Content

• Steps

Chickenpox is a disease caused by the Varicella Zoster virus that belongs to the Herpes virus group. Chickenpox was once considered one of the most common illnesses in young children, but since the chickenpox vaccine was produced, the rate of infection has decreased significantly. Even so, you or your child can still get chickenpox at any time. To identify chickenpox, you need to be aware of the symptoms associated with the disease.

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Recognize chickenpox

1. 

   Watch for symptoms on your skin. After a runny nose and sneezing for a day or two, you may notice red spots appear on the skin. These spots usually begin on the chest, face and back, are often itchy and can spread quickly to other parts.
   • The red spots will turn into red bumps and then turn into blisters. This red dot contains the virus and is very contagious. The blisters will crust over after a few days. After the blisters crust over, the patient will no longer be contagious.
   • Insect bites, scabies, other viral rashes, impetigo and syphilis can resemble chickenpox.

2. 

   
   
   Be careful with cold symptoms. The first sign of chickenpox is a mild cold with a runny nose, sneezing and coughing. You can even have a fever of up to 39 degrees. If the infected person comes into contact with someone with chickenpox or has chickenpox re-infection (a milder form in those who have had the vaccine), the mild cold may be considered the initial symptom of the illness.

3. 

   
   
   Detect symptoms early to avoid contact with people at risk. Chickenpox is highly contagious and dangerous for people with immune system problems, such as people undergoing cancer chemotherapy or people with HIV / AIDS and most children, since children have not been vaccinated. chickenpox vaccine until at least 12 months of age. advertisement

Method 2 of 5: Understand chickenpox virus

1. 

   
   
   Understand how viruses are transmitted. The chickenpox virus is spread through the air or by direct contact, usually through splashed material when you sneeze or cough. This virus is transported in liquid (eg saliva or mucus).
   • Touching open wounds caused by the virus or inhaling the virus (for example, by kissing someone with chickenpox) will also become infected with chickenpox.
   • If you've ever seen someone with chickenpox, it will be easier to identify your symptoms.

2. 

   Know the incubation period. The chickenpox virus does not cause immediate symptoms. Generally, it can take 10-21 days after exposure for noticeable symptoms to appear. The maculopapular rash will continue to appear for a few days, and the blisters will disappear after a few days. This means you could get a lumpy skin rash, blisters, and open, scaly blisters at the same time.
   • Approximately 90% of close contact and not vaccinated will develop the disease after exposure.

3. 

   Realize that adolescents and adults will experience more complications. Although not serious, chickenpox still causes many hospitalizations, deaths, and complications in adolescents and adults. The rash and blisters may appear in the mouth, anus, and vagina.

4. 

   Call your doctor if you are at high risk of serious illness. Children over 12 years of age, pregnant women or people with immune problems (including using steroids that interfere with the immune system) or people with asthma or eczema are at high risk. more serious symptoms.

5. 

   Call your doctor right away if someone with chickenpox symptoms:
   • Fever lasting more than 4 days or higher than 39 degrees Fahrenheit
   • Have a warm, red, painful rash when or starts to drain pus, as this is a sign of secondary infection
   • Difficulty waking up or becoming confused
   • A stiff neck or difficulty walking
   • Vomiting frequently
   • Bad cough
   • Shortness of breath
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Method 3 of 5: Treatment of Chickenpox

1. 

   Seek medical attention for medication if the disease develops in a bad way or is at greater risk. Not everyone is prescribed medication for chickenpox. In many cases, doctors won't prescribe strong medications for children, unless the infection could lead to pneumonia or other serious problems.
   • For best results, patients should take antiviral drugs within the first 24 hours of the rash appears.
   • If you have a skin condition such as eczema, a lung disease like asthma, have recently been treated with steroids or have an immune system problem, an antiviral medication will be considered for chickenpox.
   • In some cases, pregnant women can also take antiviral drugs.

2. 

   Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen. Especially do not give these 2 drugs to children and do not give ibuprofen to infants under 6 months old. Aspirin can lead to another serious condition called Reye syndrome, and ibuprofen can lead to other secondary infections. Instead, use acetaminophen (Tylenol) to treat the headache or soreness or fever caused by chickenpox.

3. 

   Don't scratch the blisters or remove the scabs. Although the blisters and scabs are very itchy, you should not remove the scabs or scratch the rash. Scaly removal of the blister leaves behind scarring, and scratching increases the risk of infection. Cut your child's nails if he or she scratches the blisters.

4. 

   Cool blisters. Place a cold compress on the blisters. Take a cool bath. The cold temperature will help relieve the itching and fever caused by chickenpox.

