Chickenpox (chickenpox) in a child. Causes, symptoms and treatment of chickenpox

Varicella (chickenpox) is an acute infectious disease of viral etiology caused by the human herpetic virus of the third type - varicella zoster. The disease proceeds with febrile and moderate intoxication syndromes, as well as the presence of jerky rashes, spotty-vesicular nature on the skin and mucous membranes. A specific rash with chickenpox is the most important diagnostic sign of the disease. There is no chickenpox without a rash.

According to the ICD 10 classification, chicken pox is assigned the code B01. If the disease proceeds without complications, the main code is B01. supplemented with the number 9, with a complication of the disease with meningitis - 0, encephalitis -1, pneumonia -2. Other complications are classified under code B01.8.

Chickenpox is an anthroponotic disease, that is, the virus is transmitted from person to person. The transmission of the virus is carried out mainly by airborne droplets. It should be noted that chickenpox is included in the group of typically childhood drip infections. Chickenpox in children most often occurs between the ages of three and six. There are also peaks in incidence from one year to two and from seven to fourteen years.

By the age of fourteen, most patients are immune to chickenpox. In children, in most cases, chickenpox proceeds easily and without complications, however, a severe course of the disease is also possible (most often a complicated course is observed in weakened children or patients with immunodeficiency states). In adults, the disease is much more severe than in children.

Babies who are breastfed and born to a mother who is immune to chicken pox, usually do not get sick until three months of age. This is due to the fact that passive maternal immunity is transmitted to them (antibodies enter their body along with mother's milk).

The most severe course with a high risk of mortality (more than 30%) is observed in newborns. Congenital chickenpox occurs in about 5 out of 1000 patients. As a rule, it develops if the mother gets chickenpox at 13-20 weeks of pregnancy. When the mother is infected in late pregnancy (especially in the last five days), it leads to the development of chickenpox in the baby in newborns. The later the mother was infected, the more severe the disease in the child and the higher the risk of death.

After suffering chicken pox, a strong immunity is formed. However, in patients who had chickenpox in a mild or erased form, cases of recurrent illness are possible.

Chickenpox vaccination is not included in the list of mandatory, however, it can be carried out according to epidemiological indications for children (chickenpox vaccine can be administered to children from the age of one) or adults who did not have chickenpox in childhood.

It should be noted that the virus persists in the human body for life, so in adults this virus can cause the development of herpes zoster.

How is chickenpox transmitted in children?

The disease is transmitted by airborne droplets. Considering the low resistance of the pathogen in the external environment (the virus is quickly destroyed under the influence of ultraviolet radiation and high temperatures, however, it tolerates low temperatures well), the contact-household mechanism of infection (through towels, dishes, etc.) is practically not realized.

Transmission of the virus from mother to child is possible transplacentally or during childbirth (when the mother is infected shortly before childbirth), with the development of congenital chickenpox or chickenpox of the newborn.

It should be noted that the virus is highly contagious and can spread over long distances. During a conversation, coughing, etc., patients release a huge amount of the virus into the environment, which can spread through the air to several floors, penetrating into other rooms and apartments.

Varicella is characterized by pronounced foci. That is, if one child falls ill in a kindergarten, school, porch, etc., soon all children who have not been ill before get sick with chickenpox. Adults with herpes zoster may also pose an epidemiological risk. The fact is that these diseases are caused by the same virus, but chickenpox is the body's primary reaction to contact with varicella zoster.

In those who have had chickenpox, the virus remains in the body for life (varicella zoster is highly tropic to the nervous tissue, therefore, its lifelong persistence in the nerve ganglia is observed) and in the presence of favorable factors (severe hypothermia, repeated contact with a patient with chickenpox, a sharp decrease in immunity and etc.), a recurrence of the infection in the form of shingles is possible.

Primarily, shingles instead of chickenpox may occur in immunocompromised children.

The incubation period for chickenpox in children ranges from eleven to twenty-one days. However, most often, the disease develops fourteen days after contact with the patient.

The chickenpox patient becomes contagious one to two days before the end of the incubation period and continues to shed the virus throughout the period of rashes and for five days after the appearance of the last vesicles (vesicles towering above the skin with chickenpox are not acne, as many patients believe, and vesicles).

It is the fluid in the vesicles that contains the largest amount of virus, so damage to them when combing leads to the appearance of even more rashes. Also, when combing large elements of the rash, scars may remain.

The crusts that remain after the vesicles have dried do not contain the virus. It should be noted that the spot treatment of vesicles in chickenpox in children with fucorcin ® or a one percent solution of brilliant green (in addition to green, one or two percent solutions of potassium permanganate can also be used) is carried out not only in order to more quickly dry the bubbles, but also to control the number of new rashes . This allows you to determine when the last elements of the rash appeared and start counting the last five days of the patient's infectivity. That is why, a colorless remedy for chickenpox is not used.

How does chickenpox start in children?

The first signs of chickenpox in a child are not specific and correspond to one or two days of the prodromal period of the disease. With chickenpox, children have a slight increase in temperature, not pronounced symptoms of intoxication, weakness, lethargy. In isolated cases, a small-spotted exanthema may occur, which will precede the appearance of a rash with chickenpox.

In most patients, the prodromal period proceeds in a smoothed form or is completely absent.

How chickenpox manifests itself and the symptoms of chickenpox in children in the initial stage

You can recognize chickenpox in a child during the period of rashes. This stage lasts up to five days. However, severe forms of the disease may be accompanied by fresh rashes for up to ten days.

The beginning of the period of rashes is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, an increase in intoxication symptoms, the child becomes capricious, irritable, complains of itching.

Photo of the initial stage of chickenpox in children:

Rash with chickenpox

The rash with chicken pox is specific, spotty-vesicular. The first elements are noted on the skin of the trunk, face, scalp, oral mucosa. With chickenpox, unlike natural smallpox, there are much fewer rashes on the face than on the skin of the body. Also, after the vesicles dry up and the crusts fall off, as a rule, there are no specific pockmarks (scars). Scars after chickenpox can remain only in severe cases of the disease with massive sprinkling, as well as with constant scratching of the skin by the child and "tearing" the vesicles.

A rash with chickenpox on the palms and feet is not typical (unlike the Coxsackie virus, in which the presence of rashes on the palms and feet is indicative), with the exception of forms of the disease with a severe course.

