Chickenpox in adult children symptoms. What do the initial signs of chickenpox look like in children: symptoms with a photo, treatment and prevention of smallpox

Of particular interest are parents whose children have talked with a child who has been diagnosed with chickenpox. Such information is also important in a situation where chickenpox quarantine has been declared in a kindergarten or school. How to recognize this infection at an early stage and how to understand that a child has chickenpox? To answer such questions, you need to find out where and how chickenpox begins in childhood.

What is windmill

Chicken pox, which is traditionally called chickenpox by parents and doctors, is a highly contagious infection that occurs with fever, rash and other symptoms. Most often, this disease is detected in children aged two to ten years. Its causative agent is one of the types of herpes viruses - the Varicella Zoster virus.

Babies can also contract and recover from chickenpox, but most babies under six months old are protected from chickenpox by their mother's immunity. They receive antibodies to chickenpox from a mother who had been ill in childhood, first in utero, and then through breast milk. A child older than 6 months is no longer protected by maternal antibodies, so chicken pox in infants who are already six months old is quite possible.

Watch the episode of the program "Live healthy!", In which the presenter Elena Malysheva talks about chicken pox in children:

Chickenpox also affects people over the age of 10-12. At the same time, in adolescents and adults, the infection is more severe, so many parents do not mind communicating preschoolers with children with chickenpox or go to a medical institution for a vaccination against such a disease.

In the body of a child who has had chickenpox or is vaccinated against the Varicella Zoster virus, antibodies are formed that provide him with lifelong immunity from such an infection until the end of his life. Only in 3% of cases, re-infection is possible, which is often associated with immunodeficiency.

Incubation period

This period is the time from the virus entering the child's body after infection to the first symptoms of infection. If you answer the question “how many days after contact does chickenpox appear?”, then most often in children it will be 14 days. The duration of the incubation period can be less (from 7 days) or more (up to 21 days), but on average, the onset of chickenpox is noted two weeks after the first contact with the virus.

The child becomes a source of transmission of the virus to other people at the end of the incubation period - about 24 hours before the first symptoms. In addition, it is possible to become infected from a child with chickenpox during the entire period of rashes and within five days after the last blisters appear on the baby's skin. The transmission of the pathogen occurs by airborne droplets.

prodromal period

This is the name of the time period when it is difficult to say what kind of disease a child has. With chickenpox, it is rather short (lasts one or two days), and many children may not have it at all. In the prodromal period of chicken pox, mothers notice such manifestations of malaise in children as weakness, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, loss of appetite and sleep.

Watch a video that clearly demonstrates the rashes at the initial stage of chickenpox in children:

Eruption period

The rash begins to appear on the first or second day of clinical symptoms of chickenpox. It is associated with the entry of the virus with the bloodstream into the surface layer of the skin. At the same time, the child's body temperature rises, and the severity of the fever is directly related to the abundance of elements of the rash, and when new rashes appear, the temperature rises again.

Where do rashes appear?

Not knowing whether the child has contracted chickenpox, all mothers are concerned about the question “on which part of the body does the rash begin to appear?”. The first elements of the rash in most children appear on the trunk, then they spread to the skin of the extremities, and also appear on the head (first on the face, and then on the scalp). In some children, the rash also covers the mucous membranes, for example, pimples can be seen in the mouth.

Can it start from the feet

The first spots with chickenpox can occur on the legs and on the head, but they soon spread to the skin of the trunk. At the same time, there is practically no rash on the palms and feet with chickenpox. It can appear in these areas mainly with a severe form of the disease.

If the child has a mild form of chickenpox, the rash will be represented by a small number of elements on the body, and the temperature often remains normal.

What does the rash look like

Rashes in chickenpox are represented by several types of elements that occur one after another. First, the child's body is covered with small pink-red spots, and after a few hours, papules form in their place. So called small tubercles, reminiscent of mosquito bites.

After some time, the upper part of the epidermis in the papules exfoliates and a clear liquid accumulates inside - this is how single-chamber vesicles appear. Around each such bubble, you can see a red "rim" of inflamed skin.

For information on how to distinguish chickenpox from allergies, see the video.

As a rule, the chickenpox rash can be quite itchy, and the task of parents should be to prevent scratching that can infect the vesicles.

The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Expert advice is required!

It is noteworthy that the severity of the course of the disease depends on age. Children carry the disease in a mild form, and adolescents and adults in a more severe form. They also have a high risk of complications. Pediatricians point out that in children with an active temperament, the rash is more abundant than in calm and phlegmatic ones.

Until the 17th century, chickenpox was considered a deadly disease - a type of smallpox. Since then, the name "chicken pox" has remained. As a separate disease, chickenpox began to be isolated in 1772, and the virus was only investigated in the middle of the 20th century.

