Chicken pox is one of the most common childhood diseases. Learn more...
Chicken pox is a common childhood disease. Although it usually effects children, adults who have not been infected with chicken pox can also contract the disease if they are exposed. Chicken pox is generally not life threatening, but the itching and other related symptoms can be quite uncomfortable.
According to the book "Taking Care of Your Child", published by Addison-Wesley, the symptoms and stages of chicken pox are as follows. Twenty-four hours before the appearance of a rash, the infected person will be very tired and will have a slight fever. The first obvious sign will be red, flat marks which will begin to raise and will look like small pimples. Several marks or vesicles will appear at once, first appearing on the face and scalp. They will continue to appear on other areas of the body. Most will appear on the chest, shoulders, and back. Some people have many vesicles, while others have very few. The vesicles will become fluid filled, and they will easily break open. Itching may become intense. At this time the fever will usually diminish. It is important to remember that the infected person needs to stay away from others since chicken pox is highly contagious. Chicken pox can be deadly for people with some existing health problems or a weakened immune system.
There are oatmeal based products that can help relieve itching related to chicken pox. "Taking Care of Your Child", also gives remedies to help alleviate itching. Warm baking soda baths and calamine lotion can help provide relief. Antihistimines can be prescribed by your doctor if topical medications do not help. It is very important not to scratch because of possible scarring. The book suggests trimming the fingernails or placing gloves on children to discourage scratching. It also states that the infected person should wash their hands at least three times daily, and their skin needs to be kept extremely clean to avoid a bacterial infection. If the skin becomes infected, the person should be seen by a physician.
Once a person has had chicken pox, they are immune to the disease and cannot get it again. There are immunizations available to help in the prevention of chicken pox. Talk to your health care provider to learn more about immunizations against chicken pox.
