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Care at Home
  1. Cool Baths: For itching, give cool or lukewarm baths for 10 minutes as often as needed (Caution: avoid any chill). Can add baking soda 2 oz. per tub. Baths don't spread the chickenpox.
  2. Calamine Lotion: Apply calamine lotion to the chickenpox that itch the most or massage them with an ice cube for 10 minutes (Don't use any lotion containing Benadryl because it can be absorbed across the inflamed skin and cause side effects).
  3. Benadryl Medicine: If itching becomes severe or interferes with sleep, give oral Benadryl (see dosage table).
  4. Discourage Scratching: Trim fingernails and wash hands frequently with an antibacterial soap to prevent impetigo (infected sores). Discourage picking and scratching.
  5. Pain Medicine:
    • Give acetaminophen for fever above 102°F (39°C).
    • Never use aspirin (Reason: risk of Reyes syndrome).
    • Also, don't use ibuprofen (Reason: may increase risk of severe strep infections).
    • See dosage chart.
    • Ask your pharmacist to recommend a pediatric brand containing acetaminophen.
  6. Soft Diet: Offer a soft diet for painful mouth and throat ulcers. For infants, give fluids by cup rather than bottle because the nipple can cause increased pain.
  7. Liquid Antacid for Mouth Pain:
    • For severe mouth ulcers in children over age 4, use 1 teaspoon of a liquid antacid as a mouth wash 4 times per day after meals.
    • For younger children, put a few drops in the front of the mouth after meals.
  8. Painful Urination:
    • For females with painful vulva ulcers, apply petroleum jelly to the area as needed.
    • For severe pain, use a numbing ointment such as 2.5% xylocaine ointment (no prescription needed) 4 times per day.
    • This also works for males with painful pox on the tip of the penis.
  9. Contagiousness: Your child can return to day care or school after all the sores have crusted over, usually day 6 or 7 of the rash.
  10. Expected Course: Expect new chickenpox every day for 4 or 5 days. Most children get 400 to 500 chickenpox.
  11. Preventing Exposure of Medical Office to Chicken Pox: If your child needs to be seen, either call ahead for instructions or consider bringing 2 adults and having one enter office first for instructions. For nonemergent problems, doctor may examine child in car.
  12. IF your child becomes worse: Review Should I Call? recommendations.
  1. Symptom Description
  2. Should I Call?

Parent Care for Pediatric Symptoms. Copyright © 2000-2008. Barton D. Schmitt, MD
Reviewed/Modified: Jan. 2008 by Intermountain Healthcare, Inc.


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