1. Treat Discomfort With Brown Vinegar
A common home remedy to relieve itching from chicken pox is the application of a brown-vinegar solution. Add approximately 1/2 cup of brown vinegar (otherwise known as malt vinegar) to a lukewarm tub and let your child soak, making sure the water washes over all the visible blisters. Cold compresses soaked in a diluted vinegar solution can also help to soothe pain and itchiness. Simply add 2 tbsp. of brown vinegar to 2 cups of water, and soak a soft cloth in the solution before applying it to your child's skin. Do not substitute cider vinegar for brown vinegar, as it's too acidic. The starch in brown vinegar is what acts against itching.
2. Relieve Itching With Antihistamines
Over-the-counter antihistamines can provide some relief from the itch of chicken pox. Oral medications containing diphenhydramine (more commonly known as Benadryl) can not only be helpful in reducing the histamine reaction that causes itching, but also in making your child drowsy enough that her discomfort won't interrupt her sleep. Other allergy medicines, such as Zyrtec (cetirizine tablets), Allegra (fexofenadine tablets) and Claritin (loratadine), can also reduce the itching, but by design, will not cause drowsiness. Make sure to check with your child's doctor for dosing instructions for children who are younger than the recommended age on the package. If you find that the appropriate doses of these medications aren't helping, you may also want to discuss with him the merits of a prescription antihistamine like Atarax (hydroxyzine).
3. Apply Lotions to Relieve Itching
When your child has the chicken pox, making him a calamine-lotion creature might be the best way to relieve itching. Lotions provide a relatively benign solution for itching and can be applied to most areas of the body, except for around the eyes. Apply an antipruritic lotion, like calamine lotion or Caladryl, directly to your child's chicken-pox lesions. Saturate a cotton ball in the lotion and wipe it gently over the blisters. Change the cotton ball between applications, especially if the blisters are breaking open or leaking, to avoid spreading the virus.
4. Keep Clean and Cool
A child's environment can directly affect how much the chicken pox will itch. Keep the house cool, since heat and sweating can make itching worse. Soothe fever and itching with lukewarm baths and cool compresses. Cleanliness is another important factor in relieving discomfort from the chicken-pox rash. Clean your child's nails and clip them. Scratching with dirty, long fingernails can break open blisters and transfer bacteria into the sores, making the area ripe for infection.
