A parenting question...what would you do?

AnninStPaul

Whenever my son's braces are adjusted, his meals that day are protein shakes (not diet or body building, just grocery store protein shakes), Greek yogurt, and applesauce.

I would think the same thing is good for chicken pox - protein, calcium, vitamin c (they put it in applesauce to keep it from oxidizing). Just keep your child hydrated and provide the nutritional support to fight the disease -- I had a nasty case as a kid and this too shall pass.

traceyjayne64

Id go for anything he fancies but Ensure is good, full of everything his body needs whilst unable to eat.

traceyjayne64

and by the way, im in Milton Keynes and chicken pox seems to be everywhere

Artemis726

So sorry your little ones are sick. It's so hard to not be able to fix them.

I didn't read all the replies, but in your shoes, I would get some pain reliever in him- motrin/advil works the best for my kids. We have sore throat pops that numb the mouth and throat as well. Then I'd have gatorade (which is easier to get my kids to drink than pedialyte) and ice pops available. Whatever sounds good to him and keeps him hydrated.

Hope they feel better soon!

AnninStPaul

I wasn't going to vaccinate against chicken pox but my ped mentioned how much worst it could be if they get it older and since MOST do vaccinate, the chance of them getting it as children is pretty slim...so I gave in. I was worried about them having issues as older teens or adults because chicken pox then can cause so many issues including infertility.

I do believe that you can still get the CP with the vaccine, but it's usually a lighter bout.
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you are right it isn't as bad if you have had the vaccine and it also has weird presentation. last time i saw chicken pox it was in a 10 year old and she had prob 10 spots and they were in her hairline, torso, and arms. it was definatly strange. i can't remember the last time i saw full blown chicken pox. it is also dangerous for pregnate women to be around it but i can't remember exactly what it does
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A dose of the vaccine is also recommended for people 50 or older, even if they've had the chicken pox. It is intended to keep the virus dormant so that you don't get shingles, which attacks the nerves.

durangocal

I still don't understand why we vaccinate since the immunity lasts only 14 to 25 years meaning that our children are possibly susceptible to it when they are in their 20`s? (see link to CDC website below.) I succombed to my doctor`s advice and had my children immunized as his answer to my question was answered with "it will be like polio. the virus won`t be around as everyone will be vaccinated." He also said that "perhaps they will require a booster before they go to college." I am amazed to see how many vaccicanted people are still getting the chicken pox!

I hate that my son`s generation is the guinea pig generation for this vaccine...

Wonder what other`s thoughts are on this?

To the OP-hope your kiddos are on the mend very quickly!

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/varicella/vac-faqs-clinic.htm

Is waning immunity a problem with the varicella-containing vaccines?
The length of protection/immunity from varicella-containing vaccines remains unknown. Available data from follow-up of children vaccinated in prelicensure clinical trials indicate that protection from varicella vaccine lasts for at least 25 years (Japanese data) and 14 years (U.S. data). However, most of the data concerning vaccine efficacy and persistence of antibody in vaccinees are based on research that was conducted when natural varicella infection was highly prevalent and had not been affected by wide use of the vaccine. A recently published community-based study among children 12 months to 12 years of age suggests that 1 dose vaccine-induced immunity to varicella may wane over time. Experience with other live viral vaccines (e.g., measles, rubella), however, has shown that post vaccination, immunity remains high throughout life. For these vaccines, second doses are needed to cover the small percentage of people who fail to seroconvert after the first dose (primary vaccine failure). Follow-up studies are continuing to assess levels of immunity in vaccinees as disease incidence declines.

teeniemarie619

The open sores (if he has them inside his mouth & throat) might be hurting him when he eats. Give him sugar-free ice cream pops, even sugar free pudding if he'll eat it. Try not to give him anything to drink that has citrus - it might burn. Try pedialyte too.

christine24t

Reading this made me curious as to why the varicella vaccine isn't given over there. Here is a response: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8557236.stm

It says that they worry parents won't like another vaccine in the childhood immunization schedule (they would rather promote the meningitis vaccine, which I kind of understand) and that it could increase incidence of shingles. But I think you can get shingles if you've gotten the vaccine or had the disease. So why would that be a reason?

