Is it a superstition?

I also had chicken pox around 5 years ago. I also got a lot of advice, but I don't know which is true according to science. I think many people avoid dried and solid food and have many fruits during the time of the disease. I didn't take shower for about one week once I was almost done with the disease. I don't think there is a problem in taking shower if she feels good about it, but most of the people will be tired and their body will be painful and they don't feel like taking a shower.

I know my response is late and might not be of much use to you or your niece...but it can be kept in mind for later. I got chickenpox when I was 7 years old. So, I don't remember much....just that my sister who wasn't 1 yet also got it and so did my dad. The most recent case of chickenpox that I've encountered is when my husband and son got it....which was 6 years ago. Though my in-laws came to help and had their own rules,ideas and suggestions...my husband who is a pharmacologist had ideas of his own. Even though my mother-in-law forbid the daily bath, my husband had his bath daily. We avoided fried food and anything that would get the body heated up. My husband did have fever but my son didn't. The reason for not taking bath long back (I think) was that the scales would spread out and other people could be easily infected that way.

Hi Scree, my yahoo mail still giving problem to me. And I couldn't read it directly from the mailbox. From the list I could see the new discussion you started but I have to search my friends started I then could get it. As what we believe everyone would experience the disease of chicken pox during one's lifetime. To avoid the inconvenience of having such undesirable disease in the inappropriate moment like happening at the very time of examination, wedding, or any other occasions which might be affected. Therefore the most suitable time considering here is below the age of eleven. For the all the standard six primary pupils have to sit for the essential primary school exam before furthering their secondary school studying. At the moment there is chicken pox immunity injection available here to avoid suffering from the chicken pox disease Secondly due to the convenience of taking care of the patient, parents like to bring the young kids approaching the chicken pox patient and hope that their kids would infected with the same disease and get immune to it. According the traditional remedy patient should take lots of certain herbal tea which could promote the pox to come out vigorously and die away fast if taking enough amount of such tea. The elderly believe the toxin would excrete through the pox. Taking lukewarm water bath or wiping tenderly with warm water soaked towel could keep the skin clean and hygienic therefore this is not forbidden at all, as long as don't scarify the pox this is to prevent the germ to go in through the wound. Any inflammation would leave indecent scar. This would affect the appearance for sure. Any severe scratching would leave disgusting scar as well. and this is most difficult part to take care of the suffering kid for the awful itch is hardly to tolerate. Avoid to take dark color soy sauce and any other dark color food and this is believed that the pox might leave ugly dark scar on the skin. I think it is yet to be testified medically. Majority of us still follow such traditional belief, not only when having chicken pox, it's whenever having any cut or wound as well, including me Other than the herbal tea, patient is courage to take soft and nutritive food like chopped meat or fish porridge. Soft food is easy to digest and nutritive food could strengthen the immune system and promote the metabolism to help the patient to recover faster. Fried and oily food is rather difficult to digest and this would increase the burden of the digestive process and might affect the pace from restored to health. From your experience and the right way you learned from the doctor to take care of your niece, I believe she would be healthy and briskly very fast as before for sure. How fortunate she is to have such a caring and considerate aunty. Take care and happy posting dear

Doctor is the better person to give advice on these matters. My children took bath after fever subsided. I asked them not to use soap but green gram powder to avoid irritation. Reducing the salt is good as it may reduce itching. But above all neem leaves are very good source for not only controlling the itching but curing too. Change the neem leaves every day, if possible and the fresh leaves will have soothing effect on the skin.

Hi , why this confusion ? What did you doctor suggest. I thing now a days we have all sort of facility and treatment available. Its better to consult a physician and take care of your Niece as per the expert advice. Better not to try anything silly as per others advice.