The most indicative sign of chickenpox is a pronounced polymorphism of rashes. The patient's skin shows spots, papules, vesicles and crusts. The transformation of the vesicle into a crust takes one to two days. At the same time, the vesicle ceases to be tense, its walls become "flaccid" and begin to subside in the center. The crusts formed at the site of the vesicles dry up and fall off within four to seven days.

It is impossible to peel off the crusts, this increases the risk that scars will remain in their place. It is also possible for a bacterial infection to enter the wound.

With a mild course, the mucous membranes may not be affected. In moderate and severe cases, there is a rash on the oral mucosa, conjunctiva, and genital organs. After opening the rashes on the mucous membranes, quickly healing aphthae remain.

The rash is characterized by severe itching, in some cases, children may complain of burning and soreness (mainly in the presence of rashes on the mucous membranes).

Changing the rash in chickenpox

Each wave of rashes is accompanied by a fever.

In classical chickenpox, the vesicular elements of the rash are small, tense, not merging (single fusion of small vesicles is possible) and filled with transparent contents. The formation of massive bullae (extensive, flaccid blisters) or suppuration of the rash is noted with an atypical course (bullous, hemorrhagic, pustular, etc. forms).

How many days does chickenpox last in children?

The incubation period is from 11 to 21 days.

The infectious period is the last 2 days of the incubation period + five days from the end of the infusion.

Chickenpox cannot be quickly cured. The disease has a clear staging. The total duration is individual:

prodromal period - from one to two days;
rashes up to five days (in severe cases - up to 10 days);
the period of reverse development (complete falling off of the crusts) from one to two weeks.

Patients for the entire infectious period. Disinfection is not required, ordinary wet cleaning and regular ventilation of the room are sufficient.

Is it possible to wash a child with chickenpox?

It is not recommended to wash the child in the presence of fresh vesicles. After the end of sprinkling, you can bathe the baby in warm water. Afterwards, dry your skin with a towel. Rubbing the skin is prohibited, as mechanical tearing of the crusts occurs.

After bathing, the crusts should be treated with Calamine ® lotion (in case of chickenpox, it effectively relieves itching, cools the skin, and also has a disinfecting effect), zinc ointment, cindol ®.

After the crusts have completely fallen off, the skin can be treated with D-panthenol ® , Bepanthen ®, etc. These ointments are not used for chickenpox for children, but to accelerate the regeneration of the skin. Therefore, they are not used in the presence of vesicles.

Is it possible to walk with chickenpox?

Walking is allowed after the end of the contagious period. Until the end of this period, the child must be isolated. Firstly, the child is contagious, and secondly, contact with additional infection, hypothermia, etc., increase the risk of complications. In addition, vesicular rashes are very itchy, and children constantly comb them. And on the street, the risk of infection when scratching the skin with dirty hands is much higher.

Is it possible to get chickenpox a second time?

Upon reactivation of the varicella zoster virus or repeated exposure to it, adults usually develop herpes zoster.

However, if chickenpox was tolerated in an erased or mild form, cases of recurrent illness are possible.

Chickenpox vaccine for children

Chickenpox vaccination for children is not mandatory (according to the national immunization calendar). In the vast majority of cases, chickenpox in children occurs in a mild form, so it makes no sense to vaccinate a child. The exception is patients with:

immunodeficiency states;
acute leukemia;
severe chronic pathologies;
malignant neoplasms.

Complications after chickenpox in children

As a rule, chickenpox proceeds easily and without complications, however, in some cases, an atypical course is possible (hemorrhagic, pustular, visceral, etc. forms) and the development of such complications as:

suppuration of vesicles;
inflammation of the rashes on the conjunctiva, with the development of keratitis or conjunctivitis (in severe cases, blindness is possible);
accession of lymphadenitis, pneumonia, encephalitis, sepsis, meningitis, convulsions, nephritis, hepatitis, paralysis or paresis.

How to treat chickenpox in children?

Hospitalization in a hospital (in the Meltzer box of the infectious diseases department) is indicated only for severe cases with a high risk of complications, as well as for chickenpox in patients from high-risk groups (immunodeficiency states, leukemia, etc.). Other patients can be treated at home.

When a baby appears in the family, all parents experience happiness. Not unreasonably, since a “new love” has appeared in life. But when a baby gets sick, we can experience different emotions and they are usually not positive. However, if your child has caught the chickenpox virus, then you should rather rejoice than grieve. How to recognize chickenpox, the first signs, how chickenpox begins in children, how to identify chickenpox in a child, the signs of which are not entirely characteristic of this disease, and much more, you will learn from this useful article.

After infection, the disease proceeds in the child's body secretly and does not manifest itself in any way. The time interval of the latent form of chickenpox in children is on average 7-21 days. This directly depends on the immune system: the faster the immune system detects the virus in the body, the faster the reaction will be.

So, your baby is sick. The very first signs of infection in a one-year-old baby or at 2 years old, as well as in children of 4 years old, 5 years old or 10 years old, are about the same. The only difference is that a baby at 3 or 4 years old will certainly tell you about his poor health.

Photo of how chickenpox begins in children. As a rule, the disease begins with fever, chills, headache, swollen lymph nodes (often behind the ears), and general weakness. If you look, the main symptom of infection is fever. The appearance of temperature in chickenpox indicates intoxication of the body with a virus and this is a natural reaction of the immune system to the pathogen. The remaining manifestations - chills, fever, weakness, etc. - are a consequence of an increase in temperature. It can be argued that the symptoms of chickenpox in children are quite blurred, and it is actually not possible to diagnose this disease, only by the symptomatic manifestations of the infection. And only some time after the first symptoms appear (2-5 days), a characteristic rash appears on the patient's body, which is the main symptom of the disease.

Where does chickenpox start in children

From what places the rash begins to spread is difficult to say. Most often, the spread of the rash begins with the head and face, but there are times when the rash initially affects the hands or stomach ... the virus does not matter. How does the rash begin to appear? First, reddish spots appear, with a diameter of not more than 1 centimeter, in a small amount, which after a few hours change and turn into bubbles with a clear liquid, affecting most of the patient's skin. Chickenpox rashes are accompanied by severe itching, which causes serious discomfort to the child. Signs of the initial stage of chickenpox in children with a photo.

