How to Help a Child with Chickenpox
First thing is to ensure that your child gets plenty of rest and fluids. Chickenpox will go away on its own in at most two weeks. To relieve your child of the itchiness, you can:
- Keep your child cool
- Press a cool, moist rag on the rash.
- Encourage your child not to scratch. You might need to trim their fingernails so they can’t scratch.
- Give your child an over-the-counter (OTC) form of antihistamine. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl®) and cetirizine (Zyrtec®) are two examples of OTC antihistamines.
- Put a lotion with antihistamines on the rash. These lotions are available at the drugstore. If you don’t know what to buy, ask the pharmacist for help.
- Give your child a cool bath or shower every day. You can also give your child an oatmeal bath. When you’re drying them off, don’t rub with the towel. Pat your child dry.
Do not give your child aspirin. Aspirin [2] can harm children who have fevers. If your child needs a pain reliever, use acetaminophen (such as Tylenol®). If you are not sure what drugs to use, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
To prevent dehydration, give your child fluids. Cold fluids and a soft bland diet will help if they have mouth sores.