Chickenpox
Chickenpox is a common, very contagious viral illness that causes an itchy rash of small blisters all over the body. It is usually mild in children and gets better in 1 to 2 weeks. It can be more serious in adults, pregnant women, newborn babies and people with weak immunity.
Symptoms
- Fever, tiredness and loss of appetite a day or two before the rash
- Itchy red spots that turn into small fluid-filled blisters
- Blisters dry into scabs after a few days
- New spots keep appearing for 3 to 5 days
- Spots can appear inside the mouth and on the scalp
Causes
- Varicella-zoster virus
- Breathing in droplets from an infected person
- Touching fluid from the blisters
- A person is contagious from 1 to 2 days before the rash until all blisters have crusted
Prevention
- Chickenpox vaccine where available
- Keep a sick child at home until all blisters have crusted over
- Keep away from pregnant women and newborn babies while contagious
- Wash hands often
Treatment
- Rest and plenty of fluids
- Paracetamol for fever
- Calamine lotion and cool baths to calm itching
- Keep nails short to reduce scratching and infection
- Do not give aspirin or ibuprofen to children with chickenpox
- Antiviral medicine may be prescribed for adults or high-risk people; do not start prescription medicines without a doctor
Common questions
When can my child go back to school?
When all the blisters have dried and crusted over, usually about 5 to 7 days after the rash started.
Can you get chickenpox twice?
It is rare. But the virus stays in the body and can come back years later as shingles, a painful rash on one side of the body.