Varicella

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it? Varicella (var-i-SEL-ah) is also called chickenpox. It is a common infection (in-FEK-shun) in children. A shot (vaccination) is usually given to keep children from getting this infection. Children who have not had chickenpox or a vaccination should be given the shot before age 13. Doing this may prevent a more serious infection as an adult. Once your child has had chickenpox, he is immune (will not get it again).

What causes chickenpox? Chickenpox is caused by the varicella virus (germ). This disease can spread to anyone who has not had a chickenpox vaccine or chickenpox in the past. Chickenpox may be spread from an infected person to others by coughing, sneezing, and talking. It may also be spread by touching fluid that comes out of chickenpox blisters. After your child is exposed (infected), it may take 10 to 21 days before he gets sick.

What are the signs and symptoms of chickenpox?

• Fever or headache.
  
  
• Tiredness.
  
  
• Itchy skin rash. Small, red bumps may appear first on the trunk (chest and back) and scalp (skin underneath the hair). Then the rash may spread to the arms and legs. The rash usually does not spread to the palms of the hands or bottoms of the feet. Next, the rash forms water blisters. These blisters often break and crust over. New blisters may continue to form for three or four days. It takes about two weeks for all the crusts and scabs to fall off. Scars may appear under the scabs, especially if your child has scratched the scabs a lot.

How can I help my child feel better?

• Help your child to rest. Make sure your child rests and gets plenty of sleep. If your child feels OK, allow him to do play activities that will not make him tired. Give him books or a drawing pad for quiet play. Your child may play with others only if they have had a chickenpox infection or vaccination in the past.
  
  
• Give your child plenty of liquids. Give your child at least six to eight cups of healthy liquids each day. Give your child liquids like water, juice, and milk. Limit the amount of caffeine your child drinks. Caffeine may be found in drinks such as tea, soda pop, and certain sports drinks and foods. Read all ingredient labels of drinks and foods to make sure they do not have caffeine in them.
  
  
• Feed your child healthy foods. Feed your child a variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, breads, dairy products, and meat and fish. If your child has painful mouth sores, he may not feel like eating or drinking very much. Give your child soft, mild foods that feel good in the mouth. These may include yogurt, pudding, milkshakes, jello, and mashed potatoes. Do not give your child foods or drinks that are salty, spicy, or tart.
  
  
• Provide relief for mouth sores and ulcers. You may try using numbing gels from the grocery or drug store. Ask your child's caregiver about an antacid solution to help your child's mouth sores feel better.
  
  
• Help control your child's itching. Scratching an itchy chickenpox rash or picking off scabs can cause a skin infection (in-FEK-shun). It may also cause scars to form later. Do the following to help control itching:
  
  
  • You may put calamine lotion on your child's skin sores. Follow the directions on the label. Do not use this lotion on sores in your child's mouth.
    
    
  • Give your child baths in lukewarm water for the first few days. Add one-half cup of baking soda to the water. Let your child bathe for about 30 minutes. Do this several times a day. You also may use an oatmeal bath product that you can buy at a drug or grocery store.
    
    
  • Try to keep your child from scratching the rash or picking off the scabs. Keep his fingernails cut short. Put socks on your child's hands at night. Wash his hands with a soap that kills germs so that the rash does not get infected.
    
    
  • Keep your child quiet and cool. Sweating and becoming too warm makes itching worse. Keep your child out of the sun.
  
  
• Give medicine to ease your child's discomfort:
  
  
  • Fever medicine: Give your child acetaminophen (a-seet-a-MIN-oh-fen) or ibuprofen (eye-bu-PROH-fen) for fever and discomfort. Do not give your child aspirin. It may cause a very serious illness called Reye's Syndrome. Do not give your child other over-the-counter (OTC) medicines without first talking to your child's caregiver.
    
    
  • Antihistamine: This medicine may be given to help decrease itching from the rash. Give your child this medicine exactly as your child's caregiver tells you to. It may make your child sleepy or excited.
    
    
  • Antiviral (an-teye-VEYE-ral) medicine: This type of medicine may be given to help your child fight chickenpox. It may help if given within 24 hours of your child's first signs and symptoms. It may be helpful especially for teenagers or children with long-term skin problems or asthma. It may be given to children with other long-term conditions such as cancer or HIV.
  
  
• Keep your child home from school or daycare for about one week. Your child is contagious (able to spread chickenpox to others) until all his sores are crusted over. This may take about one week. Keep your child away from babies, pregnant women, and people with long-term conditions such as HIV or cancer. Also keep your child away from teens and adults who have not had a chickenpox infection or shots.

Risks: Chickenpox can lead to serious medical problems, especially in certain types of people. This includes pregnant women, newborn babies, and teenagers. This also includes adults and people with low immunity (cannot fight infection very well). If exposed, these people should be seen by a caregiver to decide if they need additional medication or shots. Chickenpox may cause your child to get a lung or skin infection. Your child may develop scars on his skin from the chickenpox. Rarely, this disease may affect your child's brain and may lead to brain damage. Complications of chickenpox (problems caused by having chickenpox) may cause your child to die. If a woman gets chickenpox early in pregnancy, her baby could have birth defects. If a woman gets chickenpox late in pregnancy, her newborn baby could be born with a bad infection.

Call your child's caregiver if:

• Your child has a fever (increased body temperature).
  
  
• Your child has sores anywhere in the eyes.
  
  
• The sores get bigger or have pus in them.

Seek care immediately if:

• Your child has trouble thinking clearly or is falling a lot.
  
  
• Your child has trouble breathing or is breathing very fast.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your child's care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your child's health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your child's caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat your child.

Copyright © 2008 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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