There are cases when the temperature appears as a result of rashes on the body, although this is not typical. However, with abundant rashes on the skin of a child, often there is an increase in temperature.

After about 1-2 days, pimples or papules begin to dry out and crust on their own, new ones appear after a day or two. Within 7-14 days, the crusts peel off and fall off, leaving pinkish spots, which disappear after a while, leaving no traces.

It is worth adding that rashes with chickenpox in a child can appear not only on the body, but also on the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and throat. In this case, the child experiences pain in the area affected by the rash and discomfort. As a result, it is possible to refuse food.

The contagiousness of the patient does not appear immediately. It is generally accepted that a child becomes contagious a day or two before the first signs of a rash appear and continues to be contagious until the last papules appear on the body. 5-7 days after the last elements of the rash appear, the baby is no longer considered contagious.

Signs of chickenpox in children, as well as symptoms, can have varying degrees of severity. In some children, the rashes may be minor and practically do not itch, and the temperature does not rise above 37.5 degrees. In other cases, rashes are ubiquitous and abundant, there are many foci of rash, the temperature can reach 39-40 degrees. Rashes strongly itch, the dream, appetite disappears. What is it connected with? The fact is that chickenpox can take 3 forms of flow:

With a mild form of the disease, the temperature does not exceed 38 degrees, rashes appear in a relatively small amount, itching is present, but does not create much discomfort. The rash lasts no more than 5 days;
The moderate form of chickenpox is characterized by fever over 38 degrees, chills, weakness, muscle and joint pain, rashes are plentiful, accompanied by severe itching. In childhood, this form of viral infection is rare;
The severe form of chickenpox is characterized by a high temperature (39-40 degrees), profuse rashes throughout the body and on the mucous membrane. Nausea, vomiting, muscle spasms and spontaneous twitching of the limbs, severe malaise, delirium, incoordination, etc. Unfortunately, a severe form of chickenpox is most often observed in children under one year old. This is due to the weak immune system of babies, since at this age the child's body may no longer have mother's immunity obtained with milk, and its own has not yet been developed;

Chickenpox at the age of 3 years or 10 years is often mild and does not cause difficulties in treatment.

Rudimentary or atypical chickenpox

Medical practice shows that chickenpox can be asymptomatic, that is, there is no actual manifestation of infection. With this course of the disease, there is a very weak manifestation of symptoms and signs of infection, or their complete absence. As a rule, this phenomenon prevails in children under the age of 1 year, due to the receipt of mother's antibodies (if the mother had previously had chickenpox) along with milk. Also, a similar course of infection is observed in newborn children after an injection of immunoglobulin.

In addition to such a favorable form, atypical chickenpox is characterized by more severe manifestations:

Gangrenous form. With this feature of the course of the disease, the transformation of the rash is characteristic (the rash slightly increases in size, the liquid in the vesicles becomes cloudy). This is due to infectious inflammation in the skin epithelium when pathogenic bacteria enter the wound. Most often, the cause of the gangrenous form of chickenpox is scratching or squeezing the rash;
Hemorrhagic form of atypical chickenpox. It is characterized by a massive defeat by the virus of the body. The fluid in the vesicles is turbid with an admixture of blood, a very high temperature, it is extremely hard to get off, skin hemorrhages, nosebleeds, urine with blood, etc. The development of the hemorrhagic form is very intensive, which often leads to death. The risk group includes children under one year old or children with congenital immunodeficiency;
The generalized form of atypical chickenpox is a complete defeat of the organs by the virus, which leads to a stop of important vital functions;

Note that these forms of atypical chickenpox in children are very rare, in case of timely diagnosis and treatment.

With the name of this famous pediatrician in our country, perhaps every parent is familiar. Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky in relation to the symptomatic picture of chickenpox notes the similarity of its manifestation with acute respiratory diseases. An important criterion in the fight against chickenpox, Dr. Komarovsky considers the timely diagnosis of the disease.

According to Dr. Komarovsky, it would be reasonable to intentionally infect your child with chickenpox before the age of 12, since children tolerate this disease much more easily than adults. However, today, there is an alternative to this "barbaric" method - vaccination against chicken pox. From the point of view of Evgeny Olegovich, this method of providing immunity against the chickenpox virus is more effective and safer than direct contact of a child with a healthy virus.

Diagnostics

To date, it is not difficult to identify this disease, given the specificity of the signs of its manifestation. Therefore, any doctor will do it without problems. However, as we said above, there are atypical cases of chickenpox. In such situations, laboratory methods are used to diagnose the disease, namely blood tests for specific antibodies of the IgG and IgM classes. This diagnostic method is highly accurate, but at the initial stage of chicken pox, the results may be erroneous.

This disease can be called the most common among all infectious diseases that only occur in children. A person can get chickenpox only once and in the future he develops strong immunity for the rest of his life. It is clear that in children this disease is much easier than in adults. But anyway, if chickenpox appeared in children, every parent should know the symptoms of this infectious disease. There is no need to worry about the disease; almost all children go through this ailment.

Many are interested in how chickenpox begins in children and where a child can catch this infection. It is worth noting that almost all children aged two to seven years get sick with it, especially if they go to kindergarten, because the infectious agent is very volatile and can penetrate into neighboring rooms and apartments.

Causes of the disease

Chickenpox is an acute infectious disease, it is transmitted by airborne droplets through the mucous membranes of the eyes and upper respiratory tract. Therefore, this disease got its name because of the method of transmission - “chickenpox”, since the virus is carried through the air (as if by wind). As soon as one child catches the virus in a children's institution, the first symptoms of chickenpox appear in the children of all the others. Children up to six months do not get sick with this disease, since the mother, even during the intrauterine development of the baby, transferred her immunity to him. Children older than seven to ten years of age get chickenpox, but much less frequently than younger children.

Therefore, it is very important to know what chickenpox looks like in children. Adults can also catch the infection, their disease is very severe.

Only sick people are the source of infection, because this virus is not adapted to the external environment and dies almost immediately as soon as it leaves the human body. The source of infection will be only the person whose disease is in an active form, it begins two days before the first signs of chickenpox appear in a child. This explains the general infection, if your child had contact with a sick person, then we can say with one hundred percent certainty that he will also become infected. But on the street, especially in the summer, the virus cannot exist.

