Chicken Pox - Mokelumne Hill,CA

It's good to get chicken pox at a young age, but 2 1/2 months is really young! Whatever you do, if s/he has fever do not give him/her an ibuprofen pain/fever medicine. There are contraindications to this. The advice is good, but I would see the doctor if you notice any signs of chicken pox marks. My son had them at age 3, had very high fever for about 4 days, was really sick, but the anti-itch medication he swallowed and the cream and special bath soap helped. Good luck.

I had shingles and the doctor said that only people that are not vacinated can catch chicken pox. I took Olive Leaf Extract for my shingles and it cleared up right away. Aveeno works too. Also, if I feel them coming on I take L Lysine 500 mg 2 of them and it usually keeps them and herpes from breaking out. You have to take it when you first feel it coming on......M.

My baby girl had it at 8 months old. She was cranky because she didn't feel good, but didn't know why. I gave her Benadryl to ease the itch/pain and lots of Aveno Oatmeal Baths. She loved them. The good news about being so young: they don't scratch them and make them worse!
Good luck!
I will add as a side note: a lot of people tried to tell me that she probably wouldn't get them very bad because she was so young, and I was breastfeeding. They were wrong :( She had a ton of them! I think she had them worse then the kids she got them from. But again, she did great, didn't scratch, and left no scars.

Shingles is reactivated chiken pox. Have you had chicken pox? If you have the your 2 1/2 month old will have some passive immunity to chicken pox. If you have never had chicken pox then you child won't have any immunity. chicken pos is about the only disease that you get milder cases when you are younger. If your child gets it, he/she may not develop full immunity and could get a mild case in the future. My second got it before 6 months of age (I don't remember, she's 15 now). She was alittle uncomfortable - didn't eat as well, more irritable. When my third & fourth child got chiken pox about 18 months ago, she developed a couple of blisters & nothing else. So don't worry.

Hi A..
The same virus that causes shingles can also cause chicken pox. I looked it up. Here's the link. You can copy and paste into your browser: http://www.revolutionhealth.com/articles/chickenpox-varic...
I'd follow whatever directions the doctor gave you re: keeping her away from other children, etc.
If she does get chicken pox, remember to cut her nails to avoid scarring should she scratch. AND, come back to this site for recommendations on how to keep her comfortable -- I'm certain moms will have some excellent ideas!
Good luck.
K.

The younger the better. As I remember with my oldest son he was about a year old when he got chicken pox and it wasnt bad at all. Hardly any bumps and a low grade fever. As children get older the chicken pox gets worse and as an adult it's even worse than that. Dont worry he will be fine.

If your child gets the pox, give him/her benadryl. I REALLY helps with the itching!

Mom of 4

From what my parents tell me I had chicken pox when I was less than a year old. I survived just fine. In fact, it was great that I didn't remember it later! However, I may have been closer to a year old... you really ought to talk to your doctor about this one.

Hi, My daughter is now 23, but she had chicken pox when she was only 1. My 2 neices had them at the time, and they were much older at age 18 and 13. It is much easy on them to have them at an ealier age, so don't worry.
God's Blessings,
N.

I have a young one exposed and the doctors all told me not to stress. Also that he probably wouldn't get it given I was breast feeding and I had had it.

He didn't get it.

No experience at that age with chickenpox, but my sister had German measles when she was two weeks old. The main thing is to keep your child close to home now, and if chickenpox breaks out, be sure to keep the child warm enough and comfortable in whatever way you can. I believe subdued light is important as well, but not sure with chickenpox. I know the Drs. told our mother to keep the light low for my sis to protect her eyes, but that was measles and it was also years ago. The Drs may know something entirely different now and for chickenpox.
Best of luck with this situation.

Yes!!! When my boys were 3mo. and 3yrs.All three of us got chicken pox.I got them first then two weeks later both my boys broke out.I really feel the baby was the easiest because he was to little to scratch where it was hard to keep the older one from scratching.I did take the baby to the dr.(through the back door).They just made sure they weren't in his eyes or anything like that.I just gave him a lot of oatmeal baths.He was really fine,just a little fussy.I was the one who wanted to die.I guess when your older it's harder on you.

