How Do You Fake Chicken Pox?

How long does the itch in chicken pox last?

• My eight year old is on day 3 of the appearance of the spots. He has so far been really good about not scratching, but this morning woke me at 3am and 7am wanting a bath and is now 'over' being good about the unbearable itchies. I spoke to the pharmacist, who suggested NOT putting calamine lotion on chicken pox, as new research shows it causes scarring (still fine for bites and stings, just not pox). Instead I have a water-based gel (like they use on burns) which is soothing and seals over the spots so air can't irritate them. I also have been told to use a bicarb soda bath, or oatmeal bath - again - the old fashioned remedies have been replaced by pine tar sol which limits the bacterial infection caused by scratching, and soothes the itchies in the bath. Still, all these things only temporarily calm his skin. How long will he be going crazy with the itch? I hate watching him like this, poor little man. As he has 3 younger brothers, how long before they will start showing signs of chicken pox? I hate waiting for the other shoe to drop ... if they don't show symptoms in 14 days, can I assume the others are clear this round?

• Answer:

  Oh dear - yes the itching gets worse when the spots dry out and continues until three days after the last spot appears - day 6ish. Have you considered anti-histamine tablets? My daughter took those and it helped loads. The incubation period is three weeks but your son would have been contagious before he had spots - so yes 14 days. It is so much better to have it as a child tho - I had it at 26 and got pneumonia and lost the hearing in one ear. Good luck.