Signs of the disease

Of course, every parent wants to know how chickenpox manifests itself in children in order to immediately recognize this insidious disease and start treatment on time. In our country, children with chickenpox are in quarantine, but in many European countries such sick children are not isolated from their peers, as doctors believe that it is better to have this disease in childhood than to suffer in adulthood.

This is what a chickenpox skin rash looks like

Incubation period

The incubation period for chickenpox in children is one to three weeks. At this time, the disease does not manifest itself in any way, and the parents do not even suspect that their child is ill, but the child becomes contagious to others from the time the virus enters it until the last skin rash occurs.

It is worth noting that the average duration of the incubation period of chickenpox in children is two weeks, and the shortest period is a week.

Further development of the disease

After the end of the incubation period, the first signs of chickenpox in a child may be:

a sharp rise in temperature to 39 degrees and a little higher. And if in the future there were no skin rashes, then chickenpox can be confused with SARS. But it is worth noting that such a sharp increase in temperature does not always happen, in many cases the temperature does not exceed 37-37.5 degrees. Maybe even chickenpox without fever in children;
the child begins to have a headache, a general feeling of weakness appears;
the baby becomes irritable and is not interested in anything, he also sleeps and eats poorly;
almost immediately after the temperature rises, a rash appears on the child's body. So it is considered the most important symptom of chickenpox in children. The first rashes appear on the face of the baby, because the virus enters through the respiratory tract, while small capillaries are affected. The rash is pinkish in color but does not appear on the palms and soles of the feet. These pink-reddish spots spread throughout the baby's body very quickly - in almost a couple of hours.

Literally a few hours after the first rash appears, the spots turn into small bubbles filled with liquid. Together with the appearance of bubbles, their unbearable itching begins, the child begins to comb the rash. Parents should be very careful not to let the baby scratch the rash, because the infection can easily be brought into the wounds.

In three days, the bubbles dry up and become covered with a dry crust of dark red color. But at this time, more and more rashes appear on the body, and the disease itself is characterized by a wave-like course. New bubbles appear over four to eight days, while the temperature can rise all the time. After this, the disease subsides, and the signs of chickenpox in children become less distinct. The crusts formed at the sites of the bubbles should fall off in two weeks. After them, small traces of a pale pinkish tint remain, with time they will pass. If the child constantly combed the bubbles or tore off the crusts, there may be small scars on the skin.

Chickenpox usually lasts for ten days after the first symptoms of chickenpox in children.

The symptoms of chickenpox in infants are the same as in older children.

Signs of chickenpox in infants

As already mentioned, up to six months the baby retains in the body the antibodies transmitted by the mother during pregnancy, so the overall immunity during this period of growth of the baby is strong. But in the future, while the baby develops his immunity, he can easily become infected with chickenpox. Babies who are breastfed by their mothers are much more likely to resist infection. Chickenpox in children up to a year is characterized by almost the same signs as in older children, namely:

a rash appears on the body and face of the baby in the form of mosquito bites. It quickly spreads to the whole body;
on the second day, the rash turns into bubbles with liquid inside;
along with the rash, the baby has a fever;
lymph nodes are enlarged.

After five days, the disease is no longer contagious, the rashes stop, the pimples slowly disappear. It is worth noting that in babies the disease can pass in different ways: easily, without any complications and with single skin rashes, or the disease torments the baby with intense heat and itching. The baby will not be able to tell you anything yet, so he does not sleep well, constantly cries, refuses to eat.

In very severe cases, a rash appears not only on the skin, but also on the mucous membranes, and this brings unbearable suffering to both the infant and his mother. Therefore, it is very important to know how chickenpox manifests itself in infants in order to help your child.

It is worth noting that after this disease there may be complications such as shingles, rhinitis, conjunctivitis and other infectious diseases.

windmill shapes

Doctors distinguish three forms of chickenpox, depending on how it proceeds:

mild form. Rashes are not widespread, some children are lucky and they get off with only single pimples. In this case, chickenpox occurs in children without a temperature that does not rise at all, and the duration of the appearance of acne is two or three days;
moderate form. Here the temperature rises to 38-39 degrees, the child has a headache, sleep is disturbed, and the rash is very itchy. The rash will be profuse and the pimples will appear within five to seven days;
severe form. New rashes raise the temperature even higher, it can be up to forty degrees. Severe headaches, nausea with vomiting, fever and delirium are present. New blisters appear within seven to ten days. The rash is severe, it appears in the mouth and on the genitals of the child.

Treatment of chickenpox in children

It is understandable that all parents want to know how to treat chickenpox in children. But this viral disease is not treated with antibiotics, they are prescribed only if a bacterial infection is added to the viral infection and suppuration of the blisters occurs. This is due to the fact that the child constantly scratches the rash and combs it. That is why, if chickenpox is diagnosed in children, treatment requires careful monitoring of the baby by parents.

Medications

The initial symptomatology is an increase in temperature, and if it is large, be sure to bring it down. Ibuprofen or Paracetamol will help alleviate the condition of the baby. Never give children aspirin!

The most common drug that fights the varicella-zoster virus is Acyclovir. It is most often prescribed to adults and adolescents who have chickenpox. Acyclovir for chickenpox in children of preschool and primary school age is prescribed only if the disease is very severe, then the drug will help the child's body cope with the disease.

It is also prescribed for congenital chickenpox, including newborn children, because this infection in children up to a year old is very difficult if there is no immunity. With chickenpox in children, acyclovir is very effective; when ingested, the drug penetrates the cells affected by the virus, integrates into the DNA of the virus and prevents its reproduction. It is prescribed for oral administration, one or two tablets up to three times a day, the doctor selects the dosage. If the treatment is carried out in a hospital, and this is possible with a very severe form, then the medicine is administered in intravenous droppers.

How to deal with itching

One of the signs of chickenpox in children is severe itching at the site of the rash. This is the most difficult for the baby, because it is very difficult for him to refrain from combing the rash. The released sweat makes itching even stronger, so you need to maintain the optimum temperature in the room where the patient is located and change his underwear more often. It is best to wear clothes made of natural cotton fabrics for the child so that the body “breathes” and the child will sweat less.

