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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 a child | Treatment and prevention of chickenpox in a child

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Chickenpox is one of the most common viral diseases in children. Most often occurs in preschool and primary school age, but sometimes in infants. Is it true that chickenpox in children up to a year goes away with complications? And how to deal with the disease?

3 min. for reading Feb. 17, 2022

Chickenpox is reported to most commonly affect children between 6 months and 10 years of age. The course of the disease in infants is quite severe and requires careful care from the parents, as well as the obligatory recourse to a doctor. What symptoms indicate the appearance of chickenpox in an infant?

Symptoms of chickenpox

General signs of the onset of the disease:

• Copious rash
• Sudden rise in temperature
• Weakness
• Headache

The main symptom of chickenpox is a profuse rash in the form of small blisters with liquid on the skin and mucous membranes. Their appearance is accompanied by itching, which brings babies severe discomfort.

The rash appears on the body, head (both in the scalp and on the face), in the mouth, on the genitals.

How to treat chickenpox in young children

There is no cure for the disease, so all adult interventions are aimed at minimizing the child's symptoms. For example, a newborn may scratch the rash, so parents should ensure that the wounds do not become infected. It is also important to combat itching so that the baby can sleep peacefully. Usually, the skin is treated with antiseptics: an aqueous solution of potassium permanganate, brilliant green or fukrotsin or Castellani liquid (but by no means alcohol solutions). However, not too often - otherwise it can lead to irritation and even scarring.

Do not forget to cut your baby's nails, change bed and underwear more often.

Give your baby plenty of fluids. You may also need antipyretics, antihistamines for itching (only as prescribed by a doctor).

Never give your child aspirin - it can cause liver problems.

There are no special tablets for chickenpox. Antiseptics do not act on the virus, and antiviral drugs are usually not prescribed. But if the disease is especially difficult - the temperature does not drop for a long time, the bubbles fester - call an ambulance. But even if this does not happen, do not take risks, but immediately consult a doctor to develop a treatment plan.

Peculiarities of chickenpox in children under one year old

Chickenpox in infants is manifested by the same symptoms as in older children, but only in a particularly complex form, which can cause serious damage to the body. For example, negatively affecting the development of internal organs (joints, heart, lungs and kidneys may suffer) and the nervous system of the child. Therefore, the treatment of infants should always be under the supervision of a specialist.

Chickenpox in children under one year old is often accompanied by fever, the appearance of non-healing wounds, convulsions and even loss of consciousness.

Excellent protection for babies - mother's immunity, if a woman has been ill with chickenpox. If not, it is advisable to get vaccinated against chickenpox before pregnancy. Breastfeeding, which boosts immunity, will also help protect your baby.

Read also: Caring for the health of the child throughout life

Even if the little one gets sick while on breastfeeding, he will endure chickenpox more easily.

Get sick or get vaccinated?

Opinions are divided: some believe that it is better to get vaccinated as soon as the baby is 1 year old. Others insist that the little one get chickenpox as early as possible and thus receive immunity for life.

But still, many doctors advise children to be vaccinated. The disease is not always easy, especially in infants. Then chickenpox can cause severe complications, such as inflammation of the brain, the appearance of shingles, a secondary infection. Or, scars may simply remain on the skin. And, of course, it is still better for children with chronic diseases to avoid infection with any viruses.

Let's repeat: in case of chickenpox in children under one year old, immediately contact a pediatrician (and in case of serious complications, call an ambulance). Do not self-medicate, because there is nothing more valuable than the health of the child.

Other articles:

Diabetes mellitus in children: causes, signs and symptoms

Pollenosis in children: Fighting with allergies to pollen

Development of the child at 9 months 9000 9000 9000 9000 9000

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Chicken pox in newborns | Pediatrics and Neonatology

Chickenpox in newborns may present as a congenital infection or as a neonatal infection. What is the difference?

