There’s nothing worse than seeing your family suffer from an illness. Chickenpox is possibly one of the worst illnesses that your family, especially your children, can go through. The itching can be intense, and it might seem like nothing provides the relief that anyone needs. If you follow a few strategies, then you can help your family get the relief they need so that they can quickly get through the virus.
Oatmeal Baths
Part of having chicken pox is the itching. It can be mild and somewhat easy to deal with, or it could be an itch that you can’t seem to get over or deal with. One way that you can get some relief for the itching from chicken pox and to relax for at least a short time is to take an oatmeal bath. You only need about a cup of oatmeal in your bath water for you to see results. Try not to get the water too hot because the oatmeal could begin to soften faster than it already will if you sit in the water for a long time. Add a small amount of lavender to your bath water because the scent can relax the mind, which can help you sleep better during the day or at night.
Visit Your Doctor
One way to help prevent chickenpox is to visit your family doctor, like the professionals at Rural Health Services Consortium Inc., to get vaccinated. Most states require that children be vaccinated before they start school, so this will usually keep them from getting the virus. However, if you’ve never been vaccinated, then it might be a good idea to consider. If anyone in your family gets chicken pox, then your doctor can usually give you suggestions on what can be used to treat the symptoms you have.
Keep Your Hands Busy
When you have chickenpox, you’ll probably feel like scratching the pain and the bumps away. Try to keep your hands busy and lotion on your skin to keep from scratching. Play games together, watch movies with each other or read books so that you’re not thinking about itching. Trim your children’s fingernails so that they aren’t long enough to do much damage to the skin. You could also try putting oven mitts on your children’s hands as well as your own to keep from scratching as well.
It will take time to get over chickenpox. With a few ideas and planning, you can make the illness as manageable as possible. Make sure everyone stays hydrated because you might not want to eat a lot while you’re sick.
