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Chickenpox in babies: Pictures, symptoms, and treatments

Chickenpox can cause a range of symptoms in babies, including an itchy rash and changes in sleeping habits. The symptoms may be more severe than those in older children or adults because the immune system in babies is still developing.

Although chickenpox often clears up on its own, it can cause serious symptoms in babies, especially newborns. Therefore, unvaccinated babies should not be in close proximity to people with the virus.

The telltale sign of chickenpox is a crusty, itchy rash. The rash is red, and it usually starts on the face, neck, or chest before spreading to other areas of the body. The rash starts with fluid filled blisters, which crust over within 4–10 days.

If an infant scratches the blisters, they may ooze or become infected.

Some other signs and symptoms of chickenpox in babies include:

• loss of appetite, including changes in breastfeeding habits
• changes in sleep habits because the baby is itching or in pain
• excessive crying or a lack of response to efforts to soothe the baby
• fever, which can sometimes start before the rash
• increased sleepiness

Newborns with chickenpox may not have a fever because they have a less developed immune system, and, therefore, their body does not always respond to infection by raising its temperature.

Chickenpox does not usually cause stomach problems, such as diarrhea, or respiratory symptoms, such as a stuffy nose or congestion. Infants with these symptoms may have a different virus.

Parents and caregivers should consult a doctor if a baby under 3 months of age shows signs of chickenpox or develops a fever.

In most children, chickenpox symptoms clear up on their own within about a week. Treatment focuses instead on managing symptoms. The following home remedies may provide relief:

• Giving the baby a warm bath with uncooked oatmeal.
• Applying calamine lotion to itchy spots.
• Dressing the baby in loose fitting clothes that do not irritate blisters. Some babies may be more comfortable in just a diaper.
• Preventing babies from scratching the blisters. Newborn mittens can help.
• Keeping the baby’s nails clean and short to reduce the risk of infection from scratching the blisters.
• Asking a doctor about over-the-counter medication for fever and pain. Do not give these drugs to a child below the age of 2 years without first consulting a doctor. Avoid medications containing aspirin. There is some concern that the use of ibuprofen during chickenpox infection may cause serious skin infections in some babies, so ask a doctor about alternative medications.

If symptoms are very severe, or a baby has a higher risk of complications from chickenpox, a doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication. These drugs can help the baby’s body fight the infection and may reduce the severity and duration of symptoms.

In some cases, a doctor may recommend other treatments to address chickenpox complications. For example, a baby with dehydration from a high fever and inadequate liquid intake might need to receive intravenous fluids in a hospital.

The varicella-zoster virus causes chickenpox. Once a person gets the virus, they are typically immune to future infections.

Very rarely, a person with a weakened immune system may get a second infection. It is also possible for the virus to reactivate, but in most cases, reactivation of the virus causes shingles rather than chickenpox.

Is it contagious?

Share on PinterestChickenpox is highly contagious in people who have active infections.

Chickenpox lives in the respiratory tract and eyes. It is highly contagious in people who have active infections and in cases of recent exposure. A person who is not immune can get chickenpox if they come into contact with mucus, saliva, or other bodily fluids from a person with the infection.

For this reason, people with chickenpox should avoid contact with babies under the age of 1 year or older children whom healthcare professionals have not immunized against chickenpox.

People living in close quarters are particularly vulnerable, as are unvaccinated children in preschools and daycare centers. A pregnant woman with chickenpox can also transmit the virus to her newborn.

After a person who is susceptible to chickenpox comes into contact with the virus, the virus lives in their body for 10–21 days before they get sick and more obvious symptoms show. People with weak immune systems, such as newborns and those living with HIV, may have slightly longer incubation periods.

Recovery time

Most babies recover from chickenpox within a week, and some may even improve within a few days. However, those with very severe infections may require 2 weeks or longer to return to health.

Most people, even babies, heal from chickenpox without additional treatment. Complications are rare, but when they do occur, they can become serious. Possible complications include:

• secondary skin infections, especially if a baby picks at a blister
• damage to organs, such as the liver
• low blood platelet count
• complications from a fever, such as dehydration or seizures
• brain inflammation, called encephalitis
• meningitis

Parents and caregivers should call a doctor about chickenpox in a baby if:

• the baby is less than 1 year old
• the baby has a condition that weakens the immune system
• chickenpox does not disappear within a week
• the infection seems very serious, or the baby is inconsolable
• a fever lasts longer than 4 days or rises above 102ºF
• the rash becomes swollen, red, warm, or tender

Women who develop chickenpox when pregnant should also speak to a doctor.

