Chicken Pox
What is chicken pox?Chicken pox is a viral illness that almost all children get. It varies in severity from person to person, however almost all children exposed experience a rash. Some kids only have a few bumps while others are covered from head to toe.
The illness usually begins 14-16 days after the initial exposure, although the incubation period can range from 10-21 days. It is not uncommon for a child to have a fever, headache, abdominal pain, and fatigue 24-48 hours prior to the onset of the rash. The rash often appears first on the trunk, scalp, and face. A moderate fever of 100-102 degrees is constant for the first 48 hours after the onset of the rash.
Your child is contagious for the two days before the rash appears and six days after the rash appears.
What are the symptoms of chicken pox?
- Red, itchy rash (early symptom), mainly on the face and trunk, that develop into blisters; blisters then erupt, ooze, and turn crusty
- Fever
- Weakness, fatigue
- Possibly, flu-like symptoms: abdominal pain, body aches, headache, nausea
Since the chicken pox is a viral illness, there are no pills your child can take to make them go away. Keep your child as comfortable as possible and scratching to a minimum to avoid infection in the lesions. Here are some treatments you can give your child at home to keep him/her as comfy as possible:
- Because of the risk of Reye's syndrome, NEVER give your child aspirin if you suspect they have chicken pox. Instead, use Tylenol for fever.
- You can use an over-the-counter antihistamine or calmine lotion to help with the itching. (Do not use Benadryl and Caladryl at the same time).
- Have your child take oatmeal or baking soda baths to relieve itching.
- Keep your child's fingernails short and clean to keep scratching, infection, and scarring to a minimum.
In order to prevent the spread of infection from person to person keep your child isolated from others until all sores have crusted over. Ask your family doctor about having non-immune family members immunized against chicken pox.
If you have any questions or concerns about chicken pox, please contact your child's Building nurse or your family doctor.
