Chickenpox is a common illness that manifests in the form of itchy rash and red blisters or spots on the skin. Mild chickenpox is visible in healthy children and adults but people who have weakened immune systems like pregnant women, newborns, not-so healthy children, adults with immunity issues may get more severe form of chicken pox. The disease is more common in children and people who haven’t got it in childhood.
The virus that causes Chickenpox is known as varicella-zoster virus. It spread through cold, sneezing, sharing food or drinks. It can also spread through touching the fluid present in a chickenpox blister. The chickenpox rash can appear 2 or 3 days later after the illness sets in, and with the progression of the disease, there can be blisters over the body.
Once you get chickenpox, most likely, you will not contract the viral infection again. However, the virus can stay in the body and when active, come back in the form of shingles.
The symptoms of Chickenpox include fever, presence of rashes after two days or so, sore throat and headache. In some cases, the child may get chickenpox rash even without contracting fever or such other symptoms.
There is an incubation period of 14 to 16 days to contract chickenpox after you have come in touch with an infected person.After chickenpox red spots become visible, it typically takes one to two days for the mark to go through all its stages. This includes blistering, bursting, drying, and crusting over. New spots will come into view every day for up to five to seven days. When all blisters become crusty, the individual can go back to school or work. This typically can take place 10 days after the first symptoms take place.
- Do not scratch the area and keep your finger nails short to avoid scratching
- Wear loose clothing
- An oatmeal bath or lukewarm bath with medicated soap can help
- Apply moisturizer to soothe the skin
- OTC hydrocortisone cream can work on itchy areas
- Antiviral medications are not needed if the child is healthy who have mild chickenpox. For the ones with severe symptoms, antiviral medications within first 24 hours of rash appearance can be quite helpful