Chickenpox In Children: Symptoms, Treatment And Home Remedies

• The first symptoms to appear are usually fever, sore throat, and loss of appetite. These are sometimes accompanied by body ache and stomachache as well. The rash associated with the infection usually does not develop until a day after these symptoms begin.
• The rash starts out as clusters of small, usually itchy, red blisters. Over time, these blisters burst, dry up, crust, and form scabs. They begin falling off over the next few days.
• The rash tends to form on the face, chest and back, or limbs. New clusters of blisters continue to appear for a few days.

How long does the rash last?

New blisters develop throughout the body for about four days following the appearance of the first rash. The clear fluid in the blisters turns cloudy and the blisters burst, releasing the fluid. Once this happens, scab forms over the blisters. Usually, by day six, all the blisters develop scabs. The scabs take a week or two to fall off and may leave marks on the skin. These marks take time to fade away.

Recovery time from the disease

Children infected with chickenpox usually recover within 7 to 10 days of the symptoms first showing up.

How does chickenpox spread?

The virus is released into the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs. Contact with body fluids such as mucus and discharge from the rashes or blisters of an infected individual also transmit the disease. Even a brief contact is enough to cause the infection.

Because chickenpox is so contagious, classrooms, shopping malls, cinema theatres, slums and other crowded areas are high-risk places. An infected individual can pass on the disease one or two days before the rashes appear and remain infectious till the last blister dries up. Since chickenpox is usually diagnosed only after the rashes develop, preventing it from spreading is difficult.

Risk groups

Although chickenpox is generally a mild illness in children, susceptible adults and high-risk individuals may become seriously ill after exposure. These include:

• Newborn babies
• Pregnant women
• Those with immune system compromise, HIV, and an organ or bone marrow (stem cell) transplant.

Diagnosis

Healthcare providers can usually diagnose chickenpox just by looking at the rash. In some cases, additional tests may be performed.

What should I do if my child has chickenpox?

Parents should consult the paediatrician as soon as they suspect their child has chickenpox. However, it is a good idea to inform the doctor beforehand about the suspicion. Doing so may prevent the doctor from making the child wait in the waiting area, as this increases the chances of the child passing her infection to others. Also, if the skin around the rashes becomes red and sore, it could be a sign of infection. So, consult the doctor at the earliest.

Although chickenpox clears out once the disease goes through all the stages, some children may develop secondary infections of the lung and stomach. In rare cases, chickenpox infection can also lead to dangerous conditions like Reye's disease. So, talk to your doctor if you think there is something wrong with your child.

Chickenpox treatment for kids

There are two types of treatments for chickenpox:

• To ease the symptoms
• To target the infection

Once the varicella virus infects an individual, there is no medication to stop it from causing chickenpox. However, the symptoms, which cause a lot of misery, can be eased.

The doctor can give medicines to provide relief from fever and body ache. Antihistamines may be prescribed to relieve itching. Acyclovir is also helpful in reducing the itchy sensation.

Some drugs, even common ones like aspirin, are not prescribed during a bout of chickenpox, as they could affect organs like the liver and cause serious complications.

Chickenpox vaccination

Medical science provides effective safeguard against chickenpox - the chickenpox vaccine or varicella vaccine. Quite a few of us born prior to the 1980s, before the chickenpox vaccine was introduced, would have suffered from the disease at some point in our lives. However, fewer cases are being reported since the 1990s, after the vaccine became available.

The first dose of the chickenpox vaccine is usually given to babies between the ages of 12 and 15 months. The second dose, or the booster shot, is given when the child is between 4 and 6 years old. Older children who missed getting the vaccine earlier can take both the doses 28 days apart or as per the doctor's advice.

According to a paper published by the Immunization Action Coalition titled, 'Varicella (Chickenpox): Questions and Answers', the chickenpox vaccine provides 99% children with immunity from the disease.

Chickenpox home remedies for children

Home remedies for chickenpox focus on making the child feel as comfortable as possible. The main cause of discomfort is the itchiness of the rashes. This can be soothed by applying calamine or other anti-itch lotion. Some other things you can do are:

• Give warm baths frequently in water infused with neem leaves and apply a paste of neem leaves and turmeric on affected areas.
• Bathe the child in warm water in which a little baking powder has been dissolved.
• Apply organic honey or coconut oil on the rashes.

The chickenpox diet

Like all illnesses, chickenpox can affect the appetite of your child. But, even if your child is reluctant to eat, see to it that he drinks lots of fluids. Fresh fruit juice and buttermilk are good, and so is plain water. Tender coconut water is both cooling, and full of minerals and essential salts. Give your child as much of it as he wants.

