Chicken pox

Chicken pox is a very common infection that children invariably catch as it's one of the most contagious of all childhood diseases.

Your child will be contagious from one to two days before the rash starts to the time when the blisters scab over. The chicken pox virus is the same one that causes shingles (herpes zoster), so adults, particularly older ones, can get shingles from a child with chicken pox.

Chicken pox often starts with a temperature of 38-39°C (100.4-102°F). In very young children, however, there is hardly any rise in temperature; the rash may be the first sign. This will appear in crops over five to seven days and will be extremely itchy. At first the spots are like dark red pimples, but within a couple of hours they will have developed a small blister on top that resembles a drop of water. The spots will eventually scab over and drop off. The rash usually starts on the child's trunk and then spreads to his face, scalp, arms and legs. In the worst cases, the spots can also appear inside the child's mouth, nose, ears, vagina and anus.

What to do

The most important thing to do is to stop your child from scratching the spots. If you don't do this the scab may come off and the resulting wound may become infected and can leave a scar. The best treatment for this is a moisturizer containing antiseptic applied at regular intervals. Keep your child's nails short to minimize the risk of infection should he pull the scabs off. Your child may find that the itchiness is so intense that he can't get to sleep so your doctor may prescribe antihistamine to relieve this. Give your child the recommended dose of paracetamol and/or ibuprofen syrup to control his temperature and make sure he drinks plenty of fluids. If your child is still wearing nappies leave them off as much as possible to prevent infection.

Dr Miriam Stoppard

New Babycare
Copyright © 2009 Dorling Kindersley
Text copyright © 2009 Miriam Stoppard

Posted 03.11.2010

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