worry about.
I asked what could happen if get it and the baby is affected and she put her hand at her tummy and pushed it down – I was pretty shocked that she was signing a miscarriage like that and to clarify, I asked if she was saying a miscarriage and she said yes, that if the virus crosses the placenta to the baby, there is a chance of miscarriage.
I said if I had known the tests needed to be done in Dublin, I would have driven up there myself and not wasted nearly 4 hours in OLOL and she said I should have been told that by a nurse. They just did not seem to have any continuity of care and they did not seem bothered, even though I was clearly distressed about it.
I left the hospital in tears and had to pull over on my way home so I didn’t crash the car.
The thing is, no one seemed to care. No one cared that we have had 2 miscarriages and of course, this situation is making us nervous. No one bothered to tell me the blood had to go to Dublin. They said they ‘hope’to have news for me within 2-3 days but if not, hopefully they will know by the time I go for my booking appt next Wednesday, thats 4 days away.
No one cares anymore. Our system is so corrupt and I felt like I was nothing to them in there today. Left sitting there for hours, no compassion, no explanations, just the minimum level of service.
Its so sad we have become like this. So very sad.
We have a worrying few days ahead but will just think positive and hope for the best.
Thanks for all the replies, very helpful and comforting and much more informative than anything I learned at the hospital today.
Just reading your post and thinking of you. Its a tough time when you have to wait. I don’t know much about chickenpox and pregnancy. I know my youngest did have chickenpox when he was weeks old and it wasn’t very obvious but he has had it so maybe you did have it, but not bad enough to remember.
When my kids had chickenpox found that Phenergan (oral liquid) and Eurax lotion (stops itch up to 10hrs) worked really well-both over the counter medicine. Didnt find calamine lotion any good at all, still remember it being put on me as a child and did nothing. 🙁
Think when you get the itch controlled kids are in much better form.
Look after yourselves and hopefully all is well.
using Ovelle calomine cream on her and its very good, shes not scratching too much now.
Think I’m just tired, had a long night with her last night and a lot of stress with the doc and hospital today. im sure all will be ok, having a hefty dose of pregnancy hormones today it seems!
Aw, God love you….. I just want to give you a hug and tell you its going to be okay…. Because I fully believe that both you and Babs will be….
I know you are worried, and the experience you had today hasn’t made matters any better…
Just try and take it easy on yourself hun…. put your feet up, give DD Phenergan…. (also has sedative… which should help you all get some rest)….
You guys are going to be okay…. I feel it in my gut! xxxsorry to hear about your crappy day, nothing worse when ur already stressed… try keep positive and relax if poss!!!
thinkg of u all x
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