Congenital chickenpox in a fetus/newborn (congenital varicella syndrome) develops when a pregnant woman becomes infected with the varicella-zoster virus in the first or second trimester of pregnancy. The virus is transmitted from mother to fetus mainly through the placenta. The probability of transmission of the virus is 25% [1]. However, even in the case of virus transmission, the characteristic manifestations of a congenital infection—developmental defects—develop only in 1–2% of children [1,2] (there are only 100 such cases described in the literature [1]).

Congenital chickenpox in a newborn is manifested by skin rashes, eye defects - microophthalmia, choreoretinitis or cataracts, limb underdevelopment and neurological disorders - microcephaly, atrophy of the cerebral cortex, mental retardation, anal and/or urethral sphincter dysfunction [2,3].

To prevent congenital varicella in the fetus, emergency prophylaxis is recommended for all pregnant and non-immune women [1-3] who have been in contact with a patient with chickenpox or treatment with acyclovir when symptoms of the disease appear [1,2,4]; more details in the articles "Emergency prevention of chickenpox" and "Chickenpox in pregnant women". At the birth of a child with congenital chickenpox, symptomatic therapy is indicated.

Newborn chickenpox develops when a pregnant woman becomes infected with the varicella-zoster virus during the last three weeks of pregnancy or immediately after childbirth [2].

The varicella-zoster virus can be transmitted from mother to child in utero through the placenta, as well as during and after childbirth - if the mother has rashes and accidentally gets their contents on the baby's skin (contact route) and through aerosol particles released when the rashes are damaged (aerosol path) [1-4].

The characteristic symptoms of the disease in children can be found in the article “Chickenpox in children. Pathogen and symptoms.

In many ways, the tactics of managing a newborn child is determined by the time of infection of the mother and her immune status - the presence or absence of antibodies against the varicella-zoster virus. Let's consider several situations/scenarios.

Chickenpox in the perinatal period is the most dangerous for a newborn child, so even if the child does not have any symptoms, the following is recommended:

• Observation of the mother and her child in the hospital for at least three days after delivery.

If a mother has a rash, her contact with the child should be limited; Read more in the article "Chickenpox quarantine - to whom and how much?". However, a mother can feed her baby with expressed breast milk [2,3].

• Introduction of immunoglobulin to the child (in the absence of antivaricella IG, the introduction of normal human IG is acceptable) during the first 48-96 hours after birth [3-5].
• Treatment with an antiviral drug - acyclovir - intravenously at a dose of 30 mg/kg/day * in three injections for 10 days from 7 days from the moment of the onset of rashes in the mother [4].
• In the absence of symptoms of chickenpox in a child and the impossibility of intravenous administration of acyclovir, the oral form of the drug can be used. If the child's condition worsens, it is recommended to switch to intravenous administration [4].

* Doses of drugs are given in accordance with international recommendations [4]. Regional doses of drugs and standards of treatment and prevention may differ.

If the child does not have any manifestations of infection and comorbidities, and the mother of the child understands the seriousness of the situation and the possible consequences (for more details, see the article “Chickenpox Complications”), then they can leave the medical facility in the interval between the introduction of IG and the start of treatment with acyclovir in a child [4].

If symptoms of varicella develop in a newborn despite the administration of IG and acyclovir, it is recommended to continue treatment with acyclovir for at least three weeks [4]. And also to conduct a diagnostic search for the presence of congenital immunodeficiency, metabolic disorders in a child, resistance of the varicella zoster virus to acyclovir and other reasons for a poor response to the actions taken.

When a mother develops chickenpox in the period 5 days before birth - 2 days after birth inclusive, the child receives the greatest amount of the virus [3,4]. As a rule, the infection manifests itself on the 5-10th day of a child's life [4].

The manifestation of infection in the postpartum period is dangerous for a newborn child, but the risk of severe complications is already less than in the situation described above. Despite the absence of any symptoms in the child, the following should be done:

• Treatment with acyclovir (per os) at a dose of 80 mg/kg/day in four divided doses for 7-10 days, starting on the 7th day after the appearance of rashes in the mother [4] .

The need for hospitalization is determined individually depending on the presence of symptoms of infection and comorbidities in the child.