Do you want something interesting?

It is impossible to bathe a baby in the bath during such an ailment, but you can take a quick shower. No one forbids personal hygiene, a warm shower will even help relieve itching a little. But there are some rules here:

shower temperature is prohibited;
water should be warm, not hot;
it is forbidden to rub the baby with a washcloth and use soap;
you can not wipe the child with a hard towel - you can accidentally tear off the crusts. It is best to blot it with a soft sheet or towel;
if the doctor did not allow water procedures, then it is necessary, because he treats chickenpox in children and he knows better what can and cannot be done.

Very often, drugs such as Suprastin, Diazolin, Fenkarol and others are prescribed to relieve itching. But they cannot be treated on their own, the drugs are taken as prescribed by the doctor.

How and what to treat rashes

You already know that the most common symptom of chickenpox in children is a rash. Previously, it was treated with brilliant green, it helped to dry the rashes, and it was clear where new pimples appeared. Of course, there is nothing wrong with green, except for its terrible color, which makes the baby look like a frog. But if the child is small and has nothing against brilliant green, treat the rash with this drug. You need to smear pimples once with a cotton swab. After that, put on your child such pajamas or a T-shirt that you don’t mind getting dirty with green paint.

We process pimples with greenery

If you do not want to use this remedy, you can safely use other antiseptic preparations. There are various lotions against chickenpox. If you are interested in knowing how to treat chickenpox in children with such drugs, and which one is best to buy, then you can purchase Calamine lotion at the pharmacy, which will dry out pimples, relieve itching and have a cooling effect.

Treatment of chickenpox in infants

You already know that in children under one year old, chickenpox occurs unexpectedly and develops very quickly. First of all, you need to call a doctor who will prescribe a drug for allergies, he will reduce itching and alleviate the condition of the crumbs. If the baby has a high temperature, it is reduced by conventional drugs in the form of antipyretic suppositories and syrups. It can be Nurofen or Panadol. Rashes are smeared with brilliant green, fucorcin or other drugs that the local pediatrician will advise.

As for bathing: you can’t bathe a baby at a temperature, but if it’s normal, you can bathe a baby, just don’t rub pimples and don’t use soap.

General rules for the treatment of chickenpox

Treatment of chickenpox is carried out at home, with the exception of a very severe form of the disease, and then the baby is placed in a hospital. You already know how chickenpox looks like in children and it does not require special therapy. But to strengthen weakened children's immunity, you must follow these simple rules:

take short walks with your child. You can walk after the stabilization of the baby's condition, and you see that things are on the mend. Dress him so that he does not sweat, in winter it is enough to walk for about twenty minutes, in summer it is advisable to walk more, but do not drive the child in direct sunlight. Do not let him come into contact with other children so that he does not infect them;
fluid intake. During chickenpox, let your child drink plenty of water. Non-acidic natural juices diluted with water, herbal decoctions and teas are best suited;
proper nutrition. Symptoms of chickenpox in children are such that they may refuse food, especially when the temperature is high. Do not force him to eat when he is sick, offer your baby a light snack and give him what he loves the most. But this does not mean that the baby needs to be literally “filled up” with sweets and cakes. Eliminate for a while salty, seasoned and spicy foods, as well as sour and smoked foods.

It is advisable to give the child milk porridge and broth. Useful and lean fish. Fruits include avocados and bananas.

Are chickenpox vaccines necessary?

The chickenpox vaccine for children appeared several years ago and is offered to be given to children from a year old who have not previously had this disease. The vaccine consists of live attenuated pathogens. The first time a child is vaccinated at 12-14 months, and after three or five years, it is possible to repeat the vaccination against chickenpox for children. In adolescence and adults in the absence of natural immunity, you need to be vaccinated twice, the interval between vaccinations is at least one month.

Some mothers are very worried about this and believe that such a vaccination will only harm their baby. But this is not true, most children tolerate vaccinations very well and they do not notice any adverse reactions. But if the child is often sick, you need to consult a pediatrician about vaccination, as weak children are more likely to be adversely affected by side effects after vaccination.

So you learned how chickenpox begins in children, how it proceeds and how to treat it. As you can see, no complicated treatment is required here, the most important thing is not to let the baby comb the rashes and give the sick child as much attention and care as possible.

This material is for informational purposes only, before using the information provided, it is necessary to consult with a specialist.

Chickenpox or chickenpox in children is a pathology that is provoked by the activation of the herpes simplex virus in the body. Most often, the virus affects children from 2 to 7 years. The most susceptible to the disease are those children who attend kindergartens or other developmental groups, are often in society and are in contact with other people.

Infants in the first six months of their lives occasionally become infected with chickenpox, because maternal immunity is still preserved in their body. Upon reaching the age of 7, chickenpox develops much less frequently, but proceeds in a more severe form.

The main way the virus enters the body is airborne.

Signs of chickenpox in a child

In order to accurately diagnose and not miss the first symptoms of the disease, you need to know what chickenpox looks like:

As a rule, all stages can be observed on the skin at the same time, because some bubbles are already bursting, while others are just being formed.

The main symptoms of the disease are rashes and itching all over the body. Sometimes they are accompanied by other manifestations:

headache;
fever;
temperature rise.

Only a doctor diagnoses the disease and develops treatment tactics. In children, chickenpox almost always occurs in a mild form, does not give complications.

temperature rise

Body temperature readings will correspond to the type of chickenpox. Simple forms do not provoke a sharp temperature drop, the maximum increase does not exceed 37.5 degrees.

Children most often develop moderate chickenpox, when the body temperature increases in direct proportion to the number of bubbles formed on the body, it reaches 38 degrees.

In severe form, the temperature rises to 39 - 40 degrees.

How many days the temperature lasts depends on the severity of the disease. Values up to 38 usually do not subside within 2 to 4 days. If the temperature has risen to 39, then the fever can last a week. In this case, you need to urgently seek medical help and call an ambulance.

rashes

The herpes virus that causes chickenpox causes the formation of a red rash. At first, it resembles mosquito bites. Then the bumps become blisters with fluid along with a rise in body temperature. This process takes 4 - 5 days and the blisters burst, the wounds remaining after them become covered with crusts. If you comb the rash, then an infection will get into the wound and a scar will remain in its place. Injury to the blisters causes new multiple secondary eruptions.

