When her son first caught chicken pox, Hayley Lyons said that over four doctors prescribed Ibuprofen to help make his son’s affliction better, said a Mirror report.
Following the doctors’ orders, Hayley gave her son the medicine, but soon realized the mistake when the chicken pox turned into a severe bacterial infection called septicaemia.
“This type of medicine is an anti inflammatory, it reacts with chicken pox making them go deeper into the skin tissue,” she said.
“It was only when we took Lewis to Alder Hey [Hospital] because the doctors from our hospital kept sending him home saying it was ‘just chicken pox’ we found this out.”
Nurofen, the brand of Ibuprofen Hayley gave her, actually says in its label that it shouldn’t be given to kids with chicken pox.
Photo credit: Manchester Evening News
“It does actually state on the nurofen website not to take this medicine with chicken pox. But when our doctors prescribe it, who are we to question it??”
Nottingham Children’s Hospital pediatrician Stephanie Smith told Metro that although the risk is low, ibuprofen is linked to skin reactions among people who have chicken pox.
“There’s a recognition that ibuprofen has a link with skin reactions in children with chicken pox,” she said. “It would be good to advise parents and doctors about the risks.”
Despite severe scars that now mark his body, Lewis is now on his road to full recovery. His mother decided to come forward with her brush with tragedy to inform other parents of this potential oversight.
Chicken pox and medications
Chicken pox is a universal affliction that is practically a rite of passage for every kid, and some adults. When you catch it, the best course of action is to ride it out and resist the urge to scratch the blisters.
The affliction renders most kids feverish and irritable and downright miserable, and although there are no cures for it, there are ways to make them feel a little better.
Paracetamol is a lot safer for chicken pox and has little to no adverse effects; calamine lotion and cooling gels also helps assuage itching.
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