Causes of chickenpox

The virus multiplies only in the human body, and in the environment it quickly dies when it dries out, under the influence of UV rays and any means for disinfection. In droplets of mucus and saliva lasts up to 15 minutes. Highly volatile - spreads with air flow.

Epidemiology of chickenpox

Transmission route- airborne. From the patient's body, the virus is excreted with droplets of saliva when talking, coughing and breathing. With a current of air, it is brought into other rooms. Due to the fact that the virus is unstable in the external environment, it is not transmitted through objects or through third parties. A vertical route of infection is also possible, when the virus passes from an infected mother to the fetus through the placenta.

Susceptibility to the virus chicken pox is very high - almost 100% of people who have not been ill before fall ill. This means that if a person who does not have immunity communicated with a sick person, then he is guaranteed to get sick.

chickenpox incubation period(from infection to the appearance of the first symptoms) lasts 10-21 days, on average 14-17 days.

After an illness, the body develops a stable lifelong immunity. It is believed that it is possible to get chickenpox again only in exceptional cases. Infants for the first 2-3 months of life are protected by innate immunity. Antibodies to the chickenpox virus are transmitted to them from the mother transplacentally. In the future, the titer of antibodies in the blood decreases, and the child may get sick.

The number of patients with chickenpox increases in the autumn-winter period. Large outbreaks occur in kindergartens, schools and boarding schools, while almost all children are infected who have not been sick before. Thanks to this feature, by the age of 15-16, 70% of the population already have immunity to chickenpox, acquired after an illness. People who do not get sick in childhood are at risk of becoming infected later in life.

Chickenpox: what is the route of transmission of the varicella zoster virus, how you can get infected, how many days the incubation period lasts and the disease itself - video

Pathogenesis

Disease development. The first symptoms of chickenpox are associated with viremia - the presence of a virus in the blood. In patients, the temperature rises and intoxication develops due to poisoning of the body with the waste products of the virus.

Further, the chickenpox virus selectively affects the cells of the skin and mucous membranes, which is manifested by characteristic rashes - a maculopapular rash. The virus also penetrates into the nerve ganglia responsible for the innervation of the skin. In addition, it depresses the immune system by disrupting the function of T-lymphocytes. In this regard, the patient may exacerbate chronic diseases. Children during and after chickenpox become especially susceptible to viral and bacterial infections.

Recovery and the formation of immunity. The immune system recognizes the virus and produces specific antibodies to fight it. These immunoglobulins are the basis of stable immunity. When re-infected, they quickly recognize and destroy the virus.

When treating chickenpox in children and mild forms in adults, it is enough to bring down the temperature and process the elements of the rash. The need for medication is determined by the doctor.

Chickenpox care

• Bed rest during fever. Children with mild illness and a normal temperature do not need to limit activity.
• To remove toxins, it is recommended to drink more fluids.
• Elements of a rash on the skin are treated:
  • 10% solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate);
  • 1% alcohol solution of brilliant green.
• To reduce itching, it is recommended to lubricate the skin:
  • camphor oil;
  • vodka.
• Children should keep their nails short to prevent scratching and infection.
• Rinse your mouth after eating:
  • furatsilina solution - 2 tablets per glass of water;
  • weak pink solution of potassium permanganate.
• Treat aphthae in the oral cavity and on the genitals:
  • methylene blue;
  • an aqueous solution of brilliant green;
• For rashes on the genitals:
  • sitz baths with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
  • frequent washing with a solution of furacilin;
  • to accelerate the healing of aft, a gauze strip is impregnated with sea buckthorn oil and applied to the affected area.
• In case of damage to the conjunctiva of the eye:
  • washed with black tea or chamomile infusion;
  • instilled with a 30% solution of albucide (sulfacyl sodium) or 1% solution of protargol.
• To reduce itching:
  • baths with oatmeal or cornstarch. Dissolve 1 cup of flour in 3 cups of warm water and add the mixture to a bath of warm water.
  • In the hot season, it is recommended to take a warm shower as needed. Water cleanses the skin of sweat and bacteria, reducing itching.
• After water procedures, the skin is blotted with a soft cloth that absorbs moisture well.
• Daily change of underwear and bed linen is required. Clothing should be loose and made from natural fabrics so as not to injure the papules. It is important that the patient does not overheat, as sweating increases itching.

Folk methods of treatment

Mild forms of chickenpox can be treated with folk remedies. Medicinal plants stimulate the production of antiviral antibodies, strengthen the immune system and help cleanse the skin from rashes.



Nutrition for chickenpox (diet)

A diet for chickenpox should be aimed at removing toxins from the body and stimulating the immune system. Boiled or steamed food helps to facilitate digestion. It is desirable that the dishes are mashed and not hot. This is especially important for patients with rashes on the oral mucosa.