It is important to go to the emergency room if the baby:

• has trouble moving or seems confused
• repeatedly vomits
• has a severe cough or is experiencing difficulty breathing
• has a rash that bruises or bleeds
• has a stiff neck or has trouble moving their head
• is very sick, and a doctor or medical professional is not available to contact

Share on PinterestA parent or caregiver can discuss vaccination with a doctor.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend vaccinating babies at both 12–15 months and 4–6 years of age. A parent or caregiver who misses this vaccine schedule can still catch up and vaccinate their child.

Vaccinations can stop the spread of chickenpox and virtually eliminate the child’s risk of developing the disease. If a vaccinated child does get chickenpox, which is very uncommon, the infection is often less severe.

Some other strategies to prevent chickenpox in babies include washing children’s hands before they eat and after they play, especially if they have been playing with other children, and avoiding people with recent exposure to chickenpox.

Women who wish to try getting pregnant can ask a doctor about getting their vaccines beforehand. Healthcare professionals cannot give the chickenpox vaccine during pregnancy.

For most babies, chickenpox is mild and clears up on its own. However, it is important to be aware that chickenpox in babies is occasionally dangerous and can cause severe symptoms.

Vaccination remains the best strategy for reducing the risk of chickenpox in babies and young children. As babies under the age of 1 year do not receive a vaccine against chickenpox, the safest practice is for everyone else around them to get the vaccine. Parents and caregivers can discuss prevention and safety strategies with a healthcare professional.

If a person has concerns about a baby with chickenpox, they should contact a doctor or pediatrician for advice.

Chickenpox in children | Allegro

Chickenpox is an infectious disease caused by the Varicella Zoster virus. The disease is highly contagious. It is transmitted by airborne droplets or by contact. It is enough for a healthy person to communicate with a sick person for about 5-10 minutes to catch the virus. Chickenpox in children is most often observed at the age of 4-5 years, when the baby's body is most susceptible to infection. A child up to a year old is protected from the disease by the antibodies of the mother, which pass to him during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Children usually tolerate chickenpox quite easily. The incubation period lasts from 5 days to three weeks.

Chickenpox symptoms in children

The initial manifestations of the disease resemble the typical signs of a viral infection and are expressed in:

• sore throat;
• general malaise, weakness, body aches;
• capricious behavior;
• sleep disorders;
• loss of appetite;
• headache;
• increase in body temperature. The more severe the disease, the higher the thermometer rises. With a light flow, the temperature may remain within the normal range or rise slightly.
• Severe form of chickenpox is accompanied by vomiting, lymph nodes may increase.

Simultaneously with an increase in temperature, a rash appears on the child's body, which can distinguish chickenpox from other infectious diseases. Rashes in this disease are observed in the vast majority of cases. And even the lightest form is accompanied by a minimum number of characteristic bubbles.

The rash is first noticed on the body, then on the arms, legs and head. There are no bubbles on the feet and palms, but they often appear on the mucous membranes: in the mouth on the tongue and palate, on the genitals and eyes. Red small spots quickly turn into papules, resembling insect bites. Then liquid is formed inside them. After the bubble is opened, a crust appears on it. The whole process is accompanied by severe itching, which causes discomfort to the child and sometimes even interferes with a good sleep. If the inflammation is not combed, they will disappear without a trace in a short time. Otherwise, small scars may remain on the skin due to scratching.

It is important to explain to the child that it is impossible to tear off the crusts and scratch the inflamed areas, as it is possible to bring the infection into the wounds, which will lead to complications.

The symptoms described above are typical manifestations of chickenpox. Atypical forms are of several types:

• bullous varicella with purulent large vesicles;
• hemorrhagic with bloody vesicles;
• gangrenous-necrotic, in which the vesicles are filled with both blood and pus;
• rudimentary, which proceeds without a rash and fever, only with typical signs of SARS.

It is impossible to say for sure how many days chickenpox lasts. The first rashes may appear already on the first or second day of illness, the last - after a week and a half. Healing of the skin will occur in one to two weeks. If there are complications, the disease can drag on for several weeks.

Treatment of chickenpox in children

Even with a mild course of the disease, a pediatrician should monitor the child's condition and prescribe medicines. Therefore, the doctor should be called to the house at the first suspicion of chickenpox. A set of measures for this ailment usually includes the following.

