Waterpokken

Past Friday Tobias was going to the day case. I was going to take him to the day care so I was the one getting him up and dressing him. While I was doing that I noticed a red spot on his tummy. I didn't think much of it, but closer inspection revealed a blister-like spot. I am one who pops things that are on my body so I popped the blister, just to make sure it was a blister and just to see what was inside. Well, there was a water-like substance inside. I still thought it was just a blister. Maybe his diaper had been rubbing on his tummy or something.

Anyway, I got him dressed, fed him, gave him a bit to drink and everything was fine. Then, when I got him ready to go outside by putting his coat on and everything, I felt a little bump on the back of his head as I was holding him. It was very similar to the little blister on his tummy. This is when it occurred to me that it might be something other than a blister, that it might be waterpokken (chicken pocks). Closer inspection of Tobias' head revealed more spots behind his ear. My diagnosis: waterpokken. Just to make sure I called the expert on such matters... mommy... and she had her colleague confirm it: chicken pocks. I decided to take him to the day care anyway because he was in good spirits and didn't seem to be bothered by it. They took him in because if he had infected other children it would have already happened before the spots started showing. She warned me though that by the time we'd pick him up he'd probably be covered in red spots.... and he was...

Tobias didn't start feeling bad until much later. He had a good day at the day care and saturday was fine too. The night from saturday to sunday is when he was not able to sleep. He woke up at one, as did we, and didn't go back to sleep until six or so, as did we... Sunday he was not feeling well at all. He was tired an did not have much of an appetite. He was so tired that he did sleep quite well that day. He also slept through the night on sunday but still was not feeling well on monday. Monday night he slept well again and today when I got home from work he was back to his happy self.

This picture was taken on monday night. As you can see he is doing OK, but covered in spots. Most of those spots had not opened yet at tha point although he already had some scabs too. The funny thing is that when he checks out his tummy he does not touch any of the spots but goes right for his belly button, as if the spots weren't there... odd...

Well, if nothing else I learned a valuable lesson: Do NOT pop spots, speckles or whatever on your child's body (the one I popped is the bigger one just above his belly button...)