Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Helping a Child and an Adult
• Method 2 of 3: Treating the rash
• Method 3 of 3: Treating Risk Patients
• Tips

Chickenpox is a common infectious disease that is considered harmless to healthy children and adults (vaccination can prevent this disease), but can cause complications in people with certain medical conditions or immunodeficiencies. Chickenpox is an itchy, small rash, sometimes with painful elements on the skin, crusts, fever and headache. Check out the following points to learn how to treat chickenpox and relieve discomfort.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Helping a Child and an Adult

1. 1 Take over-the-counter drugs. As a rule, chickenpox in children and healthy adults occurs with a rise in temperature. Antipyretics (such as paracetamol) can be used to reduce fever and relieve pain. Read the instructions carefully before taking this medication. If you are unsure if a drug is safe, do not take it before consulting your doctor.
   • Do not give children acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and preparations containing it to reduce fever and other symptoms of chickenpox. Taking aspirin while sick can cause Reye's syndrome, which in some cases can be fatal due to liver and brain damage.
   • Talk to your doctor about taking ibuprofen. In rare situations, ibuprofen can cause allergic skin reactions and secondary infection.
2. 2 Use antihistamines. The main symptom of chickenpox is intense itching at the sites of skin lesions. After a while, the itching with chickenpox becomes unbearable and causes severe discomfort. Antihistamines such as Zodak, Zyrtec or Claritin are suitable for relieving itching. Talk to your doctor about dosages for your child. These medications are most beneficial if taken in the evening to help you sleep more comfortably.
   • If you or your child is experiencing severe pain or itching, see your doctor for more powerful antihistamines.
3. 3 Maintain water balance. It is very important to drink more during illness as chickenpox dehydrates the body. As a liquid, you can use plain water or other drinks, such as sports.
   • Ice cream is a great solution when the child refuses any other types of liquids.
4. 4 Eat a light diet. With chickenpox, lesions can be located on the oral mucosa. In such cases, coarse food often causes discomfort and pain, so follow a light diet: consume warm soups, cereals, puddings and ice cream. In case of severe soreness of ulcerative lesions in the mouth, exclude salty, spicy, sour and hot foods.
   • Ice cubes, popsicles, and hard candy can also be sucked to relieve pain in the mouth.
5. 5 Stay home. A chickenpox patient should stay at home. You do not need to go to work or school in order not to spread the infection. Chickenpox is easily spread through the air and through contact with rashes. In addition, work can worsen the symptoms of the disease.
   • The patient ceases to be contagious when the lesions crust over and fall off. This usually takes seven to ten days.

Method 2 of 3: Treating the rash

1. 1 Don't scratch. Remember yourself and remind your child not to scratch the rash. This is very important, as scratching the skin will further irritate and penetrate the infection.In addition, due to scratching at the site of ulcers, scars can then remain.
   • It can be very difficult to resist, but try not to scratch the rash and keep the child from this.
2. 2 Trim your nails. As a rule, it can be difficult to resist scratching the rashes, so you need to trim your nails to keep them short and smooth. This will help prevent scratching, which will speed up the healing process and save you from secondary infection.
3. 3 Cover your hands. Wear gloves or socks on your hands if you or your child can't help scratching, even with trimmed nails. Thanks to this, you will not damage your skin.
   • Even if you or your child do not experience severe itching during the daytime, still wear gloves at least overnight, as you may scratch the rash during sleep.
4. 4 Wear comfortable clothing. The skin during chickenpox is damaged and irritated, so do not wear tight-fitting clothing. Opt for loose cotton clothing that is skin-friendly. Comfortable clothing can help reduce discomfort.
   • Do not wear rough fabrics such as denim or wool.
5. 5 Don't overheat. During chickenpox, the body overheats due to high fever and rashes. Itching and fever can be exacerbated by being in hot and humid places, so it is important to avoid the streets and similar places, just as it is important to keep the temperature at home cool.
   • Avoid physical activity to avoid overheating and stimulating sweating, which increases the risk of dehydration.
6. 6 Use Calamine Lotion. Calamine is an excellent remedy for itchy skin and for healing rashes. Apply the lotion to the rash as much as needed if the itching and pain become severe. Calamine Lotion soothes the skin and helps heal rashes.
   • You can also use other skin treatments. Colored antiseptics can be applied to the skin, such as brilliant green ("brilliant green"), fucartsin or "Reglisam Octagel". Do not use hydrocortisone ointment.
   • Do not use gels with antihistamines, as their private use can lead to toxic effects and overdose.
7. 7 Take a cool bath. Take cold or warm baths to relieve itchy skin. Do not use soap to avoid irritating the rash. A lukewarm bath can help reduce high body temperature, but be careful not to chill.
   • Add oatmeal flakes, baking soda, or oatmeal to your bath to soothe itching and irritation.
   • After the bath, apply Calamine lotion or moisturizer to the skin, followed by Calamine.
   • Apply cold compresses to severely itchy areas.

Method 3 of 3: Treating Risk Patients

1. 1 Call your doctor if you have symptoms of chickenpox. It is especially important to call a doctor if the person is over 12 years old or under 6 months old. Chickenpox, as a rule, is benign and does not cause concern in children under 12 years of age. Call your doctor if someone over 12 has a rash. Chickenpox is dangerous for its complications.
   • Typically, doctors prescribe acyclovir, an antiviral drug that shortens the life of the virus. For the antiviral drug to be most effective, it is necessary to start taking it in the first 24 hours of the disease. For children over 12 years old and adults, it is recommended to take 800 mg of the drug four times a day for 5 days, for children under 12 years old, the dosage is selected individually.
   • Antiviral drugs must be prescribed for children and adults with asthma or eczema.
2. 2 Call your doctor if symptoms become severe. Regardless of the age of the patient, there are certain symptoms that should alert you - when they appear, you must call a doctor as soon as possible.Call your doctor right away if your fever persists for more than four days at about 38.9 ° C, if a rash is filled with pus or is close to your eyes, if you become unconscious, have trouble walking, or have difficulty walking, if you feel tension in your neck, if severe coughing, frequent vomiting, or difficulty breathing.
   • The doctor will conduct an examination and determine the tactics of further treatment. Such manifestations may indicate a severe course of chickenpox with the addition of a bacterial infection or other viral infection.
3. 3 A pregnant woman with chickenpox needs a doctor's examination. Pregnant women with chickenpox have a high risk of bacterial infection. It is also possible that the infection will pass to the unborn child. You will also be prescribed acyclovir and, in parallel, immunoglobulin. Immunoglobulin is a solution of antibodies from healthy people that is given to patients at high risk for severe chickenpox.
   • This combination treatment helps prevent varicella-zoster virus from reaching the unborn baby, for whom the infection can have serious consequences.
4. 4 Treatment of chickenpox in immunocompromised individuals. In some cases, specialized treatment for chickenpox may be required. People with a weakened immune system, due to a congenital disease or HIV infection, during the treatment of cancer, while taking steroid or immunosuppressive therapy, require immediate examination and treatment. In this case, intravenous administration of acyclovir may be required, but this therapy may be ineffective against the background of some congenital immunodeficiencies.
   • If acyclovir is ineffective, foscarnet is usually prescribed; dosage and duration of treatment are prescribed individually.

Tips

• Vaccination is used to prevent chickenpox. Talk to your doctor about getting the chickenpox vaccine. Prevention of chickenpox is better than cure.
• Tell the doctor what kind of childcare the child is visiting, as well as with whom he may have contact. To prevent the spread of chickenpox, you can use medical masks and wear gloves.