Chickenpox in newborns and infants. Chickenpox in children - how it starts, symptoms, what it looks like in the photo, the incubation period and treatment of chickenpox

Many doctors believe that chickenpox is childhood disease... This opinion is not far from the truth, since the chickenpox virus most often infects a person in childhood and much less often in adults and even the elderly. For each group of patients, the disease proceeds in its own way and is accompanied by the appearance of certain symptoms. Usually, chickenpox is diagnosed in children over two years of age, during the period when the child visits kindergarten or school. Only occasionally, the chickenpox virus can be observed in infants.

How dangerous chickenpox in newborns can be, and what symptoms are characteristic of this disease in children in infancy, we will try to describe in detail in this article. The question will also be considered whether chickenpox is dangerous at this age and what measures to take for parents if the disease has already begun.

How can a baby get infected?

First of all, it is worth noting that babies cannot have chickenpox if the mother, before pregnancy, had a disease. The baby will be protected from the virus for the first six months of his life, thanks to the fact that he received antibodies from his mother along with milk. If there is no such protection, then the Varicella Zoster virus, which causes chickenpox, can enter the body of a newborn baby in several ways:

• by airborne droplets, if the baby has had contact with a sick child or adult. Most often, this infection occurs in an infant aged six months and older;
• in utero, if the mother contracted chickenpox while carrying a pregnancy. The virus is especially dangerous in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, since it is at this time that the fetus is formed, and the virus can cause serious pathological changes. If the infection gets to the unborn child five days before giving birth, then he can cause congenital chickenpox. If the disease begins earlier than a week before the birth of the child, and the infection occurs after 12 weeks, then the unborn baby has time to receive the antibodies necessary to protect against chickenpox.

Children