Chicken pox is a disease caused by a virus. It is very contagious. Someone can give you chicken pox by sneezing or coughing near you. You can also catch it from an infected person's clothes or from touching their blisters. You will know your child has chicken pox 7-21 days after they catch it.
Signs and Symptoms
A rash is usually the first sign that something is wrong. (See Skin Rash Chart.) But some children feel tired, or
get a fever or stomachache 1 to 2 days before the rash starts. The rash starts out flat
and red. It usually starts on the head, face, and back. But the rash can go anywhere. Some
children get small sores in their mouth, on their eyelids, or around the groin.
Soon the red spots turn into clear blisters that itch a lot. When your child scratches, the blisters break and make hard crusts. The crusts fall off in about 2 weeks. Your child will keep getting new sores for 2-6 days. Some children get chicken pox all over. Others don't. Children can give chicken pox to someone else before the rash develops and up until all of the blisters are crusted over.
Treatment
Most children get over chicken pox without any problems. Sometimes chicken
pox can lead to encephalitis, a brain infection. Other problems are meningitis and
pneumonia. But usually the biggest problem is infected blisters. (See the Self-Care Tips
listed below.)
If your child gets chicken pox once, they will probably be immune to it. If they do get it again, it won't be as bad the second time.
Your child's doctor can give your child a prescription to control the chicken pox. But this is not a good idea most of the time. Also, your child has to take it during the first 24 hours of the illness. (Your child will still be immune to chicken pox later.) Ask your child's doctor for more information.
Prevention
A vaccine called Varivax can prevent chicken pox. (See Immunization Schedule.)
The only other way to prevent chicken pox is to keep your child away from people who have it. This is not a good idea, though. It is much better for people to get chicken pox when they are young. Chicken pox is much more serious in adults.
Take special care to keep your child with chicken pox away from adults, older people, and pregnant women who have never had chicken pox. And, keep your child away from people who are sick or taking medicines that make it harder for their bodies to fight off illnesses. If your child has cancer, or takes medicine that causes weakness, he or she may have more problems with chicken pox.
Does your child have these problems? Very bad headache Stiff neck and fever Convulsions Acts strange Throws up over and over |
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| Is it hard to wake up your child? Is your child confused? Is it hard for your child to breathe? |
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| Does your child have cancer or take medicine that makes it easier
to get sick? And does your child have a fever higher than 102oF? |
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| Does your child have cancer or take medicine that makes it easier
to get sick? And does your child have a fever of 102oF or less? |
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| Does your child have a fever higher than 103oF? Or has
your child had a 102oF fever for more than 2 days? |
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| Does your child have any of these problems? Red scabs Sores that bleed or have pus A red rash with tiny pink dots? |
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| Is the person with the chicken pox an adult? | |
The tips below will help you comfort your child. They will help with the itching so
your child won't scratch so much. (Scratching the scabs can start another infection or
leave scars.)
Keep your child busy. He or she can't
scratch if his or her hands are busy. And he or she won't think about the itching so much.
Give your child a cool bath without soap
every 3 or 4 hours. Do this the first 2 days. Keep your child in the bath for 15-20
minutes. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda or an oatmeal bath to the water. (Aveeno is one brand
of oatmeal bath.) Pat your child dry. Don't rub.
Put a cool, wet washcloth on the itchy
places.
Put calamine lotion on the itchy places.
Don't use Caladryl lotion.
Keep your child's fingernails short so it
is harder to scratch.
If your child is a baby, cover the baby's
hands with cotton socks to prevent scratching.
Wash your child's hands 3 times a day. Use
a soap that kills germs, like Safeguard or Dial. This helps keep germs away from the
sores.
Keep your child cool and calm. The itching
gets worse when your child is hot and sweaty.
Keep your child out of the sun. The sun
makes the rash worse.
You may choose to give your child Benadryl
if the itching is very bad. Benadryl is an over-the-counter antihistamine. Use the liquid
Benadryl that your child can take by mouth. Read the directions on the label.
Give your child acetaminophen for the
fever. Here are some brands: Tylenol, Tempra, Liquiprin, Datril, Anacin 3. Whatever brand
you buy, be sure to buy the children's kind. {Note: Do not give
aspirin to anyone under 19 years old. Aspirin and other medicines that have salicylates
have been linked to Reye's Syndrome, a condition that can kill. This link has been noted
when aspirin was taken during a viral infection such as chicken pox.}
Give your child soft foods and cold drinks
for mouth sores. Don't give your child salty foods, or fruits like oranges and grapefruit.
Have your child gargle with salt water if
his or her mouth itches. (Put 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water.)
Tell your child that the "bumps"
will go away in a week or so. Tell your child not to worry.
HEALTH AT HOME - Your Complete Guide to Symptoms, Solutions, and Self-Care © 1999 by Don R. Powell. American Institute for Preventive Medicine.
Date updated 02/01/99