Chickenpox duration

In children, chickenpox is classified into several types with characteristic features for each:

The incubation of the disease lasts 1-3 weeks, when the virus multiplies and accumulates in the body without any external signs.
Prodromal stage - sometimes in very young children it does not develop or proceeds with mild symptoms. This stage develops within a day or a little longer and resembles a simple cold with a rise in temperature, headaches, fatigue, lack of appetite, and sore throat. Sometimes there is a short-term formation of red spots on some places of the skin.
Stage of rashes - usually it begins with an increase in temperature to 38 - 39 degrees. The higher the temperature on the first day, the more abundant the subsequent rashes will be and the more severe the course of the pathology. In a mild form, the temperature rises quite a bit, sometimes it does not rise at all.

Remedies for treating and relieving itching

The doctor establishes the specifics of therapy in accordance with the symptoms of diseases on an individual basis.

At high temperatures, the child is prescribed antipyretic drugs with paracetamol or ibuprofen. When a bacterial infection of the scratches occurs, the treatment is supplemented with antibiotics. As a rule, the treatment of chickenpox is an integrated approach, so the doctor prescribes several groups of drugs:

Antiherpetic and immunomodulatory drugs: Acyclovir, Viferon. In typical cases, the body of a child under 7 years of age is able to independently defeat the disease without the help of antiviral drugs.
Antihistamines - they make it possible to relieve unbearable itching and restore the child's normal sleep. The most popular means of this group are Tavegil, Diazolin, Suprastin - these are 1st generation drugs. 2nd generation drugs include: Claritin, Loratadin and Zyrtec.
Sedative medications - they are prescribed for severe moodiness of the child and mild excitability. When taking antihistamines, you need to make sure they can already have a sedative effect.

For local treatment of rashes, you can use brilliant green. Hydrogen peroxide, a solution of potassium permanganate with water, a solution of Fukortsin dries the blisters well.

Chickenpox is almost always accompanied by unbearable itching, so it is required to explain to the patient about the importance of refraining from scratching.

When the temperature rises, the child sweats profusely, and the itching from exposure to sweat intensifies even more. To facilitate it, you need to change linen as often as possible - bed and underwear, maintain a comfortable air temperature in the room. During illness, it is better to wear cotton clothes on children, allowing air to pass to the skin, reducing sweating.

Steaming in a hot bath with chicken pox is strictly prohibited, but you can and even need to take a shower with water at a pleasant temperature. This will reduce itching. It is forbidden to rub with a washcloth and dry with a hard towel so as not to injure the rash.

Possible complications of chickenpox

There are complications that progress after chickenpox, but this happens very rarely. They arise due to non-compliance with the rules of caring for a child during an illness, with constant discouragement of crusts and combing of the blisters.

But the development of complications does not always depend on the care and behavior of the parents, often due to the addition of a concomitant disease, chronic pathologies, weakened immunity, the following types of chickenpox in children may appear:

bullous chickenpox- it is characterized by the formation of specific rashes on the skin - blisters with thin skin and purulent fluid inside. At the same time, intoxication is pronounced, sometimes the form of the disease is complicated by sepsis, therefore, the doctor must treat and monitor the patient in stationary conditions. Basically, such chickenpox develops due to a weakened immune system in a child.
Hemorrhagic chickenpox- occurs with concomitant blood lesions, in HIV-infected children or with oncology. This form is very rare, it has a pronounced intoxication of the body, high temperature, a large number of rashes form all over the body. The course of the disease is complicated by the risk of internal bleeding, and the appearance of a mixture of blood in the vesicles on the body.
Gangrenous-necrotic chickenpox- combines the symptoms of the two forms described above. A lot of blisters with serous and bloody filling form on the child's body. This form often acquires a septic character.
Visceral chickenpox- it is characterized by additional damage to internal organs and systems - the liver, heart, pancreas, lungs and kidneys.

All the described forms of chicken pox in children are atypical and are rare in the practice of doctors. Basically, the complications of chickenpox are bacterial or viral in nature, which is superimposed on the pathology.

Sometimes complications develop after recovery - it can be pneumonia, encephalitis, the penetration of the virus into the lungs or into brain cells. Often there are inflammatory processes of the optic nerve, facial nerve. It happens that after the end of the disease for a long time the child complains of pain in the joints.

Bacterial complications are manifested in case of damage to the bubbles or tearing of the crusts. Children can often do this due to severe itching, parents should keep a close eye on the child during this time.

During the secondary formation, the bubbles leave behind scars.

What to do for parents: how to behave

With the development of a mild or moderate form of chicken pox and there is no need for inpatient treatment, you should try to create comfortable conditions for the child:

First of all, provide bed rest for 9 days, change the bedding and clothes of the child as often as possible.
You should give the patient a lot of fluids, exclude salty, sour and spicy foods from his diet.
Rashes on the body can be treated with brilliant green, when a rash forms on the mucous membranes, rinsing with antimicrobial agents is required.
To reduce body temperature give Ibuprofen or Paracetamol. Aspirin is not recommended for children.
It is necessary to prevent scratching the wounds - cut the child's nails or wear cotton gloves.
Abundant sweating causes severe itching - so you do not need to dress the child too warmly, it is acceptable to take a shower under warm comfortable water without wiping it with a hard towel.

Many parents ask about the possibility of walking. In good weather and at normal temperatures, you need to walk - but do it for a short time, eliminating contact with people in order to avoid their infection or the development of complications in the baby himself due to the addition of an additional infection against a background of weakened immunity.

Modern approach to the treatment of the disease

It should be noted that modern methods of treating chickenpox are highly effective and cause less harm to the patient's body. These include:

Skin treatment is an integral part of the healing process. Mild antiseptics and antihistamines are required to reduce itching in rashes and prevent scarring. These include: Zinc ointment, Miramistin and other similar medicines.
The most effective antiviral drug in the treatment of chickenpox is Acyclovir. It destroys the structure of herpes.
Ibuprofen and Paracetamol will help to quickly normalize the temperature, but they are required to be given only when the indicators rise above 38.5.
Compliance with hygiene rules.
If the child refuses to eat, do not force. You should increase the amount of fluid you drink.
The most suitable drinks for this are warm compote or warm weakly brewed tea.
Vitamins are necessarily used in the treatment, fruits and vegetables are included in the menu. This will help strengthen the weakened immune system.