When the first symptoms of chickenpox appear, the appetite deteriorates significantly. Do not force the patient to eat, especially during the period of fever. Offer food during those hours when you managed to bring down the temperature. It is advisable to eat little, but often - 4-5 times a day.
basis nutrition should become:

• Bread made from premium flour.
• Soups, not greasy, not rich.
• Animal and poultry meat in the form of souffle, meatballs, steam cutlets and meatballs.
• Milk and dairy products - yogurt, kefir, low-fat cottage cheese.
• Soft-boiled eggs, steam omelet.
• Semi-liquid cereals with the addition of milk or broth.
• Steamed vegetables - vegetable stew, caviar, mashed potatoes.
• Berries and non-hard fruits, peeled. Juices, compotes, kissels, mousses, jelly from them.
• Rosehip decoction, weak tea with honey or milk.
Excluded from the menu:
• Fatty and fried foods.
• Spicy snacks.
• Smoked products - meat, fish, sausage.
• Products that cause gas formation - cabbage, radish, radish, legumes.
• Sharp cheeses, fat sour cream, cream.
• Strong tea, coffee, spirits.

Chickenpox treatment: antipyretic, antiviral, antihistamines, rash treatment, hygiene measures, nutrition - video

Effects

Chickenpox is considered a benign disease and is relatively easy to tolerate, especially in childhood. However, 5% of patients develop complications, more often these are adults with a weakened immune system.
• Purulent skin lesions. The most common complications are abscesses, boils, phlegmon. They are formed with suppuration of the skin and subcutaneous tissue around the infected papule. The cause of development may be hidden foci of infection, when streptococci and staphylococci are carried throughout the body with blood flow. Also, one combed bubble can become the entrance gate for an infection that spreads to other areas of the skin.
• Scars, pockmarks - cicatricial changes appear at the site of deep skin lesions, combed and festering vesicles.
• Chickenpox pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs associated with the penetration of the virus into the alveoli. Against the background of a massive rash and a rise in temperature, the patient develops shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, blood-streaked sputum, cyanosis - blue skin on the peripheral parts of the body (earlobes, nose, fingers).
• Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain caused by the destruction of nerve cells under the influence of the chickenpox virus. Appears during the extinction of the disease on the 5-20th day after the onset of the rash. It is characterized by a rise in temperature, headache, lethargy, impaired consciousness, nausea, vomiting. After a few days, the main symptoms of mental disorders, convulsions, paresis of the limbs appear. Varicella encephalitis is characterized by reversibility of changes.
• Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle caused by the varicella-zoster virus. In patients, the temperature rises, there is severe weakness, heart rhythm disturbance, tachycardia, chest pain.
• Lymphadenitis - inflammation of the lymph nodescaused by the spread of infection through the lymphatic system. The axillary, inguinal and cervical lymph nodes are predominantly affected. They are enlarged, when probing, there is a slight soreness, the skin over them is reddened.
• Nephritis is an inflammation of the glomerular apparatus of the kidneys. Develops by the end of the second week of the disease. In patients, the temperature rises sharply, there is a headache, pain in the abdomen and lower back, swelling, and the volume of urine excreted decreases.
• Fetal damage in pregnant women. Chickenpox in the early stages can lead to fetal underdevelopment, rarely to miscarriage. Chickenpox in the last weeks before childbirth can cause congenital chickenpox syndrome.
Signs of the development of complications, which must be urgently reported to the doctor:
• Progressive deterioration of the general condition after a temporary improvement.
• Prolonged fever, severe weakness, drowsiness, refusal to drink - indicate severe intoxication.
• Long period of rashes more than 5 days.
• Purulent contents inside the vesicles, an inflammatory rim around the vesicles, a painful rash - the addition of a purulent skin infection.
• Severe cough, hemoptysis, shortness of breath - possible viral damage to the lungs.
• Shortness of breath and chest pain, cyanosis (cyanosis of the skin) indicate heart damage.
• Headaches, numbness of the neck and limbs, back pain, convulsions, frequent vomiting are signs of damage to the nervous system.
• Violation of consciousness, impaired speech - indicate inflammation of the brain.
• Pain in the eyes, a rash on the conjunctiva occurs when the eyes are damaged.
• Severe abdominal pain - may indicate a generalized form with damage to internal organs.

Chickenpox: complications in infants; how chickenpox proceeds during pregnancy, how to avoid negative consequences for the fetus; how to eliminate scars and scars after chickenpox; when you can wash (pediatrician's recommendations) - video

Chickenpox prevention

Preventive measures for patients with chickenpox

Prevention of chickenpox is based on the timely detection and isolation of the patient:

Preventive measures regarding contact persons

Contacts are considered to be people who communicated with the patient or were in the same room with him 2 days before the onset of the rash and up to the 8th day from the moment the last element of the rash appeared:

• During the 21st day, contacts of all ages need to be given special attention. With an increase in temperature, redness of the mucous membrane of the throat, or any rashes on the skin, it is necessary to call a doctor.
• Contact children under 7 years of age (attending kindergartens) are not allowed in preschool institutions from the 11th to the 21st day from the moment of contact. If there is no exact date of contact, then the contact child is isolated for 21 days.
• Contact children over 7 years old and adults. Not subject to separation, they can continue to go to school and visit public places until the first signs of illness appear.
• Emergency contact vaccination may be recommended for immunocompromised children and pregnant women. Okavax or anti-varicella immunoglobulin are used. The introduction of these drugs in the first three days after contact protects against the development of the disease.

