Chickenpox in a child 6 years old symptoms. Chickenpox in children - symptoms, treatment and photos

Every Russian citizen, young and old, knows that a child covered from head to toe with green peas on the skin is a “sufferer” with chickenpox. It's funny that greenery is not used for medical purposes anywhere else in the world. Why, then, do we so zealously “paint” our “weathered” children with it? And is there any modern alternative to green in the treatment of chickenpox in children?

The main and most painful symptom of chickenpox in children is a red, constantly itchy rash that is somewhat reminiscent of the effects of insect bites.

Where do they get chickenpox?

Chickenpox (and in the people simply "chickenpox") is a viral infection caused by a special virus of the third type of herpes group. It is noteworthy that this is not a simple virus, but with a "twist" - it belongs to the category of so-called "flying viruses" with an overall 100% susceptibility.

That is, it is transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person by airborne droplets, but at the same time it can be “suspended” in the air for a long time and thus spread over rather long distances - up to several hundred meters in a radius from the “source”.

In other words, if your child is sick with chickenpox, it is not at all necessary that he was infected by a neighbor on the desk at school or kindergarten. The virus could well “fly” to him and from a neighboring house. Thus, it is almost impossible to live up to gray hair and never meet with chickenpox and not get sick with it.

Symptoms of chickenpox in children

The main symptoms of chickenpox in children are those that somewhat resemble the consequences. The rash often starts on the face, chest and back, but then it can spread throughout the body and even end up in the mouth.

The rash gives way to fluid-filled blisters that eventually burst into tiny pockmarks. Neither the bubbles nor the already open sores-pockmarks can be combed (even obeying the intolerable itching), otherwise the disease runs the risk of dragging on and giving serious complications. The number of pockmarks can vary greatly - from 10-20 throughout the body, up to several thousand. But usually a child gets about 200-300 "sores" during the entire period of the illness.

The main and most telling symptom of chickenpox in children is a red, itchy rash.

Other symptoms of chickenpox in children may begin with the onset of a rash, and may occur as early as 7-8 days of illness:

• headache;
• fever and fever;
• loss of appetite;
• unreasonable irritability and tearfulness.

About chicken pox and green stuff: why do mothers “paint” their children?

The treatment of the blisters of the rash that occurs with chickenpox does not have a solution of brilliant green, contrary to popular belief, any medicinal effect. This means that it is only of secondary importance in the treatment of chickenpox in children. Zelenka does not relieve itching, and in no way contributes to the disappearance of the rash. And doctors advise mothers and fathers to smear children with greenery not at all in order to treat them.

The point is this. In the course of numerous studies, doctors have found that a person with chickenpox (including a child of any age) ceases to be infectious 5 days after new foci of rash cease to appear on his body.

And as long as all the new bubbles pour out on the skin - the disease is still dangerous to others. And how to find out which of the "sores" of the rash yesterday and the day before yesterday, and which jumped up this morning? That is why pimples are smeared with brilliant green - they are simply marked! Those that are not painted are those of today.

In the fight against chickenpox, brilliant green is effective in about the same way as colored markers - in this case, it does not act as a medicine, but as an excellent marker that allows you to determine in 5 seconds whether there are new, fresh bubbles on the skin of a child (or an adult) - rashes.

As soon as there is nothing to smear - that is, new fresh pockmarks will stop appearing - we can assume that the disease is safely retreating.

Chickenpox in children: how to do without green stuff?

Zelenka, as you know, is not used as actively anywhere in the world as in domestic pediatrics. Moreover, many Western and European doctors are completely unaware of the existence of such a remarkable drug. How do they determine at what stage a child's chickenpox is?

Quite simply: as long as there are rash bubbles on the baby's skin that are not covered with a dark crust, the disease is still active. As soon as all the foci of the rash are covered with a dry crust (in the overwhelming majority of cases in children this occurs 7-8 days after the first symptom of chickenpox appears), and a new, fresh rash (without crusts) is not observed - we can already say that the disease has passed into a recession phase and it does not threaten anyone around.

How to treat chickenpox in children

First, it makes sense to warn about how not to treat chickenpox in children. Despite the fact that many parents sin with an excessive and rather risky love of antibiotics, it will be useful for them to remind them once again: in the fight against any viruses, antimicrobial (they are also antibacterial) agents are completely useless! And since chickenpox in children is an exclusively viral infection, you don't even need to think about antibiotics.

There are special medications (the so-called group of antiherpetic drugs based on acyclovir) that help to defeat the herpes group virus that provokes chickenpox.

However, in young children, such drugs are rarely used.
Firstly, because these drugs themselves are quite "complex", with possible side effects. Yes, and there is usually no special need for their use - if the disease develops without complications, according to its standard scenario, then small children (between the ages of about 1 year and up to 6-7 years) quite easily and adequately tolerate chickenpox on their own, without drug therapy.