5. 

   Use calamine lotion to relieve itching. Take a cool bath with baking soda or oatmeal glue or apply calamine lotion to help relieve itching. If this doesn't help, call your doctor for medication. Cool water and calamine lotion will help relieve the itching (reduce the severity), but that doesn't mean the itch is gone until the blisters heal.
   • Calamine lotion is available at grocery stores or drug stores.
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Method 4 of 5: Prevent chickenpox

1. 

   Ask your doctor about the chickenpox vaccine. The vaccine is safe and is given to children before exposure to the disease. The first dose is given at 15 months of age and the second dose is 4-6 years old.
   • Getting chickenpox vaccine is much safer than getting chickenpox. Most people who get the chickenpox vaccine do not have any problems. However, like any medicine, a vaccine can cause serious problems like an allergic reaction. The risk of getting more serious or dying from the chickenpox vaccine is extremely small.

2. 

   Give the child infected with chickenpox if the vaccine is not given. Be sure to talk to your doctor about this decision. Getting vaccinated is a parent's personal decision. However, the older the child, the more tired the child will be when sick.If you decide not to vaccinate your child, or if he or she has or may be allergic to the vaccine, try to get chickenpox after 3 years of age and before 10 years to reduce symptoms and severity of the disease. .

3. 

   Be careful in case of chickenpox recurrence. Children who have been vaccinated can develop a milder form of the disease. Maybe on the child's body only appear about 50 rashes and blisters. This makes diagnosing the disease more difficult. However, the disease also spreads quickly if it thrives.
   • Adults are at higher risk of serious illness and higher rates of complications.
   • Until now, vaccination was chosen by more people than the "chickenpox campaign", meaning that parents intentionally let infected children. Vaccination can cause mild symptoms of illness, while participating in the chickenpox campaign will most likely make you or your child worse, which can lead to pneumonia and other terrible disasters. For that reason, you won't want to participate in the chickenpox campaign.
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Method 5 of 5: Beware of Other Complications

1. 

   Be wary of children with skin problems, such as eczema. Children with a history of skin problems may develop a lot of blisters. This is painful and increases the risk of scarring. You should use the treatments described above to relieve itching and talk to your doctor about other topical and oral medications to reduce discomfort and pain.

2. 

   Beware of secondary infections. Areas with blisters can become contaminated with bacteria. The blisters will become warm, red, painful to the touch, and may drain pus. Pus is dark in color and not as clear as the discharge from a blister. Call your doctor if you notice these changes in the skin. Secondary infection should be treated with antibiotics.
   • Bacterial infections can also affect tissues, bones, joints and even blood vessels, called sepsis.
   • The infection is very dangerous and requires immediate medical attention.
   • Symptoms of secondary infection to bones, joints or blood include:
   • Fever over 39 degrees
   • Warm and painful areas to the touch (bones, joints, tissues)
   • Arthralgia when active
   • Shortness of breath
   • Chest tightness
   • The cough gets worse
   • Feeling tired. Most children have a fever when they have chickenpox, but it quickly goes away. And despite the symptoms of a cold, children still play, laugh and want to go outside. Children with septicemia (infection in the blood) will be quiet, want to sleep more, have a fever of more than 39 degrees, an increased heart rate and an increased respiratory rate (more than 20 beats per minute).

3. 

   Beware of other serious complications from chickenpox. Although uncommon, complications with chickenpox are very dangerous and can lead to death.
   • Dehydration causes the body not to have enough water to function. Dehydration affects the brain, blood and kidneys first. Signs of dehydration include: little or thick urine, tiredness, weakness or dizziness, or a fast heartbeat
   • Pneumonia is characterized by a lot of cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or chest pain
   • Hemorrhagic problems occurred
   • Infection or inflammation of the brain. Children will become quiet, sleepy and complain of a headache. Children may be confused or have difficulty waking up.
   • Toxic shock syndrome

4. 

   Beware of shingles (shingles) in adults, especially past the age of 40, if you had chickenpox as a child. Shingles is a painful, blistering rash that occurs on one side of the body, body, or face, and can numb the skin and is also caused by the Varicella Zoster virus. This virus multiply in the body until the immune system weakens (as we get older). Pain, usually burning, and numbness usually goes away within a few weeks, but other lasting damage can occur in the eyes and other parts of the body. Post-shingles neuropathy is a painful, difficult-to-treat neurological disease that can be caused by shingles.
   • Call your doctor right away if you think you have shingles for antiviral medication, especially if it's caught early. Adults may be vaccinated against shingles.
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