Chickenpox rashes and blisters can also appear on the inside of the mouth and the throat. This could make chewing and swallowing difficult. So, give your child bland, soft food. A rice and moong dal khichdi without spices, idli or other steamed foods are ideal. Your child may appreciate having soup too. Carrots and coriander have a lot of antioxidants, so add plenty of those to any soup you make.

Cool or cold drinks and ice creams will ease the itchiness of the rashes, and your little one will be glad to have them.

Remember, a light diet is the best. Avoid spicy and oily foods.

Tips to follow if your child has chickenpox

• Dress your child in loose-fitting cotton clothes.
• Make him wear mittens at night. This way, even if he scratches himself while sleeping, there would be very little chance of scarring or causing infection.
• Keep nails trimmed.
• While bathing, be sure not to scrub with soap. Also, dry by mopping gently with a towel; don't rub.
• Change bed linen often.
• If there are blisters on the scalp, take care while combing the hair.
• After the scabs fall off, the scars will gradually fade. Applying a paste of moong dal powder and washing it with water will help clear the skin.

Precautions to take

Although chickenpox is highly communicable, simple precautions can contain the spread.

• Isolate the patient and assign one individual as the caregiver.
• Set apart utensils like plates, glasses and spoons for the patient. These should be washed separately from other utensils, using a separate scrubber and dish wash soap. Dry the utensils under the sun after washing.
• Likewise, the patient's clothes, handkerchiefs and bed linen should also be washed separately and sun-dried.
• Whoever comes in contact with anything the patient has touched should wash their hands thoroughly with medicated soap. And, also before and after going to the patient's room.

Chickenpox precautions for family members

Can family members around a child suffering from chickenpox avoid catching the infection? Well, here is what the article, 'Varicella (Chickenpox)', published on the CDC website says: "Varicella vaccine is recommended for postexposure administration for unvaccinated healthy people aged ?12 months and without other evidence of immunity, to prevent or modify the disease. The vaccine should be administered as soon as possible within 5 days after exposure to rash, if there are no contraindications to use."

The article further says, "People without evidence of immunity who have contraindications for vaccination and who are at risk for severe varicella and complications are recommended to receive postexposure prophylaxis with varicella zoster immune globulin."

Also read: Why Vaccines Are Important For Your Child's Immunisation

Can kids get chickenpox twice?

According to the NHS website, "Yes, it is possible to get chickenpox more than once, but this is extremely rare. Most children who have had chickenpox won't get it again because they're immune to it for life. However, some individuals who have had chickenpox earlier will develop a related condition called shingles later on. This is caused by the chickenpox virus being reactivated, usually several decades later."

Chickenpox complications

Complications can arise, especially in adults and people with compromised immune systems. The VZV remains in the body of an individual who has had chickenpox. At times, when the individual's immunity level goes down, the virus may manifest again as shingles. So, older people should take care to eat nutritious food and sleep well, to keep their immunity high. Unlike chickenpox, which appears all over the body, shingles rashes appear only in isolated areas.

Chickenpox during pregnancy can lead to complications such as pneumonia in the mother, or in rare cases, birth defects. Chickenpox is also very dangerous for newborn babies. Pregnant women should contact their healthcare provider right away, if they develop any signs of chickenpox.

Pregnant women who are exposed to the virus cannot receive the varicella vaccine, but they may need to take varicella immune globulin, an injection that can help protect against infection. Pregnant women who get chickenpox need to be closely monitored for signs of infection and/or complications.

If your little one does catch the virus, don't feel unduly worried. Chickenpox isn't a dangerous disease, and the discomfort can be eased. Remember, although there are many myths associated with this disease, and a list of do's and don'ts, not all of them have a scientific basis. So, follow the doctor's advice and care for your child, and he will soon be back to normal.

About the expert:

Reviewed by Dr Srinivas Prasad B R on 31 August 2019

The expert is a consultant paediatrician and neonatologist.

About the authors:

Written by Susan Philip and Arun Sharma on 3 April 2019; updated on 31 August 2019

Susan Philip, mother to a promising lawyer and an upcoming engineer, believes in empowering her children to be the best that they can be. In a career spanning more than two decades of both online and print-based writing and editing, she has worked for the PTI, UNDP and WAN-IFRA. She also functions as Editorial Coordinator for book projects.

Arun Sharma was associated with the healthcare industry before becoming a full-time writer and editor. A doting father to two preteens, he believes in experiential learning for his children. Also, he loves mountain trekking and nature trips.

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