Chicken pox is an infection that causes a skin rash. The disease is caused by a germ called varicella-zoster virus. Most people will get the virus when they’re young, if they haven’t received the chickenpox vaccine.
A child with chicken pox can give the virus to other children, who may not have been vaccinated. It is now much less common because most kids in the United States are vaccinated when they’re young. Before the first vaccine against chicken pox was approved in the U.S. in 1995, almost everyone got it and most people had mild symptoms or no complications.
Once you’ve had it, you’re unlikely to catch it again from another person. If you don’t have protection from chicken pox, the condition can develop at any age. People who get chicken pox when they are adults may not react as well to the disease as those who get it when they are children. If possible, it’s better to have chicken pox when you’re a child. You also can avoid getting chicken pox by getting vaccinated.
Chicken pox doesn’t have to be something that children get later in life. Exposure to the virus can happen at any time, and it can take one or three weeks after exposure before they start feeling sick. Children can spread the virus from one day before they show signs of illness to about 5 days after a skin rash appears.
The virus is spread by:
Signs of chickenpox are easy to spot. Healthcare providers can often just look at the skin and determine whether a child has chickenpox. Signs of chickenpox usually happen in the following order:
Chicken pox how to treat? Make sure your child gets plenty of fluids. They need at least 10 glasses of water a day. Also, keep their temperature low by applying cool compresses to their head and body. In the meantime, try to get the child to relax by reading stories or watching movies. Chicken pox will go away on its own in a week or two. To help your child feel less itchy, you can:
When your child has a fever, avoid giving them aspirin. Aspirin can cause undesirable effects on children and may lead to serious consequences. If you need a pain reliever, acetaminophen (such as Tylenol®) is the best way to go. If you’re not sure what product to use, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider first
To prevent dehydration, make sure your child has lots of fluids to prevent them from becoming dehydrated. Cold fluid is best because it’s soothing on the mouth sores.
Read also: How to remove pimples
Chicken pox how to treat on adults? Adults without chicken pox as children may have different symptoms than children, but they are equally as severe. Those who are unvaccinated or immunocompromised are especially at risk.
It is possible that an adult may not experience any kind of rash. If they do, the pattern/spread of it might be different. But if they do get a rash, it could leave behind deeper marks and scars.
Adults are also at a higher risk of developing complications to lung infections such as pneumonia.
How to treat chicken pox for adults? Usually, doctors recommend supportive treatments for the symptoms of chicken pox until your immune system has stopped the virus from replicating.
The doctor may prescribe acyclovir to reduce the severity of symptoms and decrease the length of time it takes for them to clear up. Acyclovir can do this by limiting how fast chickenpox multiplies within your body.
Doctors often don’t prescribe antiviral treatment for young children with chickenpox, but they can for adults.
A person should take acyclovir as soon as they notice symptoms, otherwise it is less likely to work.
Read also: How to treat bee stings
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