When I was nursing my son, I got shingles and my doc told me it's pretty hard to get chicken pox from shingles, possible but not likely. Maybe if the baby actually rubbed on the outbreak. She also said that my nursing helped his immunity. Even if baby does get it, it is likely to be a mild case, and at that age they don't scratch and spread it like older kids. So I wouldn't worry! If your nursing, eat healthy so baby gets lots of good immunity!
K.
(Momma to Ty-3 and Miranda-3 months)

My third child contracted checken pox at only 4 months of age from her cousin. He had recently been vaccinated and my sister did not know that he had a mild case of it when they visited my home. Since she was SO little the Pediatrician did not want to take any chances and prescribed an antiviral medication. The pox went away pretty quickly with little itching and no side effects. However, since they did not run their course, she still had to be vaccinated.

Give your little one lots of lukewarm oatmeal baths (Aveeno sells a good one). Calamine relieves the itching, but stains everything it come into contact with when it is wet, so you need to have sheets, towels, and blankets that you don't mind if they get pink stains. Also, don't dress your little one unless he/she prefers it. Finally, keep the fever under control by alternating Tylenol and Ibuprofen every two hours if regular 4 hour dosing does not keep it in check. Watch for the blisters...chicken pox has a 14-day incubation period, so you should know in the next couple of weeks. The pox will usually appear on the trunk of the boy and near the armpits first. Take care and I hope your baby does not get the chicken pox.

Be happy if he gets it and gets it over with! At least he'll have natural immunity as opposed to only artificial temporary resistance to it.. to be more susceptible to shingles later in life.

Hi A.,
I am a mother of 2 boys who were exposed to shingles at young ages and did not get chicken pox. I was the one who had shingles in both instances and I don't think either of them had received the chicken pox vaccine by that time.
Just thought knowing that might ease your mind.
Best of luck,
M.

Hi--My sister's baby daughter caught chickenpox from my son when she was only 6 weeks old. We were shocked since she was being breastfed. She had a pretty extensive case of blisters but no long lasting affects. My sister bathed her in an oatmeal bath to make her more comfortable. The doctor said at the time he wasn't sure if it would give her lifelong immunity since her immune system wasn't fully developed at the time of infection. I think she later had the vaccine. She is 22 now. Good luck!

My son had then at 4 yrs old and two more times after that. All were bad breakouts because so it is an old wivestale that they get them only once.

I guess I would wonder why you are so concerned about the baby getting the chicken pox. Most are immune for about six months. Many years ago, when I was doing child care and before the chicken pox vaccine, I had a major epidemic of chicken pox among my babies. I was fortunate enough to have a doctor as father of two of the kids I watched and he provided enough medicine for all of them. And sure enough, all the kids had chicken pox...except the one that was under six months. She was spared.
A.

My daughter was exposed to shingles when she was 10 months. The doctor gave her the chicken pox vaccine early and she never got sick. She had to have the vaccine again when she turned a year.

Dear A.,
Speaking as someone who literally had such a bad case of shingles that it almost killed me....during my pregnancy with my son, being exposed to someone with shingles does not mean that your baby will catch it. It is not an airborne illness. It's not exactly the same as chicken pox where your kid is exposed and can automatically break out. Shingles is a form of the herpes virus, but it's not the same as chicken pox at all. I'm one of the unlucky few who has had shingles more than once and I am on medication for the rest of my life to manage it. Not one doctor, nurse, family member, child or aquaintance has ever gotten it. It's MY immune system that causes my outbreaks.
I have known plenty of people that found out some kid has chicken pox and they take their kids for a visit on purpose to get it over with. It's way harder on you the older you get, especially for boys as it can cause sterility. We didn't have the vaccines until fairly recently.
But, I would not worry about your child being exposed to shingles. Unless you exposed them to the open blisters and let them get it in their mouths or eyes or a sore or something like that.

Your baby should be just fine and either get, or not get, chicken pox in their own time.

Best wishes!