Whereas adults, adolescents, pregnant women and very tiny babies, on the contrary, suffer from chickenpox very significantly. In the case of these risk groups, the use of drug therapy (that is, antiherpetic drugs) is justified and often urgently needed. However, only a doctor has the right to prescribe medications!

For the most part, the treatment of chickenpox in children 1-7 years old in the vast majority of cases is reduced to monitoring the development and extinction of the skin rash. With the help of greenery (if you like it so much) or any other markers (even with a ballpoint pen!), You need to mark existing pockmarks and watch for new ones.

Once the rash stops appearing, you can begin the five-day countdown. After 5 days, the child will no longer pose a risk of infection.

After this period, you can safely take the child for a walk (fresh air and some physical activity will only contribute to his recovery), however, it is too early for him to go to a nursery, kindergarten or school (as well as to any other “crowded” place).

He himself will not be able to infect anyone, but he can easily "catch" some kind of infection from other people - the fact is that chickenpox, alas, significantly reduces immunity for a while. In order for a child to fully recover, he needs about 2-3 weeks after the illness to be in relative isolation.

So, the strategy for treating chickenpox in children is as follows:

1. Watch for new pockmarks.
2. Take measures to eliminate itching.
3. Feed moderately, drink hard.

You can monitor the appearance of pockmarks using markers (brilliant green, felt-tip pens, or simply by eye). How to relieve itching - we will tell you in detail below. And as antipyretics in the treatment of chickenpox in children, only two drugs are usually used: paracetamol or ibuprofen. Both are equally effective in reducing body temperature.

How to reduce itching and burning on the skin in children with chickenpox

There are several specific things you can do to relieve itching and scratching your skin affected by chickenpox. Namely:

1. Create a cool indoor climate! (The more the baby sweats, the worse the rash and the stronger the itching).
2. Wear baby cotton gloves at night to prevent it from itching while sleeping.
3. Give your baby a cool bath. Despite the fever and severe itching, bathing a child with chickenpox is not only possible, but also necessary. This is partly because the cool water significantly reduces itching. An important nuance: the skin after bathing should not be wiped off, but only blotted with a towel.
4. To relieve itching, you can also add a little baking soda to the water while bathing. Moreover, you can bathe your baby in a cool bath with the addition of soda several times a day - literally every 3-4 hours.
5. In addition, topical antihistamines (all kinds of ointments and gels) help relieve itching. However, such medicines must be used very carefully! Apply an ointment or gel in a small amount and only on the pockmark itself. Otherwise (especially if there are a lot of rash bubbles and they cover most of the body), when using antihistamine ointments, the child can "arrange" a real overdose of the drug. Since it is through the affected areas of the skin that the ointment is most rapidly absorbed into the blood.

Possible complications after chickenpox in children

Aesthetic skin problems. After pockmarks, blisters may remain on the skin, small ruts, like after acne, etc., which later cannot always be eliminated.

. Most often this happens to children whose immunity is significantly weakened.

Brain damage (so-called "chickenpox encephalitis"). A rare but possible phenomenon in the presence of chickenpox, in which some areas of the brain are temporarily "attacked". Which, accordingly, causes a disorder of behavior and facial expressions, tremors and impaired coordination. However, with proper therapy, it can be successfully treated.

Reye's syndrome ("acute hepatic encephalopathy"). This is a very rare, but at the same time very serious disease, which, according to some medical studies, arises from the use of drugs based on acetylsalicylic acid (for example, aspirin) in the treatment of chickenpox. Mortality in Reye's syndrome with chickenpox in children 3-12 years old is 20-25%.

The combination of chickenpox and aspirin is deadly! If you yourself, or your children have chickenpox, aspirin should be hidden in the farthest corner ...

It should be remembered that most of the complications of chickenpox (as with other viral infections) occur against a background of dehydration. Give your baby plenty of water - and the risk of any complications will be significantly reduced.

Prevention of chickenpox in children

Only vaccination can give a 100% guarantee of protection against chickenpox virus. Alas, it is not so cheap that it can be freely carried out in our country. For comparison: in the United States and some European countries, since the mid-1990s, varicella vaccine has been included in the national vaccination plan and is being implemented everywhere.

At the same time, a baby with a strong immune system will probably endure chickenpox more easily and faster than his peer with a weakened immune system. In addition, with weakened immunity against the background of chickenpox, children can sometimes develop complications of the disease. This all suggests that strong stable immunity is also rightly considered part of the prevention against many diseases, including chickenpox.

Get over chickenpox so you never get sick!

Many modern young parents are of the opinion that the child should be allowed to have chickenpox at the safest - kindergarten - age (when the disease proceeds most easily and quickly), so that in the future their child will never be afraid of chickenpox infection.

