The joys and Tribulations of Childcare

The first signs of chickenpox

Chickenpox are caused by a virus and is a common type of illness that children get. Little spots that look like little bumps or blisters appear all of the body. They are extremely itchy for the child and can often go along with flu like symptoms.

The child may begin by complaining of not feeling well. There may be a sore throat, fever, stomachache, or headache which will lead you to believe that the problem could be the start of a cold or the flu. Then the little bumps or blisters will begin to form on your child's stomach or back and then will slowly spread throughout the rest of the body.

This disease is hard to avoid

Chickenpox is an illness that is extremely contagious for those that have not had it before or have not had the vaccination. It can be spread through the air, so anyone within the same room can end up with chickenpox. It can also be spread if the child touches something and you or anyone else touches the same toy or object.

If you have more than the one child that has chickenpox, it is almost a guarantee that the others will get it within a couple of weeks. For anyone that has not had the chickenpox or the vaccination, the best way to avoid getting the chickenpox is to stay away from the infected child and the things that they touch completely.

What you can do to try to avoid it

It is helpful to have the child with chickenpox wash their hands as often as possible. But children being the way they are, unless they are constantly washing their hands, the virus will spread. Some have also gone as far to keep the chickenpox from spreading by having the infected child wear a mask. Although this may be a good way to keep the chickenpox from spreading, it is extremely uncomfortable for the child to wear a mask all the time.

Infecting others

It is important that a child with chickenpox, as well as those in close contact with the infant, stay away from pregnant women or adults who are infirm, or who have never had the disease.

Should you try to avoid it?

Since the effects of chickenpox on adults who never had it as a child can sometimes be quite severe, particularly for pregnant women or those with a reduced immune system because of cancer or medications, there is a body of opinion that claims that children should be allowed to catch chickenpox and get over with it early.

Medical facts

There really is little that a doctor will do for a child with chickenpox. There is no miracle treatment or medicine that will help the chickenpox go away. You will basically have to wait for the symptoms to clear up on their own and do your best to keep your child from scratching the blisters so they do not turn into sores and cause scars.

Alleviating symptoms

Although there are no cuative treatments that the doctor will prescribe for your child, there are some things that I have found can make them more comfortable and will help take away some of the itchy feeling.

• Use a cold wet cloth on the bumps. This can help take away some of the itchy feeling.
• Giving them a bath can help with the itching as well, but ensure that you do not rub the towel on them when you dry them. Just pat their body dry.
• If your child has chickenpox in their mouth, which is not uncommon, keep this in mind when giving them something to eat or drink. Do not try to give them something too salty or anything with too much acid it in, like oranges. It can be painful for them.
• Check with your pharmacy for lotions that work well to relieve itching.

More serious cases

You should contact your doctor immediately if:

• The blisters become infected
• The child develops breathing difficulties, or complains of chest pains, a headache or a stiff neck
• You are at all worried that your child is seriously unwell; chickenpox is usually a mild disease in children.