• The sick baby is isolated so that he does not infect others, as there are some groups of people (pregnant women, the elderly and people with chronic diseases) for whom chickenpox can be extremely dangerous.
• Prescribe strict bed rest if the disease is severe or restrict physical activity if the disease is mild.
• In the treatment of chickenpox, if there are no complications, do not use antiviral drugs and antibiotics.
• The child should be offered a lot to drink: clean water, tea, fruit drinks.
• Food should be as light as possible: soups, steamed fish and meat, mashed fruits and vegetables (if there is a rash on the oral mucosa).
• Suitable preparations based on ibuprofen and paracetamol are used as antipyretics.
• Antiseptics are used to treat the rash: fukortsin, brilliant green, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, zinc-based products.
• If itching is severe, your doctor may prescribe antihistamines.
• When a rash forms in the oral cavity, the pediatrician will advise rinsing with furatsilin, herbal decoctions. Painful wounds can be lubricated with anesthetic gels.
• If there are scars after chickenpox, they are lubricated with special agents prescribed by the doctor.

Complications of chickenpox

Chicken pox is usually mild. Complications occur when a bacterial or viral infection joins the disease. This can happen when:

• pediatrician's prescriptions are not followed;
• the prescribed medications are ignored;
• hygiene measures are not observed;
• the baby has a weakened immune system, aggravated by chronic diseases.

Complications may be viral or bacterial. In this case, the child is treated in a hospital under the constant supervision of a physician.

The most common medical complications are:

• pneumonia. With shortness of breath, blue skin in the area of ​​​​the nose and lips, coughing, an urgent consultation with a doctor and placement in a hospital are needed;
• encephalitis. If a child has convulsions, vomiting, fever, and he loses consciousness, these can all be symptoms of a very serious illness. An ambulance must be called promptly.
• otitis. In this case, the middle ear becomes inflamed. You need to consult an ENT doctor.
• stomatitis. When a bacterial infection joins, painful blisters with liquid form in the mouth.

Among the measures to prevent complications, the observance of the basic hygiene rules is emphasized:

• change bed linen every two days;
• keep the child from scratching the wounds;
• , you can bathe your baby in a decoction of herbs or a weak solution of potassium permanganate and wipe the body very carefully after the bath.

Chickenpox in children usually lasts 10-14 days. With good immunity of the child and compliance with all the doctor's prescriptions, it passes without complications, and there are practically no traces on the skin.

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Symptoms of chickenpox in children

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02.03.2020

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Many people consider chickenpox, sometimes simply referred to as "chickenpox", to be a fairly mild childhood illness. Caused by the herpes virus herpeszoster, it is fairly mild in children between the ages of 5 and 10, but can have serious complications if neglected. At the same time, the disease is quite difficult to tolerate newborn babies and adults. In old age, this virus may not be expressed in a habitual skin rash like with chickenpox, but develop into shingles or herpes.

Having suffered chicken pox, the human body develops lifelong immunity to this disease, however, the person remains a carrier of the virus, which, with the development of favorable conditions, can reassert itself over time.

Chickenpox spreads only through direct contact with the patient. Although there is an opinion that you can get infected using cutlery or things of an infected person, this is not so. The herpeszoster virus is very susceptible to the environment and dies within minutes.

The incubation period can last up to 3 weeks. During this time, the disease does not manifest itself in any way, but it is during this period that the patient is most dangerous to others. Especially a few days before the rash appears. By the end of the third week, a slight redness may appear on the baby's skin, quickly developing into a nodule, and then into a bubble filled with a cloudy liquid. Often, the first spots can appear on the scalp under the hair or on the face.

A few hours later, the number of such spots - papules, increases dramatically, especially on the abdomen in the navel. The liquid that fills them contains a high concentration of the herpeszoster virus, so they should never be pierced or squeezed out. To avoid re-infection or the development of a subcutaneous infection, they must be lubricated with any antiseptic and carefully monitored so that the baby does not scratch them. Otherwise, damage to the papules can lead to the development of a disease such as purulent dermatitis.

In addition to the rash, after a few days, secondary symptoms of intoxication of the body may develop:

• heat;

• headache;

• nausea and indigestion;

• loss of appetite and general weakness;

• itching.

The child may become more cranky and tired quickly, which is why bed rest is recommended.

There is no direct cure for chickenpox. Doctors and pediatricians in the bulk prescribe symptomatic treatment. Since antibiotics are useless in this case, since viruses, unlike bacteria, do not react to them, it is necessary to let the baby's body overcome this disease on its own. Sometimes antipyretics are prescribed to reduce the temperature, and antihistamines to reduce itching. Many doctors even question the wisdom of vaccinations, as they do not provide lifelong immunity and can usually only delay the chance of getting sick.

Dmitry Tolstov, General Director of SOGAZ-Med Insurance Company JSC notes: “Medical insurance organizations help people learn about their rights in the CHI system and use them. We believe that improving the legal literacy of the insured will lead to an improvement in the quality of medical care and will allow the entire system of compulsory health insurance to reach a higher level. Responsible attitude to one’s health is a personal matter for everyone, and our task is to help people learn about their rights and receive high-quality free medical care.

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