Often they deliberately take their baby “on a visit” to the house, where at this time someone is already more chickenpox - so that the contact “took place” and their baby was safely ill. Oddly enough, many pediatricians these days consider such parental behavior to be very reasonable, and quarantines for chickenpox in kindergartens, on the contrary, are a strange and illogical event. Indeed, at the age of 3-7 years, chickenpox occurs in the easiest way! And to get sick with chickenpox ever again - there is practically no chance. So the logic of the parents is quite clear and understandable.

However! Despite the fact that in most cases, chickenpox in children is mild, without visible consequences, sometimes complications do occur. That is why it is still wiser and safer to "vaccinate" a child against chickenpox with the help of a vaccine (that is, with the help of a weakened virus), and not through the disease itself (the ending of which in some cases can be predictable).

So if you have come to a choice: what kind of "meeting" with the virus to organize for your baby - with a weakened one in the form of vaccination, or with a "wild" one in the form of a disease, then there is every reason to believe that it would be good to lean towards the first option ...

When a baby appears in the family, all parents experience happiness. It is not unreasonable, since “new love” has appeared in life. But when a baby gets sick, we can experience different emotions and they, as a rule, are not positive. However, if your child has contracted the chickenpox virus, then you should rejoice rather 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 typical for 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 span of the latent form of chickenpox in children is on average 7-21 days. It directly depends on the immune system: the faster the immune system detects the virus in the body, the faster the reaction will be.

And 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 4 years old, 5 years old or 10 years old, are approximately the same. The only difference is that a baby at 3 years old or at 4 years old will certainly tell you about his poor health.

A photo of how chickenpox begins in children. Typically, the disease begins with fever, chills, headache, swollen lymph nodes (often behind the ears), and general weakness. If you look at it, the main symptom of infection is fever. The appearance of a temperature with chickenpox indicates an intoxication of the body with a virus and this is a natural reaction of the immune system to the pathogen. The rest of the 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 rather blurred, and it is practically impossible 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 begin in children?

Where the rash begins to spread is difficult to say. Most often, the spread of the rash begins on the head and face, but there are times when the rash initially affects the arms or stomach ... the virus does not matter. How does the rash start? First, small reddish spots appear, no more than 1 centimeter in diameter, 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. The rash with chickenpox is accompanied by severe itching, which gives the child serious discomfort. Signs of the initial stage of chickenpox in children with a photo.

There are times when the temperature appears as a result of rashes on the body, although this is not typical. However, with profuse rashes on the child's skin, the temperature often rises.

Acne or papules in about 1-2 days begin to dry out and crust over 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 without leaving traces.

It should be added 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, refusal to eat is possible.

The infectiousness of the patient does not appear immediately. It is generally accepted that a child becomes infectious 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 appearance of the last elements of the rash, the baby is no longer considered infectious.

Signs of chickenpox in children, as well as symptoms, can vary in severity. In some children, rashes may be minor and practically do not itch, and the temperature does not rise above 37.5 degrees. In other cases, the rash is widespread and profuse, there are many foci of the rash, the temperature can reach 39-40 degrees. The rash is very itchy, sleep, appetite disappears. What is the reason for this? 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 relatively small quantities, 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 an increase in temperature over 38 degrees, chills, weakness, muscle and joint pain, profuse rashes, 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 all over the body and on the mucous membrane. Nausea, vomiting, muscle spasms and spontaneous twitching of the limbs, severe malaise, delirium, lack of coordination, 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 the mother's immunity obtained with milk, and its own has not yet been developed;

Chickenpox at the age of 3 or 10 years is often mild and not difficult to treat.

Rudimentary or atypical chickenpox

Medical practice shows that chickenpox can be asymptomatic, that is, there is no actual manifestation of the 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 has had chickenpox before) along with milk. Also, a similar course of infection is observed in newborn babies after the 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 increases slightly in size, the liquid in the bubbles 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 out the rash;
• Hemorrhagic form of atypical chickenpox. It is characterized by a massive virus infection of the body. The fluid in the bubbles is cloudy with an admixture of blood, a very high temperature, it is extremely difficult to get off, skin hemorrhages, nosebleeds, urine with blood, etc. The development of the hemorrhagic form is very intensive, which is often fatal. 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 organs by the virus, which leads to the cessation of important vital functions;

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

Perhaps every parent is familiar with the name of this famous pediatrician in our country. Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky, regarding 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 timely diagnosis of the disease.

According to Dr. Komarovsky, it would be prudent to infect your child with chickenpox deliberately 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 chickenpox. 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 any problems. However, as we said above, there are atypical cases of chickenpox. In such situations, laboratory methods for diagnosing the disease are used, namely, blood tests for specific antibodies of the IgG and IgM classes. This diagnostic method is highly accurate, but at the initial stage of chickenpox, the results may be erroneous.

