I hadn’t heard of the Varicella-zoster virus until recently when it invaded my home. Varicella is the virus that causes Chickenpox. In our case, it started with our 4-year old daughter. She was due to perform in a ballet show in The Visual and as we were trying on her costume the day before I noticed a couple of fluid filled blisters on her tummy. A quick consult with Dr. Google confirmed my suspicions. A call to my own GP practice said if it looked like Chickenpox and someone in her school had chickenpox, then ballet performance or no ballet performance, she had chickenpox! Treat her with oat and bread soda baths, chamomile lotion and Calpol. I was expressly told not to give Nurofen. By morning, there were more spots. She was devastated to miss her show but her entrepreneurial older brother decided they would put on their own version. They charged an admission fee, made raffle tickets and even convinced Granny to make a rhubarb crumble as a raffle prize. They made €14 and decided the chickenpox weren’t so bad.
When big brother came home from school the following week complaining of head and tummy pain, I didn’t make the connection. The following morning the first spots appeared and by evening he was covered from head to toe and he was miserable. Even the privilege of being allowed to play his DS midweek didn’t lift his spirits. He was on day 3 when I noticed the first spots on our 18 month old. I was happy that they’d all be through them together but on day 4 of baby’s illness he spiked a temperature and his eyes started to swell. Care doc recommended watching him and we were again advised not to give Nurofen. By evening we really weren’t happy with how he looked. We were sent straight to the local pediatrics ward. His temperature was 41.5 and he looked like he had been beaten. Swabs and bloods were taken and he was started on 3 different IV antibiotics. He had developed a Group A streptococcal infection and Cellulitis. He was quite a sick baba.
I always thought Chickenpox was a pretty harmless childhood disease but looking at my little man lying in hospital I started to read differently. Serious complications can include bacterial infections, as in our case, pneumonia, infection or inflammation of the brain, sepsis and dehydration. People who may be at high risk for complications include infants, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems, due to illness or medications. I also started to read why Nurofen is not advised in the treatment of chickenpox, even by the company itself. As it was the medicine being offered by the hospital, I had to put forward my case for declining it.
We spent five days in hospital and now, a week later his spots are starting to fade and the only lasting effects of his hospital stay appear to be his ET like mastery of the word “home”.
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| Home, sweet home |
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