Chickenpox, also known as chickenpox, is a disease caused by the highly contagious chickenpox-zone virus, which manifests itself in red spots on the body, blisters and scabs on the body and severe itching. Chickenpox especially affects children, but it can affect people of all ages, in which case it is more severe.
Chickenpox symptoms usually appear up to 20 days after contact with a person with the disease, with small round blisters filled with fluid and itching. Treatment usually involves relieving symptoms.
- At first.
- The first symptoms are usually low fever.
- Around 38 degrees Celsius.
- And the appearance of several small blisters on the side of the abdomen.
- After the first day.
- These blisters spread and begin to appear on the face.
- Scalp.
- Legs and spleen.
- Where they appear in less numbers.
Other symptoms that may occur are lack of appetite and general discomfort, which can leave the child tired and unwilling to play or even more restless, as if he were uncomfortable, but for no apparent reason.
In addition, chickenpox blisters can appear at different stages, and blisters can be identified with fluid, while others already heal, with a crust. It is important for the person to know that as long as the bubbles contain fluid, the patient can contaminate others and therefore should not go to school or work.
The symptoms of chickenpox in the baby are the same as those mentioned above, however, coughing and nasal dripping may also appear before blisters appear. In infants younger than one year, symptoms are usually mild and only cause some skin lesions.
Chickenpox contagion occurs through contact with saliva droplets, coughing or sneezing from the infected individual and direct contact with wound fluid.
The person can pass chickenpox to others, about 1 to 2 days before the rash, until all blisters already have scabs. During this time, you should stay away from others and avoid frequenting public spaces. Here’s how not to get your child’s chickenpox.
Anyone who has had chickenpox is protected from the disease and can no longer get chickenpox. However, in some cases, the individual who had chickenpox in childhood may develop shingles, especially in the elderly and if their immune system is weakened, such as in people with AIDS or who are being treated for cancer, for example. Example.
The diagnosis of chickenpox is made by your family doctor or pediatrician based on the assessment of symptoms presented, blisters on the body and, if necessary, you can also order a blood test to confirm the infection.
Chickenpox is usually treated to control symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe the following precautions:
In addition, some doctors also recommend bathing with potassium permanganate, to keep skin clean, free of microorganisms and to help cure chickenpox sores. Learn more about chickenpox treatment.
The chickenpox vaccine relieves the virus and prevents the most severe form of the disease. Thus, if the individual is vaccinated and gets chickenpox, he will develop a very benign form of the disease, with fewer blisters typical of chickenpox, which are sometimes not even diagnosed.
The first dose of the vaccine should be given at 12 months and the second dose at 15 months. This vaccine is part of the basic vaccination schedule of the Brazilian Ministry of Health and is offered free of charge in basic health units.
The most common complication of chickenpox is blister infection, which causes pain and redness around the wound and pus formation. You may also suspect that chickenpox blisters are infected when they are slow to heal or when they look wet when they no longer have scabs. In this case, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic.
In some cases, such as people with committed immunity, newborns and pregnant women, if chickenpox is not treated properly, complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis may occur.