Chickenpox, or chickenpox, is a highly contagious infectious pathology that is triggered by a virus from the Herpes family. The disease in the overwhelming majority of cases affects children, but it can affect the development of the disease in an adult. From this article, you will learn everything about exactly what chickenpox looks like in a child, how it looks, symptoms and treatment features, and whether it is possible to protect a child from the disease using vaccination.

How does chickenpox begin in children and the first signs

Any disease is easiest to cure when it is detected early. Let's take a closer look at chickenpox.

What does it look like

At the same time, the appearance of characteristic spotty, papular or vesicular rashes may begin on the skin. A similar rash or acne in a child first forms on the scalp, and then rapidly spreads throughout the skin. The exceptions are palms and soles, which are never affected by rashes and are difficult to clean. However, the latter is characterized by polymorphism, that is, the variability of forms (the first infectious formations on the skin of a child may look differently).

The main element of rashes with chickenpox is such a spot, the appearance of which is quickly replaced by a papule. After this, the transition to the beginning of the unicameral vesicle should begin. It is filled with transparent contents, and is also surrounded by a soft and light halo of a bright red or pink shade of skin infiltration, which can stop hurting or itching, no matter how long the ailment and its symptoms lasted.

With chickenpox, a child's rash is characterized by an uneven and chaotic recurring nature. Elements of the rash, regardless of shape and stage, will ripen chaotically, and each new burst will look even more acute and associated with an increase in body temperature. At the same time, in some cases of chickenpox in a child, it will be possible to recognize the ailment not only on the surface of the skin, but also on mucous areas, for example, on the throat or tongue, which can hurt. Special attention, talking about the symptoms and signs of chickenpox, deserves the manifestation and picture of the initial stage, namely the incubation period.

How is it transmitted

Chickenpox can manifest itself solely as a result of exposure to one of the herpes viruses (we are talking about herpesvirus of the third type). It should be borne in mind that the varicella-zoster virus will be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person, mainly by airborne droplets. So, this can happen when talking, being in the same room of an insignificant size or shape, if necessary, swim and wash together.

With the current of air, chickenpox can spread over fairly long distances (up to 20 meters), affecting the child and provoking specific symptoms in him, which can begin and look different. Dermatologists pay attention to the fact that:

Incubation period

Vomiting with chickenpox in children

Vomiting may occur after the onset of the initial watery bumps with chickenpox, which are colorless. This phenomenon can last in different ways and it is not recommended to swim or wash with it. However, it should be borne in mind that vomiting is most often identified precisely during the first days after the onset of the disease. The presented symptom can pass when accompanied by other, not much more comfortable, headaches, for example.

If a child with smallpox suddenly develops significant vomiting, it is necessary to call a specialist as soon as possible - even if they appear fragmentarily, like other pictures.

Vomiting in general is not a common symptom of chickenpox and indicates an atypical development of the disease at any stage and in any form, like diarrhea.

Cough with chickenpox in a child

What to do with chickenpox in a child

Therapy is aimed primarily at overcoming the most unpleasant and disturbing symptoms. It is strongly recommended to start their treatment and determination as early as possible even if the child looks good. A visit to a doctor is necessary, because it is he who will develop recovery tactics, indicate the names of the most effective drugs and whether it is permissible to use the vaccine, whether it is possible to swim or wash.

The mild form of the disease is traditionally treated in an outpatient clinic. Calling a doctor is mandatory if high temperature readings are maintained for more than four days.

Photo of what chickenpox looks like in children

Next, it will be necessary to recognize the virus, infectivity and the general picture: the shape, stage, incubation period and how much the child will be sick. In addition, a child with chickenpox is isolated in order to avoid the spread of an infectious lesion, which can be transmitted and manifest quickly enough, like the signs.

Compliance with the indispensable bed rest should not be considered a prerequisite. At the same time, outdoor games are contraindicated due to the integral aggravation of the state of the body. After all, not only a rash may appear, but also many other unpleasant symptoms. They can begin immediately after the end of the incubation period, as well as at any stage or form of chickenpox, even with the use of Miramistin to exclude complications. Read also about hives on the face photo.

How is chickenpox treated in children?

Treatment for chickenpox in infants and older children - whether boy or girl - should be symptomatic. While talking about this, it is highly recommended that you pay attention to the fact that:

• manifestations of the disease are treated, for example, fever or skin rashes, the duration of which may be different;
• the goal of therapy is to exclude in the future the suppuration of vesicles in an infant or, for example, a teenager - regardless of age;
• brilliant green is ideal for this, it is permissible to use Castellani liquid, an aqueous composition of fucorcin or potassium permanganate and other liquids approved by a specialist that need to be washed;
• alcohol solutions, with which they are sometimes treated, are extremely painful for children, which cannot be said about vaccinations or attempts to bathe or wash.

