| Chickenpox | |
| Why should I be concerned about my children getting chickenpox? | |
| Chickenpox should not be
thought of as "just a normal part of growing up." In the
United States, approximately 4 million people contact chickenpox each
year. It can cause serious problems and even death. Most
children are lucky and suffer only itching, discomfort, and missed
school and activities. But each year, nearly 7,500 children and
adolescents (less than 15 years of age) have to be hospitalized for
medical problems (complications) of chickenpox. About 40 children
die from these complications every year.
|
|
| What kinds of complications can chickenpox cause? | |
| It is not uncommon for a child
to have 250 - 500 lesions, any one of which may become infected or lead
to permanent scarring. More and more children develop severe skin
infections following chickenpox, caused by group A streptococcus.
Some of these infections may have serious consequences. Less
common complications in children include inflammation of the brain, loss
of balance, and pneumonia. In adults, pneumonia is the most common
complication of chickenpox, occurring in almost 20% of infected adults.
Chickenpox also can mean lost time from work as a result of the extra time and attention families must give to children who have the disease. Susceptible adults who contract chickenpox themselves also miss time from their jobs. The cost of doctor visits and medicines can put an unexpected extra burden on families. Medical costs are increased if children or adults in the household must be hospitalized for complications related to chickenpox.
|
|
| Adults can get chickenpox too! | |
| Nearly 4 million
Americans, mostly children less than 15 years of age contract chickenpox
every year. The disease occurs most often in children 5-9 years of
age. An estimated 10.8 million adolescents (15 years of age and
older) and adults, however, have not had chickenpox and are considered
"susceptible" to the disease. When chickenpox occurs in
this older group, the results can be more serious than in children.
Even if you've had previous exposures to people with chickenpox without feeling sick, you may not be immune to the disease. You still may contract chickenpox. Exposure alone does not ensure that you are protected.
|
|
| How contagious is chickenpox? | |
| Chickenpox is highly contagious
and is spread through the air when infected people cough or sneeze, or
through physical contact with fluid from lesions on the skin.
Zoster, also known as shingles, is a reactivation of chickenpox and may
also be a source of the virus for susceptible children and adults.
It is not necessary to have physical contact with the infected person
for the disease to spread. Those infected can spread chickenpox
before they know they have the disease - even before any rash
develops. In fact, people with chickenpox can infect others from
about 2 days before the rash develops until ALL the sores
have crusted over, usually 4-5 days after the rash starts.
Back to the Top
|
|
|
What are the symptoms you should look for? |
|
| Symptoms of chickenpox usually
don't show up until about 2-3 weeks after the child (or adult) is
infected. Toward the end of this "incubation" period,
the infected child may start acting cranky, achy, and feverish; may not
want to eat; and in general, may seem to be "coming down with
something."
Next comes the rash or "pocks" of chickenpox. Your doctor should always be notified if your child develops any rash. The pocks usually start as a little red spots or as a rash on the child's chest, stomach or back, and may finally appear on the face, arms and legs. Some children may get only a few spots or clusters of spots, but others may develop hundreds of spots, coming in crops over the next 3-5 days. The spots usually change into blisters filled with clear fluid. When the fluid becomes cloudy, the blisters can break open and form crusts or scabs. The scabs can be very itchy, can make the child cranky, and may result in permanent scarring, especially if they are scratched. The rash can even spread inside the mouth or other body openings, making the childe even more uncomfortable. Usually, the child will start to feel better as the blisters begin to scab. But until all the pocks have crusted over, which can take 5-10 days, the child should not have contact with others who have not had chickenpox, so that the spread of the disease will be reduced to a minimum. During the course of any disease, inform your doctor of your child's progress and report any additional discomfort or changes.
|
|
| How long does chickenpox last? | |
| The course of chickenpox will
vary with each child, but a child generally will be sick with chickenpox
for about 4-7 days. New blisters usually stop appearing by the 5th
day, most are crusted by the 6th day, and most scabs are gone within 20
days after the rash begins. If complications set in, however, the
recovery period may be even longer.
|
|
| Are all children at risk? | |
| All children who have never had
chickenpox are at risk of getting the disease and may develop serious
complications. Chickenpox becomes more common as children reach an
age at which they have more widespread social interaction with other
children, as in daycare or school.
It is important to keep a child with chickenpox from attending school or daycare and away from other susceptible children until he or she is no longer contagious (until all the pocks have crusted over). When chickenpox is in a household, a susceptible child or adult has a 90% chance of catching the disease from an infected brother, sister, or even a parent. It is also important to keep in mind that even if older children in the family have had chickenpox without any complications, younger children who have not yet had the disease may still be at risk of getting chickenpox and its serious complications. http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/fact/chickenp.htm
|
|
|
For more information contact your local health department or physician. Back to the Top
|
|