Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 5: Identify the symptoms of chickenpox
• Method 2 of 5: Learn more about the varicella-zoster virus
• Method 3 of 5: Treating chickenpox
• Method 4 of 5: Preventing chickenpox
• Method 5 of 5: Pay attention to potential complications

Chickenpox is a disease caused by the varicella zoster virus, which belongs to the herpes virus family. It is generally accepted that chickenpox, or chickenpox, is one of the classic childhood diseases. However, after the invention of the vaccine against this disease, the number of cases of chickenpox has decreased significantly. One way or another, your child or you yourself can get chickenpox. To recognize this disease, you need to know exactly what symptoms are inherent in it.

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Identify the symptoms of chickenpox

1. 1 Pay attention to skin symptoms. Usually one to two days after the onset of a runny nose and intense sneezing, you may notice that a red rash appears on the skin. The rash first appears on the face, back and chest. The rash is usually severely itchy and spreads quickly throughout the body.
   • After a while, these red spots turn into red papules and then blisters (vesicles). These rashes contain chickenpox viruses and are highly contagious to those around them. After a few days, the vesicles become crusted. When all the blisters on the patient's body are covered with crusts, the person is no longer contagious to other people.
   • Rashes caused by other causes, such as insect bites, scabies, other viruses, impetigo, and syphilis, can be mistaken for chickenpox eruptions.
2. 2 Look for symptoms similar to those of a mild cold. Chickenpox can start with cold-like symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, and coughing. The body temperature can rise to 38.5 ° C. If a person has recently been in contact with a patient with chickenpox or with a person with a mild form of the disease (which develops in people vaccinated against this disease), then the symptoms of a mild cold may actually be the first symptoms chickenpox.
3. 3 Recognize the early symptoms of chickenpox so you don't put others at risk of infection. Chickenpox is extremely contagious and very dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, including those undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, AIDS patients and HIV-infected people. In addition, chickenpox is dangerous for babies because the vaccine against this disease is not given to children under 12 months of age.

Method 2 of 5: Learn more about the varicella-zoster virus

1. 1 How is the virus spread? The varicella-zoster virus is transmitted by airborne droplets and by direct contact. Most often, infection occurs when the patient coughs and sneezes without following the rules of hygiene. The virus is transported by particles of liquid (saliva or mucus).
   • If a person touches open chickenpox papules or inhales the fluid released from them (for example, when kissing), then he too will become infected with this disease.
   • If you've recently had contact with someone who has been diagnosed with chickenpox, this can help you recognize your own symptoms.
2. 2 Incubation period. Symptoms of the disease do not appear immediately after the chickenpox virus enters the body, but after a while. Usually, it takes from 10 to 21 days from the moment of infection to the manifestation of noticeable symptoms of the disease. The maculopapular rash continues for several days and the vesicles usually take about the same time to heal. This means that a papular rash, vesicles and open blisters, on which a crust is already forming, may be present on the patient's skin at the same time.
   • Close contact with a patient with chickenpox develops the disease in approximately 90% of unvaccinated people.
3. 3 Keep in mind that complications from chickenpox are much more common in adults and the elderly. Although chickenpox is not a serious illness, it can cause complications in adults and the elderly, hospitalization may be required, and sometimes the illness even ends in death. Rashes and vesicles can appear on the mucous membranes of the mouth, anus, and vagina.
4. 4 See your doctor if the sick person is at risk of developing a severe form of the disease. These include children over 12 years old, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems (including those receiving treatment with steroid drugs that suppress the immune system), as well as people with asthma and eczema.
5. 5 See your doctor if someone with chickenpox has any of the following symptoms:
   • Fever that persists for more than 4 days or rises above 39 ° C
   • Any area with a rash becomes hot, red, and painful, or pus begins to flow from the vesicles, indicating a bacterial infection
   • The patient has difficulty waking up or is confused
   • A stiff neck or difficulty walking
   • Recurrent vomiting
   • Coughing
   • Labored breathing

Method 3 of 5: Treating chickenpox

1. 1 Contact your doctor and ask him to prescribe drug therapy if the disease is severe or you are at risk of developing a serious form of the disease. Medicines for the treatment of chickenpox are not prescribed in all cases. Usually, doctors do not prescribe antiviral therapy for children, unless the disease threatens the development of pneumonia or other serious problems.
   • For best results, medications should be started within the first 24 hours after the onset of the rash.
   • If you have a skin condition (such as eczema), respiratory system (such as asthma), have recently received steroid medication, or have a weakened immune system, your doctor will likely prescribe antiviral medications for chickenpox.
   • Some women may also be prescribed antiviral medication during pregnancy.
2. 2 Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen. It is especially important to avoid taking these drugs for children, and for infants who are not yet 6 months old, it is strictly forbidden to give ibuprofen. Aspirin can cause the development of a serious illness - Reye's syndrome, and ibuprofen can contribute to the development of secondary bacterial infections. Take paracetamol (Panadol) to relieve headaches, other painful sensations, and reduce the fever caused by chickenpox.
3. 3 Do not scratch papules or scrape off vesicle crusts. Although papules and vesicles cause severe itching, it is very important that the patient does not scratch the formed crusts and does not scratch the rash. If you scratch the drying papules, scars may remain in their place, and when scratching the rashes, the risk of a bacterial infection increases. If your child is struggling to scratch their chicken pox, cut their nails short.
4. 4 Apply cold to the rash. Place a cold compress over the areas of the chickenpox rash. Take a cool bath. A lower temperature can help relieve itching and fever caused by chickenpox.
5. 5 Use chamomile lotion to relieve itching. Take a bath with baking soda or finely ground oatmeal. You can also use chamomile lotion to help relieve itching. If these remedies do not bring relief, see your doctor for medication.Baths and chamomile lotion can only relieve itching, but there is no remedy that would completely relieve the patient of this debilitating symptom.
   • You can buy chamomile lotion at any beauty store or drug store.