How many children are sick

Traditionally, chickenpox goes away on its own within seven or ten days. In some cases, it takes at least two weeks, during which it is quite easy to get infected, according to SanPiN.

Chickenpox vaccination

The vaccine for the prevention of chickenpox can be introduced in children over one year old and at any age in adults. The introduction of two dosages of Varilrix is \u200b\u200bhighly recommended to provide truly effective protection. It implies a certain initial interval, which should be from one and a half to three months. In this case, protection, which can manifest itself in different ways, will reach almost 100% from the very beginning of the image formation.

The chickenpox vaccine is equally easily tolerated by children of all ages. Physiological reactions in the form of painful sensations and redness on the skin in the area of \u200b\u200bneedle insertion are infrequent and cannot be washed off. Even less often, after using the vaccine, an increase in temperature, slight weakness or a slight first discomfort is identified, which can be quite dangerous and even allow you to hurt further.

After one to three weeks, such rashes are likely on the body, which resemble the chickenpox rash of the incubation period. However, it may not pour out at any stage or form, even with the development of complications. You may be helped by the information from this article about.

Home treatment

It is important to understand that all attempts to treat a child over one year old are not much different from treating a standard viral infection. This is due to the fact that the child's immunity has developed, and he is able to independently cope with the disease and its manifestations in the early and subsequent stages. You can only help the child by using antihistamines to neutralize itching or, for example, warm baths with chamomile extracts or a series without adding paint after vaccination. You can bathe or bathe as often as necessary to improve the overall picture.

It will be possible to be treated, and, in particular, to bring down the temperature with the help of paracetamol - even if the child looks quite normal. It is permissible to use a solution of potassium permanganate, brilliant green.

Tip: To avoid an initial bacterial contamination in the future, treating the rash should be considered a must.

In order to alleviate the condition, frequent warm drinking is necessary from the very beginning in order to exclude negative signs and complications, no matter how long they last or try to get sick.

How to smear chickenpox in children other than brilliant green

Many people ask a completely logical question, what can be used in the treatment of chickenpox, except for brilliant green? Home remedies and formulations can come to the aid of parents, such as:

• potassium permanganate - with its help, the affected areas of the skin are treated, using precisely a 5% solution of potassium permanganate;
• furacilin solution - in particular, it is used when this infectious ailment affects the mucous surface of the oral cavity or other vulnerable points and pimples outside the skin, which must be smeared;
• acyclovir-ointment, herpevir, virolex - these drugs make it possible to reduce the degree of intensity of rashes on children's skin in children, however, their use is far from always permissible - therefore, this should be agreed with the doctor, both in the incubation period and at other stages and forms.

Castellani solution

The presented drug is used to provide disinfection. It is used in the treatment and prevention of certain skin diseases, including chickenpox. The use of Castellani's solution, like Viferon in adults, makes it possible to prevent the subsequent formation of infection or infection and to restore the damaged areas of the skin as soon as possible with the elimination of negative signs.

Castellani liquid is characterized by an extensive antimicrobial effect due to the active ingredients included in its composition. They provide a long-lasting effect, as after vaccination, as well as the exclusion of infectiousness, if smeared regularly. You can read more about this in this article -.

Diet for chickenpox in children

The diet for this disease in childhood should include exceptionally easily digestible and high-quality foods, in particular, no fast food. It is imperative that you provide your baby with enough drink - even if he looks quite normal. The basis of a children's diet for chickenpox should be the names of hypoallergenic products. It is very important that they do not irritate the mucous surface of the mouth and allow the baby to bathe and wash. Such nutritional components as cereals, vegetable soups and decoctions based on cereals, which should not be smeared, can help in this.

For a certain period of time, meatballs and cutlets are recommended to be replaced with meat purees, which will manifest themselves in the most positive way. After eliminating the rash and complications, it will be possible to give the child cutlets and an omelet made of proteins, which has been steamed. Sometimes an initial allergy may begin - this means that such a diet should be stopped.

Symptoms and treatment of chickenpox in infants

Photo what chickenpox looks like

Every child from the age of six months can face chickenpox. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the course of the disease in infants is quite complex. This is because babies do not tolerate the signs and symptoms of chickenpox very well, which can be quite severe. In addition, they need the most correct and complete care. An equally important component is constant attention from the mother. It is highly recommended that you pay attention to the fact that:

• chickenpox in a newborn can begin and manifest with the same symptoms as in children who are older in age and can also be sick;
• in a particularly complex form, the disease can cause significant harm to the body, exerting a pathological effect on the formation of internal organs;
• the recovery process in relation to chickenpox in infants should be carried out exclusively under the supervision of a specialist, as well as attempts to swim or wash.

