If Someone in the Family Has Chickenpox
Although chickenpox is a common children's disease, adults do contract it.
Adults particularly at risk and day care workers, teachers, and hospital workers who have no immunity to the disease.
Vaccinations are available for chicken pox and anyone who has had the disease as a child has a natural immunity.
Chicken pox is spread through the air and physical contact.
It is highly contagious.
The incubation period is from fourteen to seventeen days and it can be transmitted from a day before the appearance of the rash up to six days after.
Once a person has had chicken pox, they have lifelong immunity to the disease.
The rash will appear less than two weeks after exposure.
It is often preceded by a runny nose and cough which lasts a day or two.
The rash first appears as red dots over the skin.
These become small blisters filled with fluid.
The blisters break open and the sores become pustular and crust over.
New spots keep appearing in hordes for several days.
The crusts disappear sometime between the ninth and thirteenth day.
Meanwhile, the itching can be very intense.
The rashes can be anywhere on the body but usually cover the shoulders, chest and back.
They aren't often found on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
They can appear inside the mouth, however.
The rash is often accompanied by a fever, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, headache and general discomfort.
Chicken pox is normally treated at home.
Cool baths with a half-cup of baking soda or oatmeal help the itching.
So does application of lotions such as calamine.
One should consult the doctor about treatment for the fever and headaches if they are present.
It is crucial to never give teenagers or adults aspirin since this could trigger Reyes syndrome, a serious problem affecting the liver and the brain.
Chicken pox can be very serious in adults, pregnant women, people with already weakened immune systems, people with skin inflammations such as eczema, and people taking steroids for another illness.
The seriousness for pregnant women depends upon the time the disease is contracted.
In early pregnancy it can cause low birth weight and birth defects.
But, if contracted the week prior to birth, the infant can develop a serious, life threatening infection.
Chicken pox is caused by the varicellazoster virus, which is part of the herpes virus group.
This herpes virus also causes shingles and people who have had chicken pox are at risk to develop shingles later in life.
While chicken pox is normally not serious in children and just has to ride its course, it is possible for complications to set in.
Scratching the spots can cause a bacterial infection of the skin.
Two other complications are pneumonia and encephalitis but these are rare in children.
Chicken pox usually requires little medical intervention.
However, it is important to contact the doctor in the following situations: if the rash spreads to the eyes, if the rash becomes warm and tender, or if the rash is accompanied by dizziness, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, tremors, loss of muscle coordination, a very strong cough, vomiting, stiffness in the neck, or a fever above 103 degrees.
Chicken pox can generally be prevented by immunization and if the vaccination is not totally effective it will reduce the time and intensity of the illness.
Adults particularly at risk and day care workers, teachers, and hospital workers who have no immunity to the disease.
Vaccinations are available for chicken pox and anyone who has had the disease as a child has a natural immunity.
Chicken pox is spread through the air and physical contact.
It is highly contagious.
The incubation period is from fourteen to seventeen days and it can be transmitted from a day before the appearance of the rash up to six days after.
Once a person has had chicken pox, they have lifelong immunity to the disease.
The rash will appear less than two weeks after exposure.
It is often preceded by a runny nose and cough which lasts a day or two.
The rash first appears as red dots over the skin.
These become small blisters filled with fluid.
The blisters break open and the sores become pustular and crust over.
New spots keep appearing in hordes for several days.
The crusts disappear sometime between the ninth and thirteenth day.
Meanwhile, the itching can be very intense.
The rashes can be anywhere on the body but usually cover the shoulders, chest and back.
They aren't often found on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
They can appear inside the mouth, however.
The rash is often accompanied by a fever, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, headache and general discomfort.
Chicken pox is normally treated at home.
Cool baths with a half-cup of baking soda or oatmeal help the itching.
So does application of lotions such as calamine.
One should consult the doctor about treatment for the fever and headaches if they are present.
It is crucial to never give teenagers or adults aspirin since this could trigger Reyes syndrome, a serious problem affecting the liver and the brain.
Chicken pox can be very serious in adults, pregnant women, people with already weakened immune systems, people with skin inflammations such as eczema, and people taking steroids for another illness.
The seriousness for pregnant women depends upon the time the disease is contracted.
In early pregnancy it can cause low birth weight and birth defects.
But, if contracted the week prior to birth, the infant can develop a serious, life threatening infection.
Chicken pox is caused by the varicellazoster virus, which is part of the herpes virus group.
This herpes virus also causes shingles and people who have had chicken pox are at risk to develop shingles later in life.
While chicken pox is normally not serious in children and just has to ride its course, it is possible for complications to set in.
Scratching the spots can cause a bacterial infection of the skin.
Two other complications are pneumonia and encephalitis but these are rare in children.
Chicken pox usually requires little medical intervention.
However, it is important to contact the doctor in the following situations: if the rash spreads to the eyes, if the rash becomes warm and tender, or if the rash is accompanied by dizziness, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, tremors, loss of muscle coordination, a very strong cough, vomiting, stiffness in the neck, or a fever above 103 degrees.
Chicken pox can generally be prevented by immunization and if the vaccination is not totally effective it will reduce the time and intensity of the illness.
