Playing Chicken

The Childhood Chickenpox Journey: What to Expect (and What I Wish I Knew Sooner!)

When my six-year-old daughter came to me with what looked like a little zit on her neck, I didn’t think much of it. Fast-forward 24 hours, and she was covered in itchy red spots, had a temperature, and we were officially on Team Pox.

If you’re a parent at the beginning of this spotty little rollercoaster, I hope our story helps you know what to expect, what to watch for, and how to manage it all without losing your mind.

Day 1: The First Suspicious Spot

It started with one single red bump on her neck. It looked like a zit, maybe an insect bite. That night she had a bit of a temperature and complained of a headache. The next morning, I noticed another spot on her chest. Still not a rash - just isolated spots.

What I did:

• Monitored her temperature

• Gave Calpol for her headache

• Took photos of the spots to track progression

Day 2–3: The Pox Party Begins

The floodgates opened. Spots started appearing all over her back, tummy, face, and legs. Some started blistering. She was on and off with her energy - one minute lying down, the next bouncing around after a nap.

What helped:

• PoxClin CoolMousse (lifesaver!)

• Calpol to manage fever

• Loose cotton clothes

• Oat baths (pop oats in a sock and steep it in the bath)

• Distraction with movies, audiobooks, and blanket dens

  
  

Day 4–5: The Itchy Wave and Spot Explosion

New spots still appearing, including on her scalp, ears, and under her chin. Bedtimes became grizzly and itchy. Some spots became quite angry-looking but weren’t infected.

Important note: Chickenpox spots come in waves. It’s totally normal for new ones to appear for up to 5–7 days.

We watched for signs of infection:

• Redness spreading

• Yellow ooze

• Swelling or heat

None of hers showed those signs - just standard pox drama. However it's important that if any of these signs appear, call your GP, NHS111 or nip down to the doctor's immediately.

Day 6–7: Scabbing Begins

Most of the earlier spots began to scab. Oli’s energy was mostly back and the fever had subsided. No new spots (at last!). The worst appeared to be over.

Key tip:

Your child is no longer contagious once all spots have scabbed over - not when they feel better, not when they’ve stopped itching. All. Spots. Must. Crust.

Going Back to School: The Checklist

Oli was ready to return to school once:

• All chickenpox spots had scabbed over

• No new spots had appeared for 48 hours

• She was fever-free for at least 24 hours

• She was eating, drinking, and generally back to herself

I popped a note in to the teacher explaining she’d had chickenpox, was no longer contagious, and to flag any odd symptoms in case her skin was still sensitive.

What I Wish I Knew Before:

• Chickenpox doesn’t always “burst out” all at once - it’s sneaky and comes in waves

• The emotional side is real - clinginess, grizzliness, and cabin fever hit hard

• Spots in weird places (toes, fingers, scalp) are normal

• Fever can come and go for several days

• Spots can keep appearing for d-a-y-s!

  
  

Final Thoughts:

Chickenpox is unpleasant, but manageable - especially with a few go-to tools and a lot of cuddles. If you’re just at the start of it all, hang in there. Trust your gut, stock up on oat socks and Calpol, and take lots of photos to track things (and for future sympathy posts). You’ve got this.

Love,

A very spot-tracking, oat-bathing, PoxClin-wielding mama