If your child has a fever, or if their skin is sore and aggravated, dress them appropriately so that they don't get too hot or too cold. Loose-fitting, smooth, cotton fabrics are best and will help stop the skin from becoming sore and irritated.
If your child has chickenpox, avoid sponging them down with cool water. This can make your child too cold and may make them shiver. Ideally, aciclovir needs to be started within 24 hours of the rash appearing. It does not cure chickenpox, but it makes the symptoms less severe. You normally need to take the medicine as tablets 5 times a day for 7 days. If you are taking aciclovir, make sure you drink plenty of fluids.
Side effects are rare, but can include nausea and diarrhoea. Immunoglobulin is a solution of antibodies that is taken from healthy donors.
Varicella-zoster immunoglobulin VZIG contains antibodies to the chickenpox virus. Immunoglobulin treatment is given by injection. It is not used to treat chickenpox, but to protect people who are at high risk of developing a severe chickenpox infection.
This includes:. In the case of pregnant women, immunoglobulin treatment also reduces the risk of the unborn baby becoming infected. In some cases, newborn babies may be given immunoglobulin treatment without having a blood test first. Read more about the complications of chickenpox.
Complications of chickenpox are rare in healthy children. The most common complication is where the blisters become infected with bacteria.
A sign that the blisters have become infected is when the surrounding skin becomes red and sore. If you think that your child's blisters have become infected, contact your GP as the child may need a course of antibiotics. Very rarely, chickenpox can lead to more serious complications involving the nervous system brain and spinal cord in children.
These include infections of the brain encephalitis , the protective membranes around the brain meningitis or part of the brain called the cerebellum cerebellitis. Seek medical advice as soon as possible if your child develops any of these symptoms after having chickenpox. Chickenpox can be more serious in adults than in children. Adults with the virus are more likely to be admitted into hospital. If you smoke, your risk of developing lung problems is much higher. Although it is more serious in adults, most people will still make a full recovery from the chickenpox virus.
For example, your risk of developing pneumonia is slightly higher if you're pregnant, especially if you smoke. The further you are into your pregnancy, the more serious the risk of pneumonia tends to be. If you get chickenpox while you're pregnant, there is also a small but significant risk to your unborn baby.
If you are infected with chickenpox during the first 28 weeks of your pregnancy, there is a risk that your unborn baby could develop a condition known as foetal varicella syndrome FVS.
This syndrome is rare. If you are infected with chickenpox 7 days before or 7 days after giving birth, your newborn baby may develop a more serious type of chickenpox. In a few severe cases, this type of chickenpox can be fatal. See your GP urgently if you're pregnant or have given birth in the last 7 days and you think you may have chickenpox, or if you've been exposed to someone who has chickenpox.
If your immune system is weak or does not work properly, you are more susceptible to developing infections such as chickenpox. This is because your body produces fewer antibodies to fight off the infection. Immunosuppressive medication such as steroid tablets may be used if, for example, you have an inflammatory condition such as rheumatoid arthritis , lupus or certain blood conditions. If you have a weakened immune system, you're also more at risk of developing complications from chickenpox.
These complications include:. See your GP urgently if you have a weakened immune system and you've been exposed to the chickenpox virus. For more information, read about how to stop the spread of chickenpox. If your child has chickenpox,it is recommended that you inform their school or nursery, and keep them at home for 5 days.
If you have chickenpox, stay off work and at home until you're no longer infectious, which is until the last blister has burst and crusted over.
This usually happens five or six days after the rash begins. If you or your child have recently been exposed to the chickenpox virus, you may not be able to visit friends or relatives in hospital. Telephone the ward to check first. If you or your child have chickenpox, you may not be allowed to fly until 6 days after the last spot has appeared. You and your child should be safe to fly once you're past the infectious stage and all of the blisters have crusted over.
However, it's best to check the policy of your airline first. Inform the airline as soon as chickenpox is diagnosed.
It is also important to let your travel insurer know if you or your child has chickenpox. You need to make sure that you'll be covered if you have to delay or cancel your holiday, or if you need to extend your stay until your child is well enough to fly home.