There is no way to speed up the course of the disease. At the first sign, you should immediately consult a doctor and continue to follow his appointments. This will prevent the development of negative consequences.

It is important to know that it is better to get chickenpox before the child has grown up, since antibodies remain in the body after recovery. Despite the nature of the pathology, its discomfort, it manifests itself in a person only 1 time in a lifetime.

Dr. Komarovsky talks about the important stages in the treatment of chickenpox in a child, about the principles of preventing complications and ways to alleviate the condition.

27946 Tags:

Chickenpox is a disease that most of us have had time to recover from in childhood. However, having passed into the status of parents, yesterday's boys and girls are frightened when they see signs of an infectious disease in their own child. What are the symptoms of chickenpox, and why does the disease occur? We will tell you how to determine that the baby has chickenpox and what help he needs after identifying this disease.

What does chickenpox look like: the first signs

Chickenpox, or, simply, chickenpox, is a childhood infectious disease. The causative agent is a variety of the Varicella Zoster herpes virus, which is transmitted from an infectious child to other members of the children's team.

The child, having become infected with chickenpox, at first will feel satisfactory. Only at the end of the latent period will the initial signs of chickenpox appear in the child.

The appearance of the rash with chickenpox

How to understand that the baby has chickenpox? Its distinguishing feature is a pink rash, which is a convex nodule no more than 4-5 mm in diameter.

Each nodule (papule) on the patient's body goes through several stages of transformation:

After the appearance, it begins to fill with fluid and increase in size, turning into a vesicle.
Then its contents become cloudy, and it bursts.
From this moment, the healing of the wound begins - it is covered with a crust, which later disappears.

At the same time, the baby may have a fever, aches in the joints, general weakness. There may be mild signs of respiratory illness.

Disease dynamics

The child fell ill with chickenpox - what is the dynamics of the onset of symptoms of this disease? The temperature occurs only at the beginning of the disease, then it gradually normalizes.

Pimples appear and disappear in waves. Papules very quickly begin to capture an increasing surface of the body, but it happens that they are localized only on the back, abdomen and on the folds of the limbs. While the acute stage of the disease lasts, a rash of varying degrees of maturation can be seen on the child's body at the same time.

The photo shows how papules, vesicles and drying crusts look.

In parallel with the rash, which often captures the face and even the head under the hair, enanthema may occur on the oral mucosa. These are the same pimples as on the body, but after they burst, a small sore with a yellow border remains in their place. After appropriate treatment, the wounds in the mouth heal.

You can see what the pimples look like by looking at the photo.

Papule

Vesicles

Rashes of varying degrees of maturation

Rash in its final stages

Chickenpox is more common in young children. In a one-year-old child and children under 12 years of age, the disease usually proceeds without complications, is easily tolerated, forming lifelong immunity. Teenager got chickenpox? The course of the disease will be more severe than in younger children. Worst of all, if chickenpox overtakes an adult, because in this case the disease is most difficult to tolerate.

Incubation period

Chickenpox proceeds according to a typical scenario. After infection, an incubation period begins, which lasts an average of 2 days:

at this time, the virus does not appear, but it has already invaded the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, then entered the bloodstream;
together with the blood and lymph, Varicella Zoster spreads throughout the body, fixes itself in the cells of the skin and mucous membranes, starting its work there.

Where do spots and nodules appear more often, where does the spread of infection begin? First of all, they occur on closed parts of the body - back, pope, abdomen. Less often - on the arms and legs.

Forms of chickenpox

Despite the fact that chickenpox is a well-known disease, it can occur in different ways. There are two types of chickenpox - typical and atypical. The symptoms of typical chickenpox are described above.

Atypical chickenpox is rare and affects immunocompromised people. There are such forms of atypical chickenpox:

Rudimentary - a hidden disease. Its symptoms are so insignificant that a person does not notice the disease.
Pustular - this type of disease is usually noted in adults. Rashes (pustules) are in no hurry to dry out and turn into crusts. Over time, the contents of the blisters become cloudy and become purulent.
Bullous - a rash on the skin becomes gigantic and difficult to treat. Symptoms of severe intoxication are also possible, after which the patient slowly and heavily recovers.
Hemorrhagic and gangrenous - occurs in people with impaired blood clotting, which fills the pustules. Over time, ulcers and foci of necrosis form. Gangrenous form begins, which can cause death.
Visceral - bubbles with liquid contents appear not only on the body, but also on the internal organs. It occurs in infants whose body is weakened. This form is deadly.

Parents at the initial stage may not notice a mild form of chickenpox at all

Chickenpox can be mild, moderate, or severe. A mild form of the disease manifests itself as follows:

the rash does not cover the entire body, but only certain areas;
the temperature remains normal or slightly elevated (37.1 -37.3 ° C);
the general condition is satisfactory.

The moderate and severe forms are characterized by significant rashes all over the body, fever up to 40 ° C, as well as general malaise. The severe form can last longer than a week and cause complications.

How to diagnose the disease and understand that it is chicken pox?

Very rarely, chickenpox can be confused with another disease. It is possible to determine the presence of the Varicella Zoster virus at an early stage based on the results of studies (viroscopy, molecular biological). However, more often chickenpox is diagnosed by the appearance of pustules and vesicles - you can see how they look in the photo above:

As a rule, a rash can be distinguished on the patient's body in different stages - the initial one is characterized by pink convex pimples, then they turn into pustules and vesicles filled with fluid, and crusts.
You can also recognize the disease by a bright symptom - an enanthema appears in the mouth. In fact, this is the same rash as on the body, but forming on the mucosa.
Around the bubble, a manifestation of a red rim is noticeable, and after the blister bursts, an ulcer forms in its place, which heals safely over time.

Why is windmill dangerous?