What is the prognosis for chickenpox?

The prognosis for chickenpox is usually good. Complications occur in debilitated patients, people suffering from immunodeficiency and severe systemic diseases.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Is it possible to get chickenpox a second time?

Re-infection with chickenpox is possible provided that the level of IgG antibodies to the varicella-zoster virus is not high enough in the person's blood. A few decades ago, recurrent chickenpox was an exception, and now it is believed that the probability is up to 10%.

Causes of re-infection with chickenpox:

• A significant decrease in immunity - HIV infection, long-term use of systemic corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, strict diets and starvation, physical and mental exhaustion.
• Low level of anti-varicella antibodies. This situation is possible if a person has had chickenpox at an early age. In the first year of life, the immune system is not sufficiently developed, so it may not provide adequate protection.
• Infection with another type of herpes virus. Rash can cause 1, 2 and 6 types.
• Diagnostic error. A blistering rash can be a symptom of more than just chickenpox. Perhaps for the first time, vesicular rickettsiosis, flea bites or other insect bites were mistaken for chickenpox.

When is a person with chickenpox contagious?

A patient with chickenpox is considered contagious 2 days before the rash appears and 5 days after the last element appears.

In mild and moderate forms, a patient with chickenpox is contagious for 9 days from the moment the first pimple appears.

How can you get chickenpox?

100% probability of infection - stay with the patient indoors, public transport. And also in any situations when the patient's saliva gets on the oral mucosa of a healthy person - with a kiss, drinking from one cup, etc. Everyone who has not had chickenpox before becomes infected.

The risk is high up to 80% when communicating with a patient on the street - when talking and coughing, drops of saliva spread to a distance of 1-2 meters. If they enter the respiratory mucosa of susceptible people, then infection will occur. However, sunlight and air currents reduce the possibility of infection.

There is no risk of infection through personal belongings and toys of the patient or through third parties. For example, the parents of a sick child or a caregiver who has an outbreak of chickenpox in her group cannot carry the infection.

Is it possible to walk on the street with chickenpox?

Children with mild forms of chickenpox with a normal temperature can walk outside. At the same time, care must be taken to exclude contact with other people. The patient can infect non-ill residents of the entrance and those who are nearby on the street, and for people with a weakened immune system, chickenpox can be very dangerous.

Remember that active games, sun exposure and hypothermia are undesirable for a sick child.

Adults should remain in bed until complete recovery. Unwanted physical activity can cause complications.

Is it possible to swim with chickenpox?

Doctors of the "old school" do not recommend wetting the rash, arguing this by the risk of suppuration of the vesicles. Western medicine, on the contrary, advises taking baths to reduce itching. Modern infectious disease specialists recommend taking a shower with severe itching (every 4 hours) or 1 time per day as a normal hygiene procedure.

There is a danger of introducing bacteria through the towel. Therefore, it must be clean and ironed with a hot iron. It is acceptable to use soft disposable paper towels.

Is chickenpox dangerous for pregnant women?

The danger of chickenpox pregnancy depends on the period at which the woman stays.
• During the first 8-10 weeks of pregnancy, chickenpox can cause miscarriage or miscarriage. If this does not happen, then the risk of complications in the fetus is less than 5%.
• 2-3rd trimester, the risk to the fetus is minimal - does not exceed 2%.
• A period of more than 37 weeks - the risk of developing congenital chickenpox in a child reaches 25%.
Possible consequences for the fetus (developmental anomalies): underdevelopment of the limbs, damage to the eyes and optic nerve, pathology of the nervous system, skin lesions, herpes zoster.

Treatment of chickenpox in pregnant women. In mild forms, specific therapy is not prescribed, it is enough to drink more liquid and treat the elements of the rash. Recent studies have shown that pregnant women have a low risk of developing pneumonia and other lesions of the internal organs.

In severe forms, treatment is carried out with Acyclovir, which does not adversely affect the fetus. The daily dose is 4 g, the duration of treatment is 7-12 days.

What should a pregnant woman who has had chickenpox do?

Before use, you should consult with a specialist.