Method 4 of 5: Preventing chickenpox

1. 1 Talk to your doctor about getting chickenpox vaccinations. The vaccine against this disease is considered safe, and the vaccine is given to children at an early age, before they have had chickenpox. Primary vaccination is carried out at 15 months, revaccination - at the age of 4 to 6 years.
   • The chickenpox vaccine is much safer than the disease itself. Usually, the administration of the vaccine does not cause any unpleasant side effects. However, it is worth remembering that a vaccine, like any other drug, can cause serious problems, for example, cause a severe allergic reaction. The risk that the chickenpox vaccine will cause serious harm to human health or cause death is very small.
2. 2 If your child is not vaccinated against chickenpox, try to get him to get the disease as early as possible. Do not forget to tell your doctor if you want to refuse vaccination. Parents themselves decide whether to give their child this vaccine or not. However, keep in mind that the later the child gets chickenpox, the more severe the disease will be. If you decide not to get vaccinated, or if your baby is allergic to the vaccine or has a potential for allergies, try to get him to get sick with this disease at the age of 3 to 10 years. In this case, the disease will be easier, and the symptoms will be less pronounced.
3. 3 Please note that chickenpox can be latent. Children who have been vaccinated may be mildly ill. The number of papules in this form is approximately 50, and the rash is less intense. All this significantly complicates the diagnosis of the infection. However, even with a mild form of the disease, a person is as highly contagious to others as a patient who has a typical clinical picture of chickenpox.
   • If a person falls ill in adulthood, the risk of a severe course of the disease and the development of serious complications is significantly higher.
   • Undoubtedly, vaccination is much preferable to the so-called "chickenpox guests", when parents specifically bring the child to the sick in order to infect him with chickenpox. When vaccinated, the disease can be mild, and "chickenpox guests" will probably end up with you or your child getting sick with a serious form of this disease, which is dangerous with the development of pneumonia and other dangerous consequences. For this reason, you should not take part in such "holidays".

Method 5 of 5: Pay attention to potential complications

1. 1 Take special care if your child has other skin conditions such as eczema. In children with skin problems, chickenpox can lead to intense rashes, when the number of papules can reach several thousand. They can be very painful, which increases the risk of scratching the rash. Use the remedies above to relieve itching. Also, talk with your doctor about taking medications orally or topically to the area of ​​the rash to reduce discomfort and pain.
2. 2 Watch out for secondary bacterial infections. Bacterial infections can develop on areas of the skin covered with chickenpox papules. This will cause the skin to be red, hot, and sore to the touch. Pus may be discharged from papules and vesicles. The purulent discharge is darker and not as clear as the usual liquid that comes out of the chickenpox blisters. If you notice such changes in the areas of the rash, contact your doctor.For bacterial infections, antibiotic treatment is necessary.
   • Bacterial infections can also affect other tissues, bones, joints, and even enter the bloodstream, causing sepsis.
   • All these infections are extremely dangerous and therefore require immediate medical attention.
   • Symptoms that may indicate the spread of the infection to the bone, joints, and bloodstream include:
   • Temperature above 39 ° C
   • The affected area is hot and painful to touch (bones, joints, other tissues)
   • Painful sensations and limited mobility in the joint
   • Labored breathing
   • Chest pain
   • Increasing cough
   • General feeling of very unwell. Most children have a rise in temperature at the very beginning of the disease, and although they have severe symptoms of a cold, children remain active and cheerful and show a desire to walk outdoors. A child who develops sepsis (blood infection) will look very lethargic and have a constant urge to sleep. The patient's temperature rises above 39 ° C, and the pulse and respiratory rate become more frequent (more than 20 breaths per minute).
3. 3 Learn more about other serious complications of chickenpox. Although they develop only in rare cases, these complications can be very dangerous and lead to the death of the patient.
   • Dehydration, during which there is not enough fluid in the body to function properly. In this case, the brain, blood and kidneys of the patient are primarily affected. Signs of dehydration include infrequent urination, increased urine concentration, feeling weak and tired, chills, and heart palpitations
   • Pneumonia, symptoms of which are a worsening cough, rapid or difficult breathing, or chest pain
   • Bleeding problems
   • Infection or inflammation of the brain. The child will appear very lethargic, sleepy and complain of a headache. In addition, the patient may experience confusion and difficulty waking up.
   • Toxic shock syndrome
4. 4 If you have had chickenpox as a child, in adulthood, especially after 40 years, you need to be careful about shingles. This condition manifests itself as a painful blistering rash that appears on one side of the body, trunk, or face and can lead to loss of sensation in the skin. Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. This virus remains dormant in the body until a person reaches old age, when the immune system weakens. Pain (very often burning pain) and numbness usually disappear after a few weeks, but in some cases, long-term damage to the eyes and internal organs can develop if they are affected by the disease. One of the complications of shingles is postherpetic neuralgia. At the same time, pains of a neuralgic nature persist for a long time and are difficult to treat.
   • See your doctor right away if you notice symptoms of shingles. Usually, antiviral therapy is prescribed for this disease, especially in the early stages of the disease. Older people will benefit from getting vaccinated against this disease.