Chickenpox is not a dangerous disease, since most patients tolerate it relatively easily. However, one in twenty patients may develop complications. Consider the most common:

Bacterial skin lesions, when vesicles burst, and purulent formations (abscesses) appear in their place.
Inflammation of the lungs, provoked by the chickenpox virus, which has penetrated into the alveoli of the respiratory organs.
Inflammation of the brain - encephalitis. Occurs when a virus destroys nerve cells in the brain. As a rule, signs of complications appear closer to the end of the disease - 5 to 21 days after the first symptoms. Dizziness, nausea, lethargy, loss of consciousness are possible.
A complication of the heart is myocarditis. Symptoms of dysfunction of the heart muscle - high fever, heart palpitations, the appearance of chest pain.
Lymphadenitis. The disease can cause inflammation of the lymph nodes, usually under the armpits, in the groin, on the neck.
Nephritis is a disease of parts of the kidneys called glomeruli that can develop by the end of the second week of chickenpox.
Complication of pregnancy. In the early stages, the infection can cause a miscarriage, or lead to a lag in the development of the fetus. In the later stages of bearing a child, the disease of the mother can create conditions for the formation of chickenpox syndrome in the crumbs.

First aid and effective treatments

Consider how chickenpox should be treated. Since the disease is caused by a virus, there are no effective ways to influence it. The main task is to prevent complications and enable the body to overcome the infection on its own. It is equally important not to let the baby comb the wounds, so that scars or pockmarks do not form in their place over time.

Medical preparations

Treatment of rashes is considered a key treatment for chickenpox. Pimples can not be treated with an antiseptic, but then during combing, the baby can introduce an infection (bacterial) into the wound:

Nodules and pustules are lubricated with brilliant green, a solution of potassium permanganate, Fukortsin. The procedure is carried out 3-4 times a day.
To relieve itching and to avoid scratching, a small patient is given antihistamines. Pediatricians usually prescribe Fenistil or Zodak in drops. Older children can be given Suprastin 1/2 tablet at bedtime.
Antiviral drugs, such as Acyclovir, are also used to treat chickenpox. It can be taken in tablets, and lubricated with ointment for rashes. However, Acyclovir is more often used in severe cases of the disease and only in the initial stage. Before use, you need to read the description of the drug with explanations of the dosage.
Does the baby have signs of intoxication of the body - fever, headache and body aches? It makes sense to give him painkillers. As a rule, babies are prescribed Nurofen, Panadol, Efferalgan.

Hygiene

How to properly care for a child during an exacerbation of the disease and is it possible to bathe him? This question is still a matter of controversy among medical professionals. Foreign pediatricians recommend bathing the baby, regardless of the stage of the disease, trying not to damage the pustules.

Domestic experts are usually against water procedures. You can bathe a son or daughter only after the acne has begun to dry out. They argue such a ban by the fact that during bathing, the bubbles can be damaged and become infected. However, on hot days, a periodic shower is necessary - a sweaty child will imperceptibly comb itchy and irritated skin.

It is important to choose underwear and clothes made from natural fabrics, as well as to monitor their cleanliness. This is necessary in order not to provoke itching on the affected areas of the body. You also need to control the cleanliness of the baby's hands, cut their nails on time. It can scratch vesicles, promoting the spread of the virus to healthy skin and infection of burst sores with pathogenic bacteria.

Drinking regime

During any illness, the child needs a sufficient amount of fluid. If at first the baby has a high temperature and intoxication - even more so. What should be the daily dosage of liquid? The calculation of the daily volume is made according to the age of the child. For example, a 3-year-old baby needs 105 ml of water per 1 kg of weight per day. For an older child (7 years old) - 95 ml per kilogram of weight.

In this case, you should give the child not only water, but also other drinks - tea, compote, fruit drink. A baby can receive part of the liquid volume as part of liquid dishes - soups.

Folk remedies

There are folk remedies to combat chickenpox. It is believed that blueberries inhibit the virus, so it is recommended to use them fresh and as juice, compote, fruit drink. Among the many folk recipes are the following:

Chamomile decoction is a good helper in the fight against chickenpox

baths. Prepare decoctions of medicinal herbs - chamomile, lemon balm, sage and add to bathing water. Soda baths are also shown, which have an antiseptic and antipruritic effect.
Rubbing. Boil 1 glass of barley in one liter of water, strain. Use decoction to wipe stains. This method helps relieve itching.
Herbal infusions for oral administration. Take 2 tbsp. l. dry mixture of chamomile, coltsfoot, calendula, chicory, immortelle and burdock, pour into a thermos and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Infuse for eight hours, drink half a glass three times a day.

Therapy for young children

Children under one year of age rarely get chickenpox, but if a child is infected from 6 months old, a severe course is possible. As a rule, there is a high temperature (about 40 ° C), tearfulness and a rash, which quickly turns into a purulent form. At this age, it is important to call a doctor who can recommend hospitalization.

Treatment of a child up to a year does not differ much from the general recommendations. You should supplement the baby with some water, especially if there is a temperature. This can be done with a syringe without a needle.

Also, the pediatrician without fail prescribes antiallergic drugs (Fenistil) to reduce itching. In some cases, antiviral drugs are prescribed in the form of suppositories - Viferon, Interferon. However, their effectiveness is considered unproven.

In any case, the treatment of chickenpox is symptomatic. Methods of therapy in children under one year old and possible complications are presented in the form of a table.

Symptom	Treatment	Complications
Temperature	Knock down with antipyretics if the temperature reaches 38.5 ° C - Nurofen, Paracetamol in a dosage according to age	Convulsions - if they appear, call an ambulance. Possible cardiomyopathy - heart complications. An ECG should be done if the temperature rises to 40°C or more. Drink plenty of water to avoid intoxication.
Rash	Lubricate with an antiseptic	With a decrease in immunity, purulent-inflammatory diseases of the skin - abscesses are possible. Requires serious treatment, antibiotics.
Cough, difficulty breathing, cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle	Hospitalization required	Varicella pneumonia of a viral nature.

Quarantine

The disease is transmitted by airborne droplets, and more often children bring it from kindergarten. In a confined space, the virus spreads rapidly, and as soon as someone from the team gets sick, new victims of the virus are immediately discovered. According to the rules, quarantine is declared in the group, the duration of which is three weeks from the date of registration of the disease. During this time, do any of the kids get chickenpox? Then the quarantine is extended.

Children who were not in the group at the time the virus was detected are not recommended to be taken to the garden during quarantine. However, some parents, on the contrary, bring the baby to the group (on receipt), because they want him to get chickenpox while he is small. Such a policy is designed to protect a person from the disease in the future.