Chickenpox or chicken pox is a viral disease of the herpetic type, which is ill 1 time in a lifetime. The name of the disease is associated with two factors that are characteristic of it:

1. Chickenpox is easily transmitted, as if by "wind". Infection occurs by airborne droplets, and you can catch the virus at a distance of 50 (!) m from the patient. If one sick child appears in the team, then not only all other children can get sick, but also those who communicate with representatives of this team in other places. Therefore, chickenpox is a traditional childhood infection, which affects 98% of children.
2. The term "smallpox" - came into use due to the similarity of the effects of two diseases, black pox and chicken pox. Traces of diseases look like scars on the skin in the form of depressions, pits. With chickenpox, they form occasionally if the rashes have been combed, infected with a bacterial infection. If there were no combed wounds, chickenpox does not leave scars. But ordinary or black pox leaves scars-fossae almost always.

The causative agent of chickenpox

The causative agent is a virus. This is the third type of herpes virus called Zoster. Like other types of herpes viruses, Zoster enters the body once and remains in it for life. It is stored dormant in the ganglia of the spinal cord, where immune bodies limit its reproduction. With a strong decrease in immunity, Zoster can be activated, but in the form of another disease - herpes zoster.

During the initial infection, chicken pox is formed in a person known to all. With repeated activation of relapse, the disease can manifest itself in the form of herpes zoster (herpes). As a rule, relapse or activation of the virus occurs with a sharp decrease in immunity, often appearing in the elderly.

On a note: traditionally, chickenpox is ill only 1 time. After that, a person develops lifelong immunity to this virus. However, over the past decade, cases of re-infection with this infection have become more frequent. What is connected with low immunity, an incorrectly selected age-related vaccination program.

How dangerous is the disease

Children's chickenpox is almost always a harmless disease that occurs without dangerous or serious consequences. It resolves within 7-10 days without special treatment. Only antiseptic treatment of the skin is necessary to prevent scratching of rashes and bacterial infection.

Children of kindergarten and primary school age (grades 1-2) are very easily ill with chickenpox. The disease is more difficult in adolescents and young people if they are “unlucky” and did not get sick in childhood. Catching the virus at 12, 16, or 18 years of age leads to a high fever, extensive rashes that last a long time, and itches badly.

Occasionally, adults (who did not have it in childhood) get sick with this disease. At the same time, chickenpox is extremely difficult, with possible complications and deaths. Hence the conclusion: in view of the ease of the infection in childhood, it is better to get sick with it at 5-6 years old and get immunity for life. No vaccination can replace a permanent life-long effect.

In some cases, the course of the disease without rashes is possible. Chickenpox without a rash is one of the mildest forms of the disease, which is more common in unvaccinated breastfed babies. Such a course of the disease is fraught with the fact that the child may not develop strong immunity. After a few years, he may get sick again, in a more noticeable form, with a rash and fever.

Symptoms of chickenpox in children

Chickenpox is a viral infection, so its first signs are traditional for any viral disease. The initial stage of the disease is latent or incubatory. At this time, the virus multiplies and invades the cells, but does not manifest itself in the form of temperature or rashes. The incubation period of chickenpox lasts 21 days, after which there is a clear period of illness, with fever and a rash.

The initial stage of chickenpox is accompanied by fever, headache, general malaise, shortness of breath, coated tongue, as well as aching, a painful reaction of the eyes to light. Therefore, the first manifestation of the disease can be confused with the usual flu or acute respiratory infections. Further, with the development of the virus, specific signs appear - rashes.

The first signs of chickenpox that clearly indicate a herpes virus are a blistering rash that spreads from the head and upper body. Rashes are characterized by the presence of bubbles with liquid, which after a while bursts with the formation of wounds. After some time, the wounds heal.

If the wound heals for a long time, then after - there will be a small speck. Such spots in children can persist from several months to several years, after which they disappear with gradual skin renewal.

Consider the features of the manifestation of various painful symptoms in chickenpox.

Temperature with chicken pox

The rise in temperature during chickenpox can be different. Insignificant +37.3°C, and very high, up to +42°C. The temperature rises very high in adults. A slight rise in temperature can be observed in children, especially in breastfed babies.

Note: in the absence of temperature and a small (2-3 pimples) number of rashes, chickenpox in children under one year old may go unnoticed.

Chickenpox in infants occurs in severe form if the child's immunity is depressed. Such a condition is possible within 2-3 weeks after vaccination, after inflammation, or after specific manipulations (blood transfusion, antibiotic treatment).

The rise in temperature is also small in preschool children who rarely get colds. These facts indicate that body temperature during a viral (chickenpox) infection is determined by human immunity. The more active the body's defenses are, the less its rise.

