Chicken Pox at 6 months old, advice appreciated

[PokerDad]

This might be a bit premature as I'll get the confirmation tomorrow during a regularly scheduled pediatrician visit, but I'm quite sure (80-90%) PokerCub has just come down with Chicken Pox! My wife is freaking (and hesitant to admit that I'm right) and this will seriously derail the month's plans if I am correct...

Have any of you had to deal with it at such a young age? if so, any advice? I've been told that getting chicken pox prior to age 1 is really scary/dangerous... is this true?

TIA!!

[CVMomma]

Yes, it is possible, just not as likely.  Most babies (especially breastfed babies) still have Mom's antibodies.  We had friends whose baby got chicken pox at the same time as an older sibling.  Of course, everyone was very worried for the little one.  Their doctor told them that it was unlikely to cause any complications.  It actually turned out better in the long run, they think now.  He had lots of pox, but didn't seem too bothered by them.  He never ran a high fever, just a low grade fever.  No other complications.  He has been exposed to them again (he is 5 now) but didn't get them.  That doesn't mean that he will never get them again, just that he didn't this particular time. 

It will just be different for each child.  Don't hesitate to take him to the doctor.  Follow your gut feeling on how he is doing.  You know him better than the doctor does!  Hopefully, it will be done and over with and no problems.  Just another story to tell when he is older!

Don't Worry!!!!  Complications are very rare!  I do feel bad for the little guy though.  It would be hard to be miserable and not really be able to understand why Mommy and Daddy don't just fix it!

[Skylark]

CVMomma is right, complications are not that common, especially if he is exclusively breasted

Complications are more common if child's immunity is compromised by sugars in formula and vaccinations...

All that to say, while it is uncommon to get chicken pox at that age it does happen, and a few babies I've seen getting it, had it way easier then their older siblings. I just feel bad for the LO, as he might experience discomfort and it is so difficult to explain it to them when they are so little!

Yes, it is good to have a check up and to confirm that it is what it is, and not some allergy.

And just make sure he nurses a lot and on demand.

Hugs, and let us know how he is doing.

[tlyoung]

Our older daughter had chicken pox at 6 months, her case was mild compared to the older kids who got it before her. Due to her age I was able to easily treat her and stop her from scratching. She ended up with a pox scar on her face but it came in handy when the school nurse in TX wanted her to get the chicken pox shot. I was also told she wouldn't get them because of her age and my immunities in her body. I myself was exposed to chicken pox at a young age from my older siblings and never had any signs of them but after repeated exposure I never had a full blown case.

I hope pokercub does not have them but I hope it helps you knowing another child had a very mild case at the same age.

[Korrale4kq]

Complications are rare. And being young is advantageous with chicken pox because the young ones don't seem to get them as badly as older children.
My son got chicken pox at a year old. He had been vaccinated many months prior and he still got them. We have no idea where he was exposed. He had no contact with any child who had them. James also does not have a compromised immune system.
According to our dr it is extremely easy to get chicken pox, however due to vaccination it is becoming very difficult to find children/people who have them. I live in unvaccinated Amish country, so our chances are higher than the general populous.

[PokerDad]

Last night I was figuring out that it was something different (second night of illness in question). He didn't have any new red bumps and I had seen only one blister (saw it during swimming and right before I posted here). Plus the comments here pointed out that it's rare to get this while on breast milk... sooo, a little Bayesian analysis and I'm figuring that I was wrong. Then I woke up this morning and knew he didn't have chickenpox as most of the spots were starting to recede and he didn't have any new ones really. According to the doctor, he apparently had some other virus that causes a similar effect to chickenpox.

The comments in here were good know and much appreciated. I also figure they might help someone else down the road!
K2U

 

[Korrale4kq]

My son had very few pox when he got chicken pox. 3 blisters on his behind, which he scratched and scarred. A few on his belly and a few at the nape of his neck. Dr said he had so few due to age and vaccination. He may have also been nursing he time too.

Glad poker cub is okay and you got an answer. Welcome to the world of childhood rashes.

For future reference here are the main ones in no particular order.

Hives. Most often it signifies an allergy.

Heat rash.

Impetigo - a bacterial infection.

Yeast infection. Commonly seen in the diaper area. But it can affect mouth, and any moist skin folds like the neck. Not to be confused with a diaper rash.

Roseola (sixth disease or 3 day fever) this rash breaks out after an a symptomatic high fever lasting 3 days.

Hand, foot and mouth disease (coxsackie virus) seen in the hand, foot and mouth region. Lack of appetitie is often the first sign.

Fifths disease also called slapped cheek disease because that is what it looks like.

Ringworm. A red scabby ring.

Scarlett fever. This is the only one I have never had any personal experience with. But it seems be to in vogue with many of my mommy friend's toddlers.

[Tamsyn]

I'm glad it wasn't chicken pox.  For what it's worth, my kids really liked having a comfrey and yarrow tea baths.  I put the herbs in a nylon sock to keep the scratchy herbs contained.  The comfrey is a soothing herb for comfort.  Yarrow helps the body sweat to clean out the system.  Also Peppermint tea, Catnip tea, and red raspberry leaf are supposed to be good for the pox.  Here's our little chicken pox story last year: http://www.professional-mothering.com/2012/01/chicken-pox-isnt-so-bad.html

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