The disease is usually more serious in young infants and adults than in children. Symptoms commonly appear 14 to 16 days range of ten to 21 days after exposure to someone with chickenpox or herpes zoster shingles. Newborn children less than one month old whose mothers are not immune may suffer severe, prolonged or fatal chickenpox. Any person with a weakened immune system, including those with cancer, human immunodeficiency virus HIV or taking drugs that suppress the immune system, may have an increased risk of developing a severe form of chickenpox or shingles.
Reye Syndrome is an unusual complication of chickenpox that is linked to children who take aspirin or aspirin-containing products during the illness. Reye Syndrome is a severe disease affecting all organ systems, but, most seriously the brain and liver and may be fatal. The exact cause of Reye Syndrome is unknown. Aspirin or aspirin-containing products should never be given to children under 18 years of age with chickenpox. A person is most able to transmit chickenpox from one to two days before the rash appears until all the blisters are dry and crusted.
People with a weakened immune system may be contagious for a longer period of time. Acyclovir is approved for treatment of chickenpox. However, because chickenpox tends to be mild in healthy children, most physicians do not feel that it is necessary to prescribe acyclovir. Acyclovir can be considered for otherwise healthy people who are at risk of moderate to severe varicella. It is important to consult with your physician for recommendations on the use of acyclovir.
Most people do not get chickenpox more than once. However, since varicella-zoster virus remains in the body after an initial infection, infection can return years later in the form of shingles in some older adults and sometimes in children.
A vaccine to protect children against chickenpox was first licensed in Children who have never had chickenpox should routinely be administered two doses of varicella vaccine with the first dose at 12 to 15 months and the second dose at four to six years of age. Persons 13 years of age and older who have never had chickenpox or have not received the varicella vaccine should get two doses of the varicella vaccine at least 28 days apart. The varicella vaccine may be given along with the measles-mumps-rubella MMR vaccine in a combination called measles-mumps-rubella-varicella MMRV that is approved for use in children 12 months through 12 years of age.
In New York State, varicella vaccine is required for children enrolled in pre-kindergarten programs and schools. It may be that that person actually never had chickenpox before, but instead received a misdiagnosis. You may not get chickenpox twice, but VZV could make you sick twice.
Shingles is a painful rash of blisters. The rash develops on one side of the face or body and typically lasts about three weeks. The blisters usually scab over in a week or two. Shingles may lead to significant complications, but this is rare. Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease that transmits easily from person to person. Breathing the air a person with chickenpox exhales, coughs, or sneezes can expose you to it.
Chickenpox can also spread through contact with the fluid in the rash blisters. The rash associated with chickenpox is often recognizable, especially by trained medical professionals.
But as chickenpox becomes less common due to the success of the vaccine, younger doctors may not be as familiar with the rash. Symptoms other than the telltale rash include:. Treatment suggestions might include:. Children and anyone under the age of 18 should never take aspirin for an illness.
If your doctor feels that you or your child are likely to develop a more serious case, they may recommend an antiviral medication such as acyclovir Zovirax.
Doctors also recommend the chickenpox vaccine. According to Vaccines. People who are vaccinated but still get the disease usually experience a much milder version. If you think that you or your child has contracted the virus, visit your doctor. They can usually determine the presence of chickenpox by inspecting the rash and checking for other symptoms.
In the rare case that the diagnosis is unclear, other tests can be done if needed. Also known as varicella, chickenpox is a virus that often affects children. It can also be spread to you through the air if you are near someone with chickenpox who is coughing or sneezing.
Chickenpox cannot be spread through indirect contact. Shingles zoster looks like chickenpox and is caused by the same virus. However, it usually appears on only one part of the body.
Shingles occurs in people who have already had chickenpox, usually many years later. Shingles is very contagious. You can catch chickenpox from someone with shingles through contact with their secretions or their skin rash. You cannot get shingles from someone with chickenpox. In most cases, getting chickenpox once means you will not get it again.
This is called lifelong immunity. However, in rare cases, a person gets it again. The best way to protect children from chickenpox is to have them vaccinated. If your child is not yet vaccinated and comes in contact with another child who has chickenpox, he may still be protected if he is vaccinated right away. If one of your children has chickenpox, it will probably spread to other members of the household who are not already immune.
If someone else catches the infection, it will appear two to three weeks after the first family member got it. If your child has an immune system disorder, contact your doctor. The doctor can give the child a special type of immune globulin ie, varicella-zoster immune globulin , which contains a large number of antibodies protective substances in the blood , to help prevent infection, or he can provide early treatment with an antiviral drug.
If your child gets chickenpox, do not give him aspirin acetylsalicylic acid or any products that contain aspirin. This severe illness can damage the liver and brain. Taking good care of the skin and not scratching it may prevent infections that can be caused by bacteria that get into the skin. Your doctor may recommend a medication to help reduce the itch. If your child is too sick to take part in regular activities, or if he has a fever, he should stay home.
For mild cases, children can go to child care or school as long as they feel well enough to participate in their activities.
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