Chickenpox
Chicken pox (varicella zoster) is a virus that infects the body, causing the illness.
What are the symptoms?
Most people know about the rash, but chicken pox starts just like a common cold. Runny nose, sneezing, cough and fever are typical first symptoms of chicken pox. About three to five days later the rash shows up, looking like dots ranging from 0.5 to 1cm. Within each of these dots is a fluid-filled vesicle that may pop over the course of the following days. The lesions may be painful or itchy, or not be bothersome at all. They may be found anywhere on the skin, in the mouth, within the vaginal area and even unseen within the penis, which may make it painful to urinate. A typical place for concentration is around the bathing-trunks area.
What can/should be done at home
Unfortunately, there isn't much that can be done to completely eliminate the symptoms once a child is infected with chicken pox. Therefore, treatment is geared to alleviating the pain, itch and fever.
Fever: There is an association with Reye's Syndrome, a rare childhood disease, often developing in what seems to be the recovery phase of a viral infection. The cause is not known but Aspirin has been possibly linked. Therefore, Aspirin is NOT recommended for children under 12 years. Paracetamol-based drugs should be the only medication used to treat fever during this illness – and it is fine to use the least expensive brand available. Be sure to give the proper dose for the age and weight of your child.
1 | 2 | next
printer friendly
send to a friend
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Horoscopes| Message Boards | Quizzes | Newsletters | Join
iVillage Ltd is a UK company registered in England & Wales (3837269) at 80-110 New Oxford Street, London WC1 1HB