Complications after chickenpox in children

Complications of chickenpox in a child are quite rare and most often they occur due to an illiterate treatment of rashes or pimples and their suppuration. In the future, this affects the formation of scars, which even Tsindol cannot cope with. It is extremely rare in children with exacerbated immunity and the body that aggravated varieties of chickenpox form.

In this case, the damage is identified not only to the brain, but also to the internal organs that can hurt. The presented forms of the disease are treated exclusively in hospitals, using specific therapeutic methods of exposure in order to exclude a dangerous illness or even quarantine conditions.

FAQ

We have collected the most frequent questions that readers send us and added them in this section.

Can I bathe a child with chickenpox?

If the child's temperature indicators are not elevated, and the disease is not associated with any complications, then bathing the child is quite acceptable literally from the first day of the onset of the disease. It is important to remember that:

• it is strongly recommended to make the water warm, but not hot;
• do not use a loofah, soap and other similar products;
• it is impossible to rub the skin with a towel, soak it gently as much as possible.

A small child under the age of seven should be bathed in a clean bath in warm water for a final wash. There it will also be possible to add a weak solution of potassium permanganate, which is exactly what should be called during quarantine and after that. It will help dry out infectious acne and destroy germs in newborns and older children, and also eliminate the possibility of smearing. In addition, it is its use that has a positive effect on the preservation of normal lymph nodes and other physiological structures.

How many days does the quarantine last?

A quarantine for chickenpox in a kindergarten or school will last from seven to 14 days.

In some cases, it is likely that the presented period of time will be extended to 21 days with aggressive symptoms and significant infectiousness of the disease, which will be very difficult to tolerate.

How many days does the temperature with chickenpox last in children?

The child's temperature can reach 39-40 degrees. It forms a day or two before the rash develops. Quite often, this happens simultaneously with her and passes within 24-48 hours, which makes it possible to alleviate the child's condition and avoid negative consequences during and after quarantine.

How to wash a child's brilliant green?

A warm bath and the use of laundry soap, which should not be smeared, will make it possible to get rid of the brilliant green. However, the effect in this case is far from instantaneous, and therefore it may take two or three procedures to wash. To remove brilliant green after chickenpox in children, it is quite possible to use olive or sunflower oil, and an oily skin cream also manifests itself just as well.

In order to enhance the effect, from the moment the oil is applied, it is allowed to actively rub the red and green spot with a lemon wedge. It is important to remember that it is not recommended to use various aggressive compounds, for example, bleach, wipes for office equipment, scrubs in order to wash or wash the child's skin. All of them can only damage the skin of the child during quarantine and after, not giving the opportunity to properly smear the epidermis.

Is it possible to walk with chickenpox in children?

If you are careful, choose a fairly warm and calm weather, with chickenpox it is quite possible to walk outside. Fresh air and sunlight have a positive effect on the health of any person. If a child does not have high temperature readings, and the picture outside the window is pleasing to the eye, there is no reason to keep children locked up, even if there is no vaccination or quarantine.

How to relieve itching in a child?

With the presented disease, you can prepare baths with diluted potassium permanganate, which quickly soothes the inflamed skin, which should be smeared. Antihistamines, in addition to reducing the allergic reaction, also have a slight sedative effect on the nervous system, allowing you to relieve itching. That is why the use of the presented means for relieving itching is quite justified. However, this must be done with the correct selection and the most careful observation of the child in the process of using these medicinal formulations in quarantine.

Chickenpox (chickenpox) is an acute infectious disease of viral etiology caused by the third type of human herpes virus - varicella zoster. The disease proceeds with febrile and moderate intoxication syndromes, as well as the presence of jerky drips, macular-vesicular character on the skin and mucous membranes. A specific chickenpox rash is the most important diagnostic sign of the disease. Chickenpox does not exist without rashes.

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

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 typical childhood drip infections. Chickenpox in children is most common between the ages of three and six. There are also peaks in incidence from one to two years 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 chickenpox usually do not get sick up to three months of age. This is due to the fact that passive maternal immunity is transmitted to them (antibodies enter their body along with the 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. It usually develops if the mother gets chickenpox at 13-20 weeks of gestation. If the mother is infected in the late stages of pregnancy (especially in the last five days), it leads to the development of chickenpox in the baby. The later the mother was infected, the more severe the child's illness and the higher the risk of death.

After the transferred chickenpox, stable immunity is formed. However, in patients who have had mild or worn chickenpox, cases of repeated illness are possible.

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

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

How is chickenpox spread in children?

The disease is transmitted by airborne droplets. Given 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 implemented.

Possible transmission of the virus from mother to child transplacentally or during childbirth (if 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 infectious and can spread over long distances. During a conversation, coughing, etc., patients release into the environment a huge amount of the virus, which can spread through the air over several floors, penetrating into other rooms and apartments.

