Chicken pox (chicken pox) - the first signs, questions about treatment
Symptoms, treatment and prevention of chickenpox
Chickenpox or chickenpox is an acute infectious disease, widespread, affecting children of all age groups and adults. Knowing the symptoms of the onset of chickenpox in children will help to take quick medical measures, reduce recovery time and prevent possible complications.
Paths of transmission of infection
The disease is caused by the herpes virus type 3, is contagious and is transmitted by airborne droplets or by contact with a patient. If a sick child is detected in a preschool or school institution, quarantine may be declared - for chickenpox in a kindergarten, for example, it lasts 3 weeks. The problem is that the patient poses a risk of infection to those around him even before obvious signs of the disease appear. This factor provokes outbreaks of the epidemic in institutions, it is impossible to stop them, as well as to prevent them.
How long is the incubation period of chicken pox? This period can be 7–21 days, but its symptoms never appear earlier than a week and later than three weeks from the moment of infection. The danger to the environment from a sick person disappears after 7–10 days from the appearance of the first signs.
Symptoms of chickenpox in children
How quickly do signs of chickenpox appear in a child after contact with a sick person? This can happen during the entire incubation period of the disease: 1–3 weeks. The beginning is always sharp:
- increase in body temperature to critical values;
- severe weakness, constant drowsiness;
- headaches that appear with a certain periodicity and do not disappear thanks to painkillers.
The initial stage of chickenpox looks the same in children and adults, but in the latter it proceeds acutely - aggressive hyperthermia, a general state of semi-unconsciousness. The main symptom of the disease is a characteristic rash - small pimples with liquid content, localized mainly on the head and trunk. Most often, the face and hairy part of the head, chest and décolletage are affected, less often - the buttocks, limbs and perineum. The rash is distinguished by the strongest itching, which is very difficult to tolerate - even if the patient somehow restrains his urges during the day, at night he starts combing the skin uncontrollably.
The rash appears and spreads very quickly - first a red spot with a small swelling is formed, then blisters form in this place, which transform into sores, become covered with a crust and disappear. The wave-like course of the infection is noted, so rashes may periodically appear and disappear.
Treatment and prevention of chickenpox
Many questions are asked about methods of treatment for chicken pox:
- How to treat the skin against itching and rash with chickenpox? Now there are modern solutions for treating rashes based on calamine. This is done pointwise, lubricating each blister, but if the rashes are too abundant and merged, then you can smear it all over. This tactic prevents the transformation of rashes into ulcers with crusts, makes itching less severe.
- Is it necessary to give the child antihistamines? This is allowed - ½ tablet of Suprastin or Diazolin will reduce the intensity of itching and inflammation of the bubbles. Regarding specific appointments, it is better to consult a pediatrician.
- What to smear the rash in the mouth with chickenpox? Sometimes, especially in younger children, the main sign of chicken pox is present on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity. Eruptions of this localization are very disturbing to the patient, he cannot eat, drink liquids and even has difficulty talking. Doctors recommend lubricating bubbles with sea buckthorn oil, chlorophyllipt or Calgel gel, which will help relieve pain and ease the general condition.
- Is it necessary to lower the temperature with medicines? This is done only if hyperthermia is very disturbing and worsens the patient's condition. Standard antipyretics will come in handy - Paracetamol, Nurofen.
- Is it possible to wash and walk outside in the wind? You can take a shower or bath only after all the bubbles and crusts have disappeared, or when they have dried. The effect of water on the bubbles leads to their flaking, and the crusts soften and come off, leaving behind scars. As for walking outside, it is possible only 10 days after the onset of rashes, or you should choose deserted places.
- Is it possible to get chickenpox a second time? This happens extremely rarely, because the immune system produces antibodies immediately after the transfer of the infection. But there are exceptions - secondary chickenpox is difficult, complications are possible.
- If a pregnant woman gets chickenpox, what should she do? Such a situation requires constant monitoring by doctors - the woman is placed in an infectious disease ward, her condition is monitored, an ultrasound of the fetus is done to detect abnormalities in its development. Complications of chickenpox are dangerous during pregnancy, because the causative agent of the disease is the herpes virus, which provokes a violation of the intrauterine development of the future baby.
Is it possible to get vaccinated against chickenpox in childhood? Such a vaccine exists and is administered at the age of over 9 months. If the vaccination was not done at 9 months, it can be done at any time, including in adulthood. Vaccination at any age is carried out 2 times with an interval of 6 weeks or more.
Paediatricians and infectious disease specialists deal with the treatment and prevention of chickenpox. It is these doctors who have complete information about the disease, so they will competently advise each patient.
How to treat recurrent chickenpox in an adult, get rid of itching and prevent the formation of scars at the site of rashes - you can learn about this on our website Dobrobut.com.
Article author / reviewer - -Rykova Stanislava Oleksandrivna
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