Rash with chickenpox

The main defining symptom of chickenpox is the characteristic chickenpox or herpetic rash. Small pink pimples and vesicles with liquid exudate are typical signs of a herpes infection. The type of chickenpox herpetic rash varies depending on the period of the course of the disease:

• Initially, small pink dot acne appears, which can be confused with an allergic rash.
• A day later, pimples turn into so-called vesicles - they have bubbles with liquid contents. Initially, the contents of the vesicle are transparent. A day later, it becomes cloudy and bursts. In this case, bursting of vesicles is accompanied by severe itching.
• The cloudy liquid inside the blisters is filled with many viral particles. After the bursting of the vesicle, they get the opportunity to go outside, spread into the surrounding space. This is how the virus spreads and infects the surrounding people. At this stage, the itching intensifies, sometimes becoming unbearable. It is a tool for spreading viruses. With constant scratching of the wound, the viruses get on the hands, and from them they easily spread around.
• Bubbles that burst, turn into wounds, cover with a crust. Under the crust, they dry out for 6-8 days. After that, the crust disappears, leaving no traces.
• The eruptions continue in waves. When the first pimples have already burst, the next ones may still appear. Thus, within 4-5 days, a new rash appears on the human body every day. In order to distinguish new pimples from old ones, all existing rashes are smeared with fucorcin, iodine or brilliant green. Then the new rash will be clearly visible - it will not be painted over. Such manipulations allow you to determine the end of the disease. After the appearance of the last pimple in 5 days, the child can visit the children's team.

Combing pimples with chickenpox is fraught with bacterial infection, sore wounds, traces - scars.

If chickenpox scars remain, they look like pinpoint depressions that remain on the child's skin for several years. To prevent this from happening, with severe itching, special antipruritic agents are used. Or they often cauterize the places of rashes with an alcohol solution of brilliant green, iodine.

Disease duration

How many children get chickenpox also depends on the person's immunity. The duration of a viral infection is determined by the speed of the immune response. With the initial penetration of the infection, the body develops a program to combat it. This may take from one to several days. After that, the synthesis of the necessary antibodies is started, which will control the spread of the virus. Which can also take from several hours to several days. After the appearance of antibodies, the virus is limited in reproduction. Therefore, the number of new rashes is reduced less. After a few days, the rash stops appearing altogether.

Chickenpox in a child lasts until the body completely takes control of the herpes virus. This can be from 2 to 14 days.

Treatment of chickenpox in children and adults

Chickenpox is one of those diseases that in most cases do not need any treatment. The body copes with the virus itself, it is only necessary to create conditions for it to recover. In order to speed up the immune response, the child (or adult) is given the following:

• Plentiful drink - water, compote, herbal tea (optional and optional).
• Freshly squeezed vegetable and fruit juices (to maintain immunity).
• Detoxifying agents - pharmaceutical coal, smecta, natural clay. Accelerated elimination of toxins facilitates the work of protective forces, speeds up treatment. Perhaps detoxifiers are the only group of drugs that can be used for any viral infections.

Note: the famous doctor Komarovsky warns against treatment with aspirin. He says that it is in chickenpox that bringing down the temperature with this remedy can give complications to the liver.

These measures help the child to recover. They are not enough if an adult is sick. How to treat chickenpox if the disease has become severe?

How to treat chickenpox in an adult

In adults, the course of chickenpox is often complicated by long periods of time, high fever (under 40 ° C), which lasts 7-10 days, as well as nausea and vomiting. In adults, the disease can be complicated by inflammation of the cornea, otitis, pneumonia.

Vomiting with chickenpox is due to severe intoxication of the body. With a large amount of toxins in the blood and digestive tract, the gag reflex occurs as an automatic reaction aimed at removing toxins.

In this case, measures are needed that reduce intoxication from infection, reduce the frequency and strength of vomiting. Therefore, with chickenpox in adults, detoxifiers must be prescribed.

Due to the severity of the infection, in the treatment of adults, a specific antiviral agent acyclovir, general immunity stimulants (interferons, immunoglobulin) are prescribed. Rashes in adults are accompanied by severe itching, for the relief and removal of which antiallergic drugs are used - suprastin, diazolin, fenistil.

How to relieve itching with chickenpox in a child

Chickenpox itches - this is known to the parent of every ill child. And the more you comb the chickenpox pimples, the more painful the sensations become. From scratching, the itching does not go away, it intensifies, becomes painful.

The itching is also aggravated by perspiration. Therefore, with chickenpox, a child should not be bandaged. For the same reason, contrary to popular belief, it can be bathed in water with the addition of an antiseptic solution to the water.

Is it possible to wash a child with chickenpox

The opinions of pediatricians in the post-Soviet space about bathing with chickenpox are categorical - no. The ban on bathing is explained by the possibility of additional spread of infection while taking a bath, shower on healthy skin. However, the body is already infected without that. But it is possible to alleviate the condition of a sick child or adult with a warm bath.

When bathing, an antiseptic concentrate is added to the water to disinfect the rash. Use potassium permanganate (better known as potassium permanganate), an infusion of antiseptic herbs, or a salt solution. After bathing - you can not wipe, you need to blot the skin with a towel or sheet.

