What is Chickenpox?

Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease affecting children across the globe. It occurs due to viral infection. Causes for chickenpox include the varicella zoster virus (referred to as VZV), also Known as varicella virus or zoster virus. This disease lasts for at least nine to ten days in children, but may last longer in adults.

Who is at Risk?

• Children & infants are prime targets
• Unvaccinated adults
• Pregnant women who have not had chickenpox symptoms before
• People with weak immune system
• HIV & Leukemia patients

Chickenpox Causes – in Brief

Any individual can get affected if he or she is having close contact with those affected. This viral infection is transferred to others through broken blisters. A doctor can diagnose the disease by observing red spots, rash, and intensity of itching along with some other symptoms of chickenpox.

Chickenpox Symptoms

Signs & symptoms differ among patients. There may be difference in the number & occurrence of the blisters from one patient to other.

Some of the common chickenpox symptoms:

• Chickenpox causes rashes on the face that later on spread to limbs
• These further spread in the mouth & on the genital organs
• Itchy sensation, that is very severe & unbearable
• Small red spots that turn into watery blisters
• Body temperatures above 103 degree Fahrenheit or 38.5 Celsius
• Infection lasts for three days

The above symptom requires immediate medical attention, an absence of which leads to development of shingles. It is a painful condition caused by the zoster virus and is a primary form of chickenpox that causes neurologic pain in the back and limbs.

Shingles can cause symptoms such as burning pain, watery blisters, and appearance of a skin rash, increased sensitivity of skin and tickling or tingling along with numbness.

Patient may experience other problems that may involve stomach aches, chills, diarrhea & fever with those mentioned above and require chickenpox treatment. These symptoms, unlike symptoms that occur in chickenpox, last for around three to four days.

What does Chickenpox Treatment consist of?

Your child can recover rapidly if appropriate hygienic methods are included along with treatments for chickenpox. The treatment for easing symptoms should consist of easing the body itch & burning sensation of skin.

Hygiene Measures during Chickenpox Treatment:

• Your child remains contaminated till the infection clears up, so make him or her stay at home
• Do not scratch the blisters as this can make the infection spread
• Itching causes irritation during chickenpox, take help of a soft cotton cloth to ease the itch
• Pay more attention to your personal hygiene
• Sweating due to heat can make chickenpox symptoms such as irritation worsen, so keep the child in cool & dry atmosphere.
• Apply skin lotions that are recommended only by a skin specialist.
• Due to frequent scratching of the skin, a child’s sleep is disturbed. Prescribed sleeping pills can help ease the condition.
• Treatment for chickenpox includes painkillers that help relieve head & body aches

Treating symptoms that chickenpox causes, requires close, personal attention and careful monitoring.

How can Vaccinations help?

Vaccinations help strengthen the immune system & to resist the disease without any major side effects. It provides protection against the varicella virus.

Sometimes, the vaccine may not provide complete protection, but significantly lessen the severity of the disease. Infants below one year of age receive such vaccinations.

Apart from treatments for chickenpox, vaccines have proved to be safe & effective, causing very insignificant side effects that last for a short period.