For many people, one of the “bright” childhood memories is walking for several weeks painted in a green dot. And only having become parents, we begin to seriously think about such a common infectious disease as chickenpox in children. Knowledge of symptoms, methods of infection, prevention and treatment will help to diagnose the disease in time and minimize its consequences.
Methods of infection with chickenpox
Chickenpox is a viral disease that is transmitted by airborne droplets (hence its name). Moreover, you can catch it not only through the respiratory tract, but also through the mucous membrane of the eye.
Children under 10-12 years old who are attending gardens and schools have the greatest risk of chickenpox. It is in this environment that there is a close contact between them, as a result of which one sick child can infect a large number of other children. Many parents look at this situation optimistic and do not make any special efforts for prevention. The thing is that if a child is once ill with chickenpox, then the possibility of a second illness is excluded (lifelong immunity is produced). And chickenpox in children proceeds, as a rule, faster and without special complications than in adults.
Chickenpox has a fairly long incubation (hidden, asymptomatic) period – from one to three weeks. It poses a threat to others 1 day before the start of rashes, and becomes completely safe after 5 days after the last rashes. That is, we see that it is almost impossible to isolate a healthy child in time.
Chickenpox in children – symptoms and features of the course of the disease
After at least one week (a maximum of two), after obvious infection, symptoms of chickenpox appear: general weakness, headache, increased body temperature (up to 40 degrees) and the first rashes. Moreover, the character of the rash changes literally before our eyes: at first it is a single red spot of a flat shape, and after a couple of hours – a plentiful rash, the bubbles of which become more convex and filled with liquid. The rashes are localized mainly on the chest and stomach, also observed on the arms, legs, face, all mucous membranes. Bubbles are transformed for several days: after filling with liquid, they burst, dried crusts form in these places, which later leave the skin. In the first 3-4 days, new rashes are constantly added to the old rashes. All this is accompanied by severe itching.
Chickenpox in children – treatment
Chickenpox does not imply any specific treatment. Only a few important recommendations and measures can be distinguished that will help to soften its symptoms and accelerate the process of recovery.
1. Isolate the child from the school or kindergarten until the full of rashes are completely released, providing him with bed rest for at least 3-4 days.
chickenpox in children
2. If there is a temperature of more than 38 degrees, give the child an antipyretic and anti -inflammatory agent (usually doctors prescribe a medicine based on paracetamol).
3. Since new rashes are accompanied by severe itching, try to distract the child from combing: read fairy tales, talk, come up with some verbal games and so on.
Combing the bubbles is dangerous to bring the infection into the resulting wound and its further suppuration. You can ask a doctor to prescribe an antihistamine that will soften itching.
4. Frequent change of clothing and bedding reduces the number of new rashes.
5. During the rashes, it is not recommended to take baths and shower, that is, to wet wounds. It is believed that in this way the risk of not only an increase in the amount of the rash, but the introduction of a bacterial infection increases. Although European doctors consider shower one of the means of reducing itching during rashes and distracting babies from combing them.
6. During the acute period of chickenpox, a decrease in appetite is not observed. But still somehow try to persuade the baby to eat. Prepare him easy, but nutritious food, and preferably without allergens. At high temperatures, offer warm drink more often, which will prevent dehydration.
7. And the latest recommendations relate to the use of a solution of green for chickenpox. It should be noted that it does not treat diseases. Its meaning is to disinfect the wounds from bacteria that got there.
In addition, it has a drying effect and reduces the severity of itching. Doctors consider the greenhouse a great way to fix new rashes to help determine the degree of infection of the disease.
If during illness with bubbles they were inaconously treated, their convergence was long and accompanied by purulent processes, scars may remain in these places. Subject to the sequence of treatment and hygienic rules for the treatment of rashes and wounds, chickenpox in children passes without a trace. Thus, the outcome of the disease depends on you. Come up to her correctly and be healthy!