How to smear chickenpox in children

External antiseptic treatment is necessary to disinfect wounds and prevent bacterial infection. Therefore, brilliant green with chickenpox is a traditional remedy. Also, treatment with a colored antiseptic (red fucorcin, brilliant green) allows you to determine the number of daily rashes (a new rash is not smeared with pharmacy "paint"). What is it for?

Recovery is judged by the number of new pimples. As soon as the body takes the virus under control, there will be fewer new rashes, and after a few days there will be no new rash at all.

Is it possible to walk with chickenpox

Fresh air and walks speed up recovery. In a viral infection, an increase in the inhaled oxygen in fresh air enhances the body's immune response. Therefore, walking with chickenpox is not only possible, but also useful.

We have already said that the disease is very mild in childhood and very difficult in adulthood. At the same time, the chickenpox vaccine for children does not form a strong immunity. In terms of future health, it is better to get chickenpox at a younger age. This means that there is no need to hide a sick child, to prevent his contact with other children.

Vaccination has a dubious effect. In addition, it does not create lifelong immunity. Thus, after vaccination in childhood, a person can get sick in adulthood, when this disease is very difficult to tolerate.

Children who attend kindergarten or school are more likely to get sick - places with a large crowd of people.

The disease is caused by one of the herpes viruses (herpesvirus type 3). Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease. The virus is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person by airborne droplets (when talking, staying in one small room). With a current of air, chickenpox can spread over long distances (up to 20 m). Infection can also occur from a patient with shingles (caused by the same type of herpes virus). The virus is unstable in the external environment, so the final disinfection after the patient is not carried out.

A person with chickenpox becomes contagious two days before the rash appears, and remains contagious for the first 5 to 7 days after the rash appears.

The incubation period for chickenpox is 7-21 days. The virus enters the human body through the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth and pharynx. Then the virus spreads throughout the body by lymph and blood, penetrates the skin and mucous membranes, where it multiplies. The targets for the virus are the cells of the spiny layer of the skin and the epithelium of the mucous membranes. After primary infection, the virus resides for life in the neurons of the spinal ganglia, ganglia of the facial and trigeminal nerves. Like all herpesviruses, the varicella-zoster virus has the ability to suppress the immune system - resulting in impaired humoral and cellular immune responses and impaired innate resistance to infection.

Chickenpox immunity is non-sterile; causes immunity to a new infection and does not ensure the removal of the virus from the body. The virus resides for life in the spinal ganglia, the nuclei of cranial nerves that are associated with areas of the skin most affected by primary infection. Reactivation of the virus occurs in conditions of weakened immunity in the form of herpes zoster.

Symptoms of chickenpox in children

The disease manifests itself primarily as a febrile state, a sharp increase in body temperature up to 39-40 degrees, and a headache. The most striking sign of chickenpox is a rash and itching.

A rash in the form of small, fluid-filled blisters may cover a large part of the body and mucous membranes. The bubbles burst quite quickly and turn into small sores, which must be treated with an aqueous solution of brilliant green or potassium permanganate, acyclovir and other ointments as prescribed by a doctor. While healing, the rash is covered with a crust, which gradually disappears, thereby demonstrating recovery. Usually the rash heals without a trace, but if you comb it, scars and scars may remain on the skin after healing.

In children, chickenpox occurs in a simpler form than in adults, who may suffer from complications in the future.

It is extremely rare that chickenpox can occur without rashes and blisters - in this case, an additional consultation with a specialist is necessary to clarify the diagnosis.

Chickenpox treatment

Chickenpox usually goes away on its own within a week or 10 days. In this case, the temperature can return to normal after two or three days, although, in some cases, it persists throughout the entire period of illness.

The treatment of chickenpox is symptomatic (i.e., the manifestations of the disease are treated: high fever, skin rash), since medicine at this stage does not know how to prevent or cure this disease. The goal of treatment is to prevent suppuration of the vesicles. Zelenka is perfect for this, you can use Castellani liquid, an aqueous solution of fucorcin or potassium permanganate, etc. Children tolerate alcohol solutions very painfully.

Bathing a child with chickenpox is necessary to prevent the occurrence of a secondary skin infection. In this case, you can not use a washcloth and it is better not to use soap, adding a weak solution of potassium permanganate to the bath. Create the most comfortable conditions for the baby's skin: do not wear tight and tight clothes, use only cotton underwear.

If your child is worried about severe itching, tell the doctor about it: he will prescribe antiallergic drugs.

When the temperature rises above 38 ° C, chills, the child must be given antipyretics (paracetomol). Recent evidence suggests that ibuprofen should not be used in such cases, as its use has been associated with a high risk of skin infection. Also, children should not be given aspirin because of the high risk of complications (Reye's syndrome).