• If a child develops a rash despite preventive treatment, he/she must be hospitalized and continue treatment with acyclovir (intravenous administration) for at least three weeks [4].
• And also conduct a diagnostic search for the presence of congenital immunodeficiency, metabolic disorders in the child, resistance of the varicella-zoster virus to acyclovir and other reasons for the poor response to the actions taken.

If a mother develops symptoms of chickenpox before delivery, her newborn baby may develop a rash and other signs of infection in the early neonatal period, and even be born with a skin rash already present. However, according to available data, it is known that chickenpox in this case has a predominantly mild course [1]. Following the birth of a child, the following are recommended:

• Monitoring the condition of the child and mother in a hospital for at least three days after delivery.
• Injection of immunoglobulin to a child (in the absence of anti-varicella IG, administration of normal human IG is acceptable) [4].
• If the child does not have any manifestations of infection and comorbidities, and the mother of the child understands the seriousness of the situation, the mother and her child can leave the medical facility after the introduction of IG. If there are deviations in the condition of the child during the first week of life, it is necessary to consider the issue of hospitalization.
• If a child has rashes at birth or they appear during the first days, it is necessary to start antiviral therapy with acyclovir (per os) at a dose of 80 mg/kg/day in four doses for 7 days [4].

The course of action is determined in accordance with scenario 1A even if the source of infection is not the mother of the child, but someone else (any external contact of the child with a patient with chickenpox) and if:

• the child was born at less than 28 weeks of gestation and/or weighs less than 1000 g, regardless of the mother's serological status (IgG+/-) [2,5], for more details see the article “Chickenpox. What tests to take?
• the child was born at 28-37 weeks of gestation, and the mother is not immune to the varicella-zoster virus (IgG-) [2,5].

A child can get chickenpox not only from the mother, but also from any other person with similar symptoms. Any person with chickenpox whose rashes are not covered with crusts is considered contagious and can transmit the virus to others [6].

In the event of such exposure, management of the newborn child depends on whether the child's mother is immune to varicella, either through her previous vaccination or past illness.

If the mother has antibodies against chickenpox, then the child has a low risk of developing the disease.

• No treatment required [4].
• Monitoring of the child's condition can be carried out at home (within 2 weeks after contact with a patient with chickenpox) [4].
• When symptoms appear, management is recommended according to scenario 4 [4].

If the mother does not have antibodies against chickenpox, then the child is at high risk of developing the disease.

• It is necessary to start prophylactic antiviral therapy with acyclovir (per os) at a dose of 80 mg/kg/day in four doses for 7 days starting from day 7 after contact with a patient with chickenpox [4].
• Risk assessment and consideration of the child's hospitalization.
• If symptoms appear, management is recommended according to scenario 4.

Regardless of the manifestations of chickenpox in all children under 1 month of age, it is important to rule out a bacterial infection in the first place [7]. If the child has a fever over 38.5°C and/or an elevated level of inflammatory markers and/or a serious condition of the child, a complete microbiological examination (including CSF culture) should be performed and antiviral treatment with acyclovir and empirical antibiotic therapy should be initiated until the results of the tests are available. Read more about screening for suspected bacterial infection in newborns in the presentation "Infection in young children" on our Instagram profile.

In the absence of signs of a late bacterial infection and a confirmed diagnosis of chickenpox, hospitalization of the child and the appointment of treatment with acyclovir are recommended [4]. The route of administration of the drug depends on the immune status of the mother.

• If the mother has antibodies against chickenpox, then the child has a low risk of severe disease and complications, and acyclovir can be administered orally (per os) at a dose of 80 mg/kg/day in four doses [4].
• If the mother does not have varicella antibodies, then the child is at high risk of severe disease and complications, and acyclovir should be administered intravenously at a dose of 30 mg/kg/day in three doses and, if the child's condition improves, switch to oral administration. Therapy with acyclovir should be carried out for at least 7 days [4].

Children who have had chickenpox in the neonatal period may develop shingles during the first year of life [8].

If the expectant mother had shingles during pregnancy, this does not pose a threat to the health of the child [3].

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