Hello sreekala, very nice to see u in my lot web interaction after a long period, hope u r all fine by the mercy of lord. About your niece's health reg. chicken-pox following her mouth and throat are worst infected due to that, really i felt very sad about that any way i will keep in my prayer for her speedy recovery, please don't worry about her god is there & he will take care about his loving children health. Regarding food for your niece for the mouth and throat recovery i can suggest you, taken thurdal as required as in that few garlic ie 3 to 4 pods (not full garlic), put some asfoteia small onion little ghee and 1/4 spoon of methi, curry leaf tomato -1 no. and 1/2 cup of rice boil together until mashed it finely give it to her say 2 do 3 days, this is very mild food just like infant can take, i hope this will help to recover speedy for her mouth and throat problems, and she got some energies also. I am still trying the home based job but not succeeded, hence i got only limited internet connection, so that i cannot spend much time in the net, that is why very rarely visiting mylot. If u come across any geneune home based job please let me know dear. regards, shalome

I think your treatment is the right one, but I've heard that it is desirable to not to have warm food during chicken pox.

Usually when any of us are down with chicken pox, we were asked to bath with coconut water. This is allow the pox to sprout out faster and reduce the body of any heat that comes with chicken pox. I think other people have their own remedies to combat the effects of chicken pox which they have tried before. Gather any information you get and try to apply the one that you think is most suitable.

It's always good to avoid salt, which causes us to retain water and allows the itchy things to thrive. Baths are good--the cleaner we are, the less germs we have. Chicken Pox is a virus and you can't do much to prevent or fix it. Stay clean, well nourished and do what you can to relieve the itching. I hope you niece recovers soon! I had this as a child and it was miserable.

I've not encountered chicken pox yet but I believe it is almost the same as smallpox.Yes fried food is not recommended and it will help a lot if she will take lots of fruits and water. She must eat those rich in vitamin C. Regarding bathing, I think the doctor knows best so follow his advice. I hope she gets well soon!

hi Sree.. Good to know she is getting well.. Taking bath is good.. even I got this once in my childhood. my mother used to make me to take bath with warm water into which she used to add neem leaves and turmeric powder. Also as you said avoid fried food also avoid spicy food. I wish your niece to get well soon..

I remember having chicken pox when I was a child and I don’t recall my mother doing or feeding me anything in particular. I used to bathe every day and got over it in about a week or two. More recently my sister’s daughter had chicken pox when she was around five and again she was not given or fed anything special and also bathed daily. I would ignore old wives tales and just heed the doctor’s advice.

Hi Sreekala, having a bath is good unless the patient is against it.It soothes the skin . I used to give a bath to my children when they had it.One has to be careful with diet- no fried stuff and extra spicy food.Give her plenty of liquids and boiled vegetables,Rava porridge ,soups which are all nutritious and good for health. I did that with my children.All the marks have gone and your idea of adding neem leaves is very good since it has medicinal qualities. I too do that often..all the best,hope she recovers fast ...

Hello Sreekala, I hope your niece has a speedy recovery from chicken pox. I had this many years ago and i don't remember quite well but yeah, mom used to run the affected areas with hot water in which she soaked neem leaves. I was bed ridden with a mosquito net, and all around, the windows of my room were covered with neem leaves. I had an irritating fever at the beginning but it reduced to weakness and lazyness. If i remember, it's okay to have a hot bath with neem soaked water if we don't have fever anymore.

I really don’t have much experience with this but I feel that you should do as the doctor tells you. Many a times though I’ve seen that young doctors have little practical experience but if its an aged doctor, then just do as he/she is saying. Also, if you have somebody like grandma with whom you can consult, they can give you the best advice. Otherwise, don’t listen to whatever people say…individual bodies react in different ways to the same treatment so what’s working for your niece, may not work for others. Here’s hoping her a speedy recovery,

It is good that your niece is getting better. I don't beleive in any of those superstitions, just lots of love and and sympathy go a long way with children when they are sick. just make sure she is drinking plenty of water and that you are keeping her body temperature down to a normal level. When my kids had chickenpox, they were back on their feet anr ready to play again after just 5 days.