A person with chickenpox is isolated at home for nine days from the onset of the disease. In preschool institutions, quarantine is established for 21 days.

Complications of chickenpox

Complications of chickenpox are rare and are most often associated with inaccurate treatment of rashes and their suppuration, which subsequently leads to scarring.

It is extremely rare for weakened children to have severe forms of chickenpox with damage to the brain and internal organs. Such forms of the disease are treated in hospitals, using special therapeutic methods.

Vaccine and vaccination against chickenpox

The vaccine adequately protects against chickenpox and its complications. It is recommended for children aged 12 months and older, as well as adolescents and adults who have not previously had chickenpox and have not received vaccination. The vaccine protects against the disease for 10 years or more. Rarely, people who receive the chickenpox vaccine may get chickenpox, but the disease will be mild.

Currently, in the United States, Japan and some other countries, chickenpox vaccination is mandatory for the admission of a child to a preschool. But in Russia, vaccination of children against chickenpox has not yet become widespread, and this remains the choice of parents.

It is worth noting that some people with a weakened immune system (due to illness or drugs that affect the immune system) should not be vaccinated, as they may develop complications. Therefore, a patient with a weakened immune system should consult a doctor before receiving the chickenpox vaccine.

Chickenpox is an infectious disease characterized by the appearance of watery blisters. It is caused by the herpes virus. The disease is contagious, transmitted by airborne droplets.

Most people get chickenpox between the ages of 3 and 12. At an older age, chickenpox is very difficult to tolerate: the body temperature in the acute period of the disease is 39 degrees and above, the risk of complications is high. For this reason, many parents deliberately take their children to the company with chickenpox in order to protect the child from possible complications at an older age.

As a rule, infection occurs only within 2 days before the appearance of blisters, as well as within the first 5 days from the onset of rashes. On average, quarantine for chickenpox in a child lasts about 20 days.

Why it is important not to miss the onset of the disease

If you are sure that your child has been in contact with a person with chickenpox, be on the lookout, as infection of the child is inevitable. The incubation period is from 11 to 25 days.

Most often, it takes about two weeks before the onset of the first signs of the disease.

During this period of time, there are no changes in well-being, there are no symptoms. If possible, keep your child away from public places. If there is a child under one year old in the house, contact with the sick person should be avoided if possible.

Children under one year of age suffer the disease severely, it is possible to develop serious complications in which vital organs suffer. For this reason, it is very important to know the first signs of chickenpox in a child.

As soon as the symptoms of chickenpox come on, provide the sick person with separate utensils, as well as bedding and personal hygiene products. Many doctors believe that there is no need to isolate the patient from other children. Children at a younger age endure the disease much easier.

The ideal time for chickenpox is between 3 and 6 years of age. Fortunately, after suffering chicken pox, the risk of re-development of the disease is excluded, since the body develops a strong immunity to this infection.

The first signs of chickenpox in children

The first symptoms of the disease are often confused with the usual acute respiratory disease, and the appearance of spots and vesicles with an allergic reaction (urticaria).

To recognize chickenpox in time, each parent must know how the rash begins, as well as the characteristic features of the disease:

Chickenpox in children lasts about 20 days. It is very important that the child does not scratch the bubbles. In the event of a violation of the membrane, there is a high risk of infection in the wound. In this case, a scar remains on the skin, which remains for life.

In general, the course of the disease at different ages practically does not differ. The only difference is the duration of the windmill.

• Children at a younger age suffer the disease much faster than adolescents.
• Children over the age of 12 can carry severe chickenpox. In addition to rashes with fever, the child may be disturbed by nausea and vomiting.

How does chickenpox begin in children: photo

Initially, the rash is easily confused with an allergy.

In the photos below you will see how chickenpox begins in children and how the disease develops.

Komarovsky on how chickenpox begins

Doctor Komarovsky believes that every child should have had chickenpox before the age of 12, so as not to torment him at an older age. In this period of time, the disease is tolerated without complications in a milder form.

Komarovsky claims that the appearance of watery blisters on the body is not always chicken pox. In some cases, this is an allergic reaction. The main indicator is an increase in body temperature, which can rise to 39 degrees.

In some cases, the temperature fluctuates at subfebral levels (37.0-37.4).

What to do at the first sign of chickenpox in a child?

Komarovsky recommends contacting your doctor for an accurate diagnosis. He also believes that the treatment should be prescribed by a doctor, self-treatment with “brilliant green” is not the best option for children, because today there are many medicines that will alleviate the suffering of the patient.

Parent experience

Based on the reviews of mothers, it can be concluded that the first signs of chickenpox starting are bubble rashes on the body. Body temperature rises only 3-4 days after the rash.

But the opinions of parents differ, as some argue that the development of chickenpox began precisely with an elevated body temperature. 90% of mothers noted that the rash began with the face and scalp.