Chickenpox can sometimes be spread through contact with objects that have been contaminated with the virus, such as children's toys, bedding or clothing. If someone in your household has chickenpox, you can help stop the virus spreading by wiping any objects or surfaces with a sterilising solution and making sure that any infected clothing or bedding is washed regularly.
There is a chickenpox vaccine that is used to protect people who are most at risk of a serious chickenpox infection or of passing the infection on to someone who is at risk. The vaccine is not suitable for pregnant women. Avoid getting pregnant for 3 months after having the vaccine. The vaccine is also not suitable for people with weakened immune systems. Home Illnesses and conditions Infections and poisoning Chickenpox. Chickenpox See all parts of this guide Hide guide parts 1.
About chickenpox 2. Symptoms of chickenpox 3. Causes of chickenpox 4. Diagnosing chickenpox 5. Treating chickenpox 6. Complications of chickenpox 7. Preventing the spread of chickenpox. About chickenpox Chickenpox is a mild and common childhood illness that most children catch at some point.
Children usually catch chickenpox in winter and spring, particularly between March and May. What to do To prevent spreading the infection, keep children off nursery or school until all their spots have crusted over.
Chickenpox treatment Chickenpox in children is considered a mild illness, but your child will probably feel pretty miserable and irritable while they have it. In most children, the blisters crust up and fall off naturally within one to two weeks. When to see a doctor For most children, chickenpox is a mild illness that gets better on its own.
However, some children can become more seriously ill with chickenpox and need to see a doctor. Contact your GP straight away if your child develops any abnormal symptoms, such as: if the blisters on their skin become infected if your child has a pain in their chest or has difficulty breathing Chickenpox in adults Chickenpox may be a childhood illness, but adults can get it too.
Who's at special risk? They include: pregnant women newborn babies people with a weakened immune system These people should seek medical advice as soon as they are exposed to the chickenpox virus or they develop chickenpox symptoms. Chickenpox in pregnancy Chickenpox occurs in approximately 3 in every 1, pregnancies.
Chickenpox and shingles Once you have had chickenpox, you usually develop antibodies to the infection and become immune to catching it again. It's possible to catch chickenpox from someone with shingles, but not the other way around. Complications from chickenpox can occur, but they are not common in healthy people who get the disease.
People who may get a serious case of chickenpox and may be at high risk for complications include:. Some people with serious complications from chickenpox can become so sick that they need to be hospitalized. Chickenpox can also cause death. Deaths are very rare now due to the vaccine program. However, some deaths from chickenpox continue to occur in healthy, unvaccinated children and adults. It takes seven to 14 days to disappear completely. Varicella-zoster virus VZV causes the chickenpox infection.
Most cases occur through contact with an infected person. The virus is contagious to those around you for one to two days before your blisters appear. VZV remains contagious until all blisters have crusted over. The virus can spread through:.
Exposure to the virus through previous active infection or vaccination reduces risk. Immunity from the virus can be passed on from a mother to her newborn. Immunity lasts about three months from birth. Anyone who has not been exposed may contract the virus. Risk increases under any of these conditions:.
One of several viruses or infections could be affecting you. Tell your doctor right away if you are pregnant and have been exposed to chickenpox.
Or, lab tests can confirm the cause of the blisters. These groups may also contract VZV pneumonia or bacterial infections of the skin, joints, or bones. Most people diagnosed with chickenpox will be advised to manage their symptoms while they wait for the virus to pass through their system.
Parents will be told to keep children out of school and day care to prevent spread of the virus. Infected adults will also need to stay home. Your doctor may prescribe antihistamine medications or topical ointments, or you may purchase these over the counter to help relieve itching.
You can also soothe itching skin by:. Your doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs if you experience complications from the virus or are at risk for adverse effects. People at high risk are usually the young, older adults, or those who have underlying medical issues. These antiviral drugs do not cure chickenpox. They make the symptoms less severe by slowing down viral activity. The body can resolve most cases of chickenpox on its own. People usually return to normal activities within one to two weeks of diagnosis.
Once chickenpox heals, most people become immune to the virus. In rare cases, it may re-emerge to cause another episode of chickenpox.
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