15 Tips for dealing with chicken pox that aren’t calamine lotion.

We recently had a bad bout of chicken pox in our house. We asked all of Little Hotdog Watson’s followers on social media for their tips and then tried them all out.

Here are our top 15 tips.

1. Oat Baths

Run a cool bath, fill an old sock with porridge oats and place in water. The filled sock can also be used to dab the skin. Very soothing. Plus we also used bath crayons to keep them entertained and stay and play in the bath longer.

2. Antihistamine 

This really took away the biggest part of the itching

3. Fabric Hairband

This was great for keeping hair of the face and stopping irritation (age dependent)

4. Cool Toy

Pop a favourite soft toy in the fridge / freezer to cool for them to cuddle. This works well for younger children and stops them getting to hot.

5. PoxClin Cool Mousse

This mousse in the earlier stage pre-the pox bursting kept the spots cool. A bit like calamine but less drying. Keep in fridge

6. Calpol

We had high fevers so used this liquid paracetamol for the fever. 

7. Cool Flannel

Placed on the back of the neck to cool temperature or other area of the body to soothe itching

8. Short Nails

Cut fingers short straight away so if  little ones do itch they do less damage

9. Clean hands

Keep washing hands to help keep nails clean and also cooling finger tips can help lower temperature.

10. Socks on hands

If the itching gets bad particularly at night cover their hands. Gloves can work on older children too. Stick to natural fibres for breathability.

11. Keep them distracted.

They might not be able to do much when they aren’t well but we found activities that kept their hands or minds busy worked well. From reading to them, playing some kids app games on our phones, to puzzle books and small figure games.

12. Loose Clothes

Very loose and natural fabrics to stay cool or nudie if it’s summer and very hot. We opted for nighties or long loose adult tees so the clothes were away from the skin.

13. Lolly Ices

A great way to stay hydrated and cool. We also made a lot of smoothies because sometimes it’s hard to eat but this was a great way of getting vitamins in. Keep in fridge to stay cool.

Two tips we didn’t try but came highly recommended:

14. Virasoothe gel to cool the itches

15. Head and shoulders shampoo in the bath to cool the itches.

***Please note always keep an eye on your little one and if you are worried please contact your doctor or emergency number. Chicken pox should always be taken seriously and if you are worried seek medical advice.

What are your tips? 

Hope your little one feels better soon.

Author Emma Watson founder of Little Hotdog Watson

Little Hotdog Watson is a kidswear brand with a difference. We make kids hats unlike any other by combining style + innovation. Our sun hats offer triple protection from UV, Mosquitoes and Overheating, while our winter hats are water resistant, reflective and extra cosy. Take a look at our hats here.