So, I have been staying in my
room for a week now since I was struck with chicken pox. This is not easy.. All
I did was to sleep, eat, use the internet, read and watch tv. That goes on every
day. Not to mention seeing my scars brought about by chicken pox and how I’m
wishing they would fade in no time. Karl
said that I’m good to go back to work but probably I’ll wait till next week
when all blisters have dried out. I can’t
wait to go out and work out. Since I’m stuck in my room eating every second, I
am gaining much weight. I can’t wait to Zumba again!
Just so you know
Chickenpox
Varicella; Chicken pox
Chickenpox
is a viral infection in which a person develops extremely itchy
blisters all over the body. It used to be one of the classic childhood
diseases. However, it has become much less common since the introduction
of the chickenpox vaccine.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, a member of the herpesvirus family. The same virus also causes herpes zoster (shingles) in adults.
Chickenpox
can be spread very easily to others. You may get chickenpox from
touching the fluids from a chickenpox blister, or if someone with the
disease coughs or sneezes near you. Even those with mild illness may be
contagious.
A person with chickenpox become contagious 1 to 2 days before their blisters appear. They remain contagious until all the blisters have crusted over.
Most
cases of chickenpox occur in children younger than 10. The disease is
usually mild, although serious complications sometimes occur. Adults and
older children usually get sicker than younger children.
Children
whose mothers have had chickenpox or have received the chickenpox
vaccine are not very likely to catch it before they are 1 year old. If
they do catch chickenpox, they often have mild cases. This is because
antibodies from their mothers' blood help protect them. Children under 1
year old whose mothers have not had chickenpox or the vaccine can get
severe chickenpox.
Severe chickenpox symptoms are more common in
children whose immune system does not work well because of an illness or
medicines such as chemotherapy and steroids.
Symptoms
Most children with chickenpox have the following symptoms before the rash appears:
- Fever
- Headache
- Stomach ache
The
chickenpox rash occurs about 10 to 21 days after coming into contact
with someone who had the disease. The average child develops 250 to 500
small, itchy, fluid-filled blisters over red spots on the skin.
- The blisters are usually first seen on the face, middle of the body, or scalp
- After
a day or two, the blisters become cloudy and then scab. Meanwhile, new
blisters form in groups. They often appear in the mouth, in the vagina,
and on the eyelids.
- Children with skin problems such as eczema may get thousands of blisters.
Most pox will not leave scars unless they become infected with bacteria from scratching.
Some
children who have had the vaccine will still develop a mild case of
chickenpox. They usually recover much more quickly and have only a few
pox (less than 30). These cases are often harder to diagnose. However,
these children can still spread chieckenpox to others.
Signs and tests
Your
health care provider can usually diagnose chicken pox by looking at the
rash and asking questions about the person's medical history. Small
blisters on the scalp usually confirms the diagnosis.
Laboratory tests can help confirm the diagnosis, if needed.
Treatment
Treatment involves keeping the person as comfortable as possible. Here are things to try:
- Avoid scratching or rubbing the itchy areas. Keep fingernails short to avoid damaging the skin from scratching.
- Wear cool, light, loose bedclothes. Avoid wearing rough clothing, particularly wool, over an itchy area.
- Take lukewarm baths using little soap and rinse thoroughly. Try a skin-soothing oatmeal or cornstarch bath.
- Apply a soothing moisturizer after bathing to soften and cool the skin.
- Avoid prolonged exposure to excessive heat and humidity.
- Try over-the-counter oral antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), but be aware of possible side effects such as drowsiness.
- Try over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream on itchy areas.
Medications
that fight the chickenpox virus are available but not given to
everyone. To work well, the medicine usually must be started within the
first 24 hours of the rash.
- Antiviral medication is not
usually prescribe to otherwise healthy children who do not have severe
symptoms. Adults and teens, who are at risk for more severe symptoms,
may benefit from antiviral medication if it is given early.
- Antiviral
medication may be very important in those who have skin conditions
(such as eczema or recent sunburn), lung conditions (such as asthma), or
who have recently taken steroids.
- Some doctors also give
antiviral medicines to people in the same household who also develop
chickenpox, because they will usually develop more severe symptoms.
DO NOT GIVE ASPIRIN OR IBUPROFEN to someone who may have chickenpox. Use of aspirin has been associated with a serious condition called Reyes syndrome. Ibuprofen has been associated with more severe secondary infections. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be used.
A
child with chickenpox should not return to school or play with other
children until all chickenpox sores have crusted over or dried out.
Adults should follow this same rule when considering when to return to
work or be around others.
Expectations (prognosis)
Usually, a person recovers without complications.
Once
you have had chickenpox, the virus usually remains dormant or asleep in
your body for your lifetime. About 1 in 10 adults will have shingles when the virus re-emerges during a period of stress.
Complications
Rarely, serious bacteria infections such as encephalitis have occured. Other complications may include:
- Reye's syndrome
- Myocarditis
- Pneumonia
- Transient arthritis
Cerebellar ataxia may appear during the recovery phase or later. This involves a very unsteady walk.
Women
who get chickenpox during pregnancy can pass the infection to the
developing baby. Newborns are at risk for severe infection.
Calling your health care provider
Call
your health care provider if you think that your child has chickenpox
or if your child is over 12 months of age and has not been vaccinated
against chickenpox.
Prevention
Because chickenpox is airborne and very contagious before the rash even appears, it is difficult to avoid.
A vaccine to prevent chickenpox is part of a child's routine immunization schedule.
For information, see: Chickenpox vaccine
The vaccine usually prevents the chickenpox disease completely or makes the illness very mild.
Talk
to your doctor if you think your child might be at high risk for
complications and might have been exposed. Immediate preventive measures
may be important. Giving the vaccine early after exposure may still
reduce the severity of the disease.
Myers MG, Seward JF, LaRussa PS. Varicella-zoster virus. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 250.
American
Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. Recommended
immunization schedules for children and adolescents--United States,
2008. Pediatrics. 2008;121:219-220. [PubMed]
This article uses information by permission from Alan Greene, M.D., © Greene Ink, Inc.