I had chickenpox when I was a kid - the vaccine wasn't around until I was five, and by then I'd had chickenpox. It's weird now (I work in a medical office) to see kids that were born even three years before me that had the vaccine and didn't have to go through having the chickenpox!

MissJay75

There has been a lot of good advice about ways to hydrate him, though I would skip the pedialyte. Honestly, it tastes disgusting, and I doubt he'd drink it. My kids refused and after I tried it I understood why.

Also I'm curious to see how the oatmeal bath went. I also had a severe case at age 14, and the oatmeal baths were rough. It felt nice while I was in it, but the whole drying off part (both towel drying and air drying) made everything itch and hurt all over again.

If you can think of any ways to help distract him and pass them time, that is also one of the most helpful things you can do. Time crawls when you are miserable. Get him some new books, maybe borrow or rent him a new video game, art supplies, laptop or ipad. Whatever he normally can get sucked into where he gets lost and doesn't hear you when you call for him . . . this is a great time to encourage that!

One day at social gatherings he will tell horror stories of how he survived the great chicken pox of 2012.

AnninStPaul

Reading this made me curious as to why the varicella vaccine isn't given over there. Here is a response: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8557236.stm

It says that they worry parents won't like another vaccine in the childhood immunization schedule (they would rather promote the meningitis vaccine, which I kind of understand) and that it could increase incidence of shingles. But I think you can get shingles if you've gotten the vaccine or had the disease. So why would that be a reason?

I had chickenpox when I was a kid - the vaccine wasn't around until I was five, and by then I'd had chickenpox. It's weird now (I work in a medical office) to see kids that were born even three years before me that had the vaccine and didn't have to go through having the chickenpox!

The research shows that vaccinated people who do get the disease don't get it as severely, which with shingles can mean the difference between discomfort and blindness or amputation. My kids are vaccinated.

barbarawells999

I would consult his doctor. They will tell you exactly what he should be eating. They will likely tell you to just push the fluids and he'll eat when he's ready to. I think the most important thing is to ask them and not people who haven't seen your son. That's what doctor's and nurses are there for and they really don't mind.

Mmissy104

My kids just got over the chicken pox too! my kids are 2 and 3 though. My daughter (the two year old) Had it soooo mildly that it didnt bother her at all, she barely even itched except the ones in her hair. I did oatmeal baths for her everynight and she loved them! I would let her play in the bath as long as she wanted to soak in all the good stuff. About a week later my son got it. He also got it bad. He wasnt that itchy, and he didnt get a ton of spots, but he got them IN his mouth, which I guess isnt all that uncommon. They looked like little cancor sores. With my daughter I gave her what ever she asked for to eat. With my son I would give him what he asked for but he started complaining about "biting his tounge' because the sores in his mouth would hurt when they got touched. We just gave him alot of soft foods and would but oregel in his mouth to numb in when it was really bothering him. He would eat, chicken noodle soup, yougurt, bananas, popcicles, rice, ice cream, pbj (he loves 'uncrustables' and they pretty much melt in your mouth) When my kids are sick we use the BRATY diet lol Bananas, rice, apples (or juice), toast, yogurt. Hope they feel better soon!.

christine24t

Reading this made me curious as to why the varicella vaccine isn't given over there. Here is a response: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8557236.stm

It says that they worry parents won't like another vaccine in the childhood immunization schedule (they would rather promote the meningitis vaccine, which I kind of understand) and that it could increase incidence of shingles. But I think you can get shingles if you've gotten the vaccine or had the disease. So why would that be a reason?

I had chickenpox when I was a kid - the vaccine wasn't around until I was five, and by then I'd had chickenpox. It's weird now (I work in a medical office) to see kids that were born even three years before me that had the vaccine and didn't have to go through having the chickenpox!

The research shows that vaccinated people who do get the disease don't get it as severely, which with shingles can mean the difference between discomfort and blindness or amputation. My kids are vaccinated.

Yeah that's true so I don't know why the UK would use that as one of their reasons! So weird in my opinion. Plus there is a shingles vaccine so that makes less sense.

paigemarie93

Ice-cream, mousse desserts to get some sugar, milkshakes, soup.
Try blending his food, I like blended bolognese sauce when I'm ill.