Chickenpox in baby and adult - help!

[Maracita]

My husband and my 7 mo. old just got exposed to the chickenpox with the girl we take care of. My husband had not had it as a child and I am scared about what might happen to him when he comes down with it. I heard it can be very, very bad. Any suggestions ? I also wonder about my baby, he is still fully BF, does he have my immunity, and how would it be for him? I am more worried about my husband though, he does not have healthinsurance either. Every help is appreciated!
Thanks

[Cynthia Mosher]

Here's a suggestion if they do come down with it...

A friend of mine used Swedish Bitters on her son's chicken pox as soon as they started appearing. She used it as a wash I guess in the same way calamine lotion is used, dabbing it on the pox wherever they are. She says they barely showed and disappeared very quickly never even reaching the scabby stage. They just kinda showed up then shrank away!

~Cynthia

[cobluegirl]

Your husband may not even come down with them. He may be already immune to them and he doesn't even know it. Your baby might not either....if they do come down with it...breast milk is supposed to be good on the wounds too.

[leafylady]

Do you have the book "Smart Medicine for a Healthy Child"? It will give you advice on what vitamins to supplement with, as well as the conventional medicine view, herbal view, and homeopathic viewpoint. The advice is oriented toward children, but I find it applicable to adults as well.

My brother had chicken pox when he was 18 and, although he felt terrible for about 2 weeks, he came out of it fine. He did have many more pox than younger kids were and they scarred more.

[steph]

you might want to consult with a naturopath who specializes in homeopathy. you could even do a phone consult to see if this was an area they felt comfortable with. it will cost more than a reg. dr. but will probably be better able to handle the situation. best wishes...

[Hera]

start keeping them a little quieter than usual, feed them well, cut out sweets and beer and stuff (for dad, I mean) and start your echinacea and garlic, and maybe no one will get it. Good luck!

[hypermama]

This summer I had chicken pox for the first time. (36 years old) I had heard that it would be awful. It was actually worse before I knew what it was. I felt very low energy and unusual for my "normal" self. As soon as my first blister broke out I was relieved to know it was only chicken pox. I started taking some immunity blends with a vengenge and took as many oatmeal baths as I could. Aveno is the best! My kids 4 and 8 mos. broke out 2 weeks after me and they didn't have the worst experience. Again, tons of Aveno baths and TLC and we got through it. Our Ped was trying to make me feel bad because he said that if a parent passes it on it to an offspring that it makes it worse somehow. My daughter's case wasn't bad, even though I hadn't passed on immunity through the breast milk.

[daylily]

This happened to my mom and me. We were both exposed to chicken pox at my birth (a nurse was recovering from shingles) and we both got sick when I was only 2 weeks old. My mom was 25 at the time and she always said she felt awfully sick, but she survived. I had a mild case. (My mom was breastfeeding me.)

If there's time, your dh could get a blood test called a varicella titre so see if he's immune. It's true what someone already said that you can develop immunity w/out ever having the disease. Your baby probably won't catch them b/c you're nursing. I exposed my ds to chicken pox last year (he spent 2 hours playing with a child who had cp and drank from a cup she was using) and he didn't catch them.

Oh, and my BIL had cp at age 30 and he survived them (but felt pretty sick.)

[hypermama]

I guess it wasn't exactly clear what I said. I had nursed both my children and the doctor simply meant that because I hadn't had chicken pox that I hadn't/wasn't passing on any immunity to my children. The whole visit made me upset, because he was being accusatory concerning all of our lack of obtaining the vaccine! Especially me! I just figured that I had had a mild case or wasn't going to get them.

[Maracita]

thanks so much everyone for your stories and advice, and keep sharing, it helps a lot while we wait for the pox to come along - or not. My husband is a little scared, but I am going to stack up on a few things and keep them healthy. Lets see what happens.

[Maracita]

It is here, both my husband and my baby got it. I got a ton of healthy stuff for my husband and hope he will get through it alright. When he was just taking the natural stuff it was not so bad, but lots of people said to take Banadryl and it seemed to make him feel worse. My baby got the pox on top of the eczema on his face and he cries at night (that's why I am up, got bumped out of bed, we need a bigger one, no room for me in it right now and I don't wont to wake the sick boys).
Anyways, might as well get some work done at 2 a.m. And I still can barely pay the bills.
My homeopath won't give me anything for the baby, there has got to be some remedy, he is scratching and crying just about the eczema places, if anyone who knows something happens to read this, please let me know, can I give him Rhus toxicodendrum 30 C (that is what I am giving my dh)?

[javamama]

Oh, I'm so sorry they both got it! DD had them when she was 2. Benedryl didn't help us either. If I remember right, here appetite was very low for a few days, but she nursed okay. She had some sores in her mouth. The aveeno oatmeal baths really did work for us. Several of those with lukewarm water really helped her. I think it helps dry out the sores a bit so they heal quicker?? I don't know anything about homeopathy, hopefully someone here will have an answer for you about that. I used caladryl on her itchiest spots, you could try that.......
Good luck! Heather
PS I was really glad she got them naturally, even though it is hard at the time, b/c we didn't have to get the vaccine, and now we can be sure she is immune. I'm worried my ds will have to have the shot if we don't get exposed by kindergarten.