Chickenpox is characterized by pronounced foci. That is, if one child falls ill in a kindergarten, school, entrance, etc., soon all children who have not been ill before will fall ill with chickenpox. Adults with shingles can also pose an epidemiological hazard. The fact is that these diseases are caused by the same virus, however, chickenpox is the body's primary reaction to contact with varicella zoster.

In patients with chickenpox, the virus remains in the body for life (varicella zoster is characterized by high tropism to 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, etc. etc.), recurrence of infection in the form of shingles is possible.

Primarily, shingles instead of chickenpox may occur in children with immunodeficiency conditions.

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

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

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

In the crusts that remain after the vesicles dry out, the virus is not contained. It should be noted that spot treatment of vesicles for chickenpox in children with fucorcinum ® or a 1% solution of brilliant green (in addition to greenery, one or two percent solutions of potassium permanganate can also be used) is carried out not only for the purpose of faster drying of the bubbles, but also to control the number of new pouring ... 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 the colorless chickenpox remedy 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, the appearance of a small-spotted exanthema, which will precede the appearance of a rash with chickenpox, is possible.

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

How does chickenpox manifest and 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 can be accompanied by fresh drips 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 moody, irritable, complains of itching.

Photo of the initial stage of chickenpox in children:

Chickenpox rash

The rash with chickenpox is specific, maculo-vesicular. The first elements are noted on the skin of the trunk, face, scalp, oral mucosa. With chickenpox, in contrast to smallpox, there are much less rashes on the face than on the skin of the body. Also, after the vesicles dry out and the crusts fall off, as a rule, there are no specific pockmarks (scars). Scars after chickenpox can remain only in case of severe disease with massive pouring, as well as with constant scratching of the child's skin and "tearing" of 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), the exception is forms of the disease with a severe course.

The most indicative sign of chickenpox is pronounced polymorphism of the rash. The patient's skin has spots, papules, vesicles and crusts. It takes one to two days for the vesicle to turn into a crust. At the same time, the vesicle ceases to be tense, its walls become "sluggish" and begin to subside in the center. The crusts formed at the site of the vesicles dry out 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. Also, a bacterial infection can be introduced into the wound.

With a mild course, the mucous membranes may not be affected. With moderate and severe course, there is a rash on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, conjunctiva, genitals. After opening the rash on the mucous membranes, rapidly healing aphthae remain.

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

Changing the rash with chickenpox

Every wave of dripping is accompanied by a fever.

With classic chickenpox, the vesicular elements of the rash are small, tense, not merging (single mergers of small bubbles are possible) and filled with transparent contents. The formation of massive bullae (extensive, flaccid blisters) or suppuration of the rash is noted in 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.

Infectious period - the last 2 days of the incubation period + five days from the end of the addition.

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 the dripping, you can bathe your baby in warm water. After, you need to blot the skin with a towel. Rubbing the skin is prohibited, as there is a mechanical tearing off of the crusts.

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

After the crusts have completely fallen off, the skin can be treated with D-panthenol®, bepanten®, etc. These ointments are used not 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 infectious period. Until the end of this period, the child should be isolated. Firstly, the child is contagious, and secondly, contact with an additional infection, hypothermia, etc., increase the risk of complications. In addition, vesicular rashes are characterized by severe itching, and children are constantly combing them. And on the street, the risk of infection when scratching the skin with dirty hands is much higher.

Can you get chickenpox a second time?

When varicella zoster virus is reactivated or exposed to it again, adults usually develop herpes zoster.

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

Chickenpox vaccination for children

Chickenpox vaccination for children is not compulsory (according to the national vaccination schedule). In the overwhelming majority of cases, children have mild chickenpox, 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 (hemorrhagic, pustular, visceral, etc. forms) and the development of such complications as:

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

How is chickenpox treated in children?

Hospitalization in a hospital (in the Melzerovka box of the infectious diseases department) is indicated only in severe cases with a high risk of complications, as well as in chickenpox in high-risk patients (immunodeficiency states, leukemias, etc.). The rest of the patients can be treated at home.

Young parents, whose children have not reached school age, know firsthand how often a baby is ill, and not only acute respiratory infections. Another misfortune that is better for getting sick in childhood is chickenpox. This is an infection that is transmitted by airborne droplets, namely through the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth. In order to recognize the disease in time and isolate the child, young parents need to know how the baby starts with chickenpox - what are the symptoms and treatment.