My son got chicken pox when he was 4 months old. He was uncomfortable a lot of the time, holding him and cuddling him seemed to keep him pretty happy. The good thing is that he couldn't scratch so much to scar and when they are that small they typically don't get it too bad. Unlike my husband (who brought it home) and was covered in spots...needless to say make sure all adults around have had chicken pox or the vaccine. I found oatmeal baths helpful...Aveno has a good one. Keeping the little guy quarantined for so long was the hardest part. I would take him on walks to get out of the house or go sit with him outside when other people & kids were not around. Some doctors will say that they don't need the vaccine after they get CPox, but my doctor gave it to him anyway (at 1yr) because I was breastfeeding at the time and that may make it so that his body doesn't create a strong enough immunity to it.
Hope your little one doesn't get it...
Feel free to ask more Q if they come up...
E

I haven't experienced it at such a young age, but I hear that the younger, the better. sometimes young babies get a very mild case, so mild that you may not even realize it and then he/she will be immune for life.

My boys were 2 and 3 years old when they got chickenpox. One had a severe case the other a mild. Due to the fever and such, I'm certain it's more dangerous for babies. I'd talk to your pediatrician immediately so you can prepare for something potentially dangerous. My husband just got over the shingles, we were advised to keep him away from small children and pregnant women..... It takes about 7 days for it to show up if you've been exposed I think.
Good luck.

Children that young get their immunities from you so if you've had chicken pox your little one may be safe. How exposed was your litte one? Did the person hold him/her or were they just in the same room? When my nephew was only about 3 months old my hubby and I babysat and the very next day my hubby broke out in chicken pox. We didn't know that he was exposed until a week later when my oldest child's daycare called to tell us one of the children there had chicken pox. My hubby had been holding the baby and everything, luckily my newphew never got it. Good Luck.

When my son was around 9 months I had shingles and 2 weeks later he broke out in chicken pox. It wasn't bad and it looks like from the responses so far the experiences with babies having chicken pox is all over the spectrum. I would say my son was a little out of it, mild fever, but no scratching which was good. I gave him some aveeno baths and just tried to make sure he was as comfortable as possible.

Unfortunately we found out that my husband had not had chicken pox so he was not immune and he broke out 2 weeks after my son did.

Since you know your baby was exposed you can be on the look out for the first signs and know what it is. There probably isn't anything you can do to prevent it at this point, just make your baby as comfortable as you can.

Hi A.!
My daughter was only 2 months old when she got chicken pox...she is now 46 years old....she had only 2 chicken pox but it was enough that she contacted shingles when she was 3 years old. My pediatrician wanted to see her to verify that the pox were what we thought so I took her to see him. He has said that, because she was so young, she could have a severe case of chicken pox or a very mild case, which is what she had. So, watch for any sign of the pox because your baby might have a really mild case like my daughter did. Good luck. Having a baby really does change everything....all for the good.
Mother of four and Grandmother of six

Hi my 4 year old got chicken pox and was told not to worry about the 8 months old son, he would not get it as I was breast feeding him, he was under a year old and if he did it would be a few spot. Well he did get it and he was covered from head to toe, In his mouth, between toes and fingers everywhere. it was the worse case that most of if not all my friends and family had seen in any age.

Keep him cool and he should wear light weight clothes nothing to tight. I gave my son Piriton medicine for the itching and gently put on Aqueous-Calamine cream. I also put a few drops of tea tree in a cup of milk and put it in a warm-ish bath. Do Not put the Tea tree neat in the bath, it must be mixed with a little milk as it will lie on the top of the water like oil and will burn his skin when you put him in. This will help with the healing of the spots.

Keep his nails short so if he tries to scratch he can only do a little damage to his skin, or put long socks on his hands so he can not pull or rub them off.

You have to look long and hard at my son who is now almost two to see any scars and he had a few nasty scars on his face by his eye. They have gone. He only has a few pit marks on his body. if he does get them and scars then he is young enough for them to fade away or go altogether.

He may not want to eat much, or he may want to nurse more.

Hope this helps and good luck.

3 of my 4 children had chicken pox when my youngest was about 2 or 3 months old. I was sooo scared. I asked my pedi and he said it was not very likely she would get them since she was still being breast fed. The older 3 got them two weeks apart so there was a long incubation period. The baby never got them.