Chicken Pox

Chicken pox is caused by a virus which means it cannot be treated with antibiotics, but some doctors will prescribe anti-viral medication. Notify your doctor if you start to suspect chicken pox with your child.

Chicken pox looks like a spotted red rash and is extremely itchy. Chicken pox occurs less often due to the chicken pox vaccine, but still occurs in children, mostly under 10 years old. This virus can be spread very easily through coughing, sneezing, or touching, so it is important to take precautions and wash your hands frequently. The chicken pox is contagious until the spots are scabbed over.  Symptoms to watch for are described by PubMed Health as:

*Fever

*Headache

*Stomach ache

*250 to 500 small, itchy, fluid-filled blisters over red spots on the skin. Blisters usually start on the face, chest, or on the scalp.

As a mother with a child who has chicken pox, there are things that you can do to help your child feel more comfortable as they get through the process:

*Your child can take warm baths to help soothe the pox and decrease irritation. Use some gentle soap and rinse soap off well to prevent left over residue on skin

*Apply moisturizers to soften the skin

*Dress your child in cool, loose clothing

Most people, including children, recover without any complications or scarring and the most difficult thing is trying to keep your child comfortable through the process.

Contact your pediatrician if you notice any signs and symptoms of infection to the blisters or you notice your child having a change in behavior or any difficulty with breathing.

Keep your child home from school and keep your child away from others as much as possible to prevent spread of the pox.

Reference:

PubMed Health. (2011, Aug 2). Chickenpox. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002559/