If Your Child Get Chickenpox
Chickenpox is a very common childhood infection. It is caused by a virus called varicella-zoster (said like VAH-ri-sell-ah ZAW-ster). The infection is usually mild in children. But newborn babies and adults can become very sick if they get chickenpox.
Most people contract chickenpox by age 15, the majority between ages 5 and 9, but all ages can contract it. Chickenpox is usually more severe in adults and very young infants than children. Winter and spring are the most common times of the year for chickenpox to occur.
A person usually has only one episode of chickenpox, but VZV (Varicella Zoster Virus) can lie dormant within the body and cause a different type of skin eruption later in life called shingles (or herpes zoster). Getting the chickenpox vaccine significantly lowers kids’ chances of getting chickenpox, but they might still develop shingles later in life.
Chickenpox spreads easily. It jumps from person to person in two ways:
- Through direct contact with the virus, when someone touches the blisters.
- Through saliva droplets in the air, when someone with chickenpox sneezes, coughs, or even talks.
The virus spreads most easily one or two days before the rash appears. A child with chickenpox can give the infection to other people until the blisters have dried up. Contact your school or daycare to find out when your child can return.
Symptoms
Symptoms tend to appear 14 to 16 days after the initial exposure but can occur any time from 10 days up to 21 days after contact with the virus. Chickenpox is characterized by one to two days of mild fever up to 102 degrees F, general weakness, and a rash, often the first sign of the disease.
Chickenpox causes a red, itchy skin rash that usually appears first on the abdomen or back and face, and then spreads to almost everywhere else on the body, including the scalp, mouth, nose, ears, and genitals.
The rash begins as multiple small red bumps that look like pimples or insect bites. They develop into thin-walled blisters filled with clear fluid, which becomes cloudy. The blister wall breaks, leaving open sores, which finally crust over to become dry, brown scabs.
Treatment
If your child gets chickenpox, do not give acetylsalicylic acid (ASA or Aspirin) or any products that contain ASA. Taking ASA increases the risk of getting Reye’s syndrome. This severe illness can damage a child’s liver and brain. To control your child’s fever, use acetaminophen(said like ah-SEE-tah-MIN-oh-fen.) Your pharmacist can help you choose an anti-fever medicine with acetaminophen.
The chickenpox rash is very itchy. Take good care of the skin and make sure your child does not scratch it. A child who scratches a lot may get infections caused by bacteria that get into the skin. You can do the following things to prevent this:
- Cut your child’s fingernails short.
- Dress your child in light-weight clothing.
- Give your child luke-warm baths to help reduce the itch.
- If your child feels well enough, let her play and be active. This can take her mind off the itch.
- Your doctor may tell you the name of a cream to help reduce the itch.
These are some warning signs that bacteria has infected your child’s skin through a blister:
- A new fever
- Infected skin is hot to the touch
- Pus from an infected blister
- Swelling and pain in the infected area
- A bacterial skin infection should be treated by a doctor.