Usually children pick up chickenpox in kindergarten - at one time the whole group can get sick at once. It has been proven that young children between the ages of 1 and 12 are more likely to tolerate the disease, which lasts from 5 to 10 days. Chickenpox in infants, adults, pregnant women and adolescents can cause complications. Recovered babies, as a rule, no longer get sick during their life, but the virus can subsequently become active and, under certain conditions, cause shingles. We offer you to watch a video on how to recognize chickenpox in children and prevent complications.

http://youtu.be/VMRfgEfNE-Q

Symptoms of the disease

Chickenpox in children is global in nature - the virus enters the bloodstream through the mucous membranes and spreads throughout the body. A typical manifestation of the infection is a rash all over the body, including the genitals, lips, scalp, armpits and other extremities (see photo). Chickenpox causes severe itching, which makes the child itch, thereby increasing the number of blisters. Scratching can easily introduce infection.

After infection, it takes at least 7 days before the first symptoms appear.

If you look closely, the rash on the child's body is represented by bubbles with liquid, around which red, inflamed skin is visible (see photo). Bubbles burst easily when physically exposure and spread the infection even more. The next day, the bursting bubbles dry up, but cause pain and itching. For comparison: this is how herpes on the lips hurts in adults.

The main symptoms of the disease in children:

• temperature rise to 38-39.5 degrees;
• a rash on the body, except for the palms and feet, in the form of small bubbles with reddening of the tissues around;
• rapid fatigability, drowsiness;
• whims;
• poor appetite.

Chickenpox is an extremely contagious disease, so sick children are immediately isolated. Quarantine lasts at least 10 days in case of a mild form of the disease. At this time, you should pay maximum attention to the child, protect from drafts, and observe complete hygiene.

Treatment of chickenpox in children

When a child has chickenpox, he is isolated from other children. At high temperatures, they give an antipyretic, provide bed rest. If the child is from 1 year old, make sure that the baby does not itch. You can give an antihistamine to relieve itching (Diazolin, Suprastin).

Treatment of chickenpox in children does not involve taking any medication. Antibiotics are prescribed by a doctor in case of complications that are caused by other viruses and bacteria entering through wounds on the body. This causes extensive suppuration of the skin and mucous membranes. Antibiotic treatment is prescribed only by a doctor.

Blisters all over the body are cauterized with brilliant green or potassium permanganate in order to dry and disinfect them (see photo). During illness, the child is not bathed. In case of severe pollution, children are bathed for a short time in a weak solution of manganese potassium. A separate bath is prepared for bathing, which is then disinfected. It is undesirable to wet the rash, then they heal poorly.

Homes are wet cleaned daily with disinfectant detergents. Bed linen is changed daily, child's underwear is changed more often. The room is ventilated several times a day.

If the child is worried about itching, you need to distract him with games, try to explain that you can't itch. As a rule, chickenpox goes away on its own after 5-7 days and never bothers the child again. Blisters, if left untouched, do not leave scars or age spots.

Treatment of chickenpox in children from 1 to 12 years old - the main steps:

• complete isolation from other children;
• home mode;
• frequent change of bed and underwear;
• cauterization with brilliant green (potassium permanganate) of inflated and burst bubbles;
• strict diet;
• bathing, if necessary, in a pink solution of potassium permanganate;
• plentiful drink;
• taking antipyretics if necessary.

Lubricating the bubbles with brilliant green dries the wounds and prevents the penetration of infection through the skin. In addition, brilliant green visually shows how many new rashes appeared per day, how quickly the healing process proceeds. Cauterization with brilliant green helps to relieve itching a little. Instead of greenery, you can use a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Alcohol and alcohol-containing medicines are contraindicated.

Features of the disease in babies under 1 year old

Chickenpox is not scary for babies up to 3 months, whose body still contains the mother's antibodies, which reliably protect it from the aggression of the outside world. After 3 months, immunity gradually decreases, and the baby can easily catch the disease. For children from 6 months to 1 year, whose immunity has not been formed, chickenpox is dangerous.

The symptoms of the disease are the same as in babies from 1 year old (see photo). For children from 3 to 6 months, the disease begins with rashes all over the body. In a mild form, these can be single pimples that quickly pass without an increase in body temperature.

In babies 3-6 months, a wave-like course is observed - the period of rashes is replaced by a short-term calm.

With new rashes, the body temperature rises.

The baby is greatly disturbed by the itchy body, he becomes whiny, eats poorly, sleeps. At this time, you should breastfeed him as often as possible - this will help you quickly cope with the disease. After consulting a doctor, you can give antihistamine syrup, which is used in children under 1 year of age (Fenistil).

Treatment is the same as for babies from 1 year old. Wounds are treated with brilliant green or Fenistil gel. The gel is used on separate areas of the skin, you cannot smear the whole body at once. They bathe as rarely as possible, in a basin with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. For little fidgets, it is better to wear a shirt with sewn-on sleeves.

Chickenpox treatment is carried out at home in compliance with strict rules of personal hygiene for both children and adults. Walking with the baby, bathing him in the acute course of the disease is impossible. With the correct observance of the requirements of the attending physician, the disease recedes by 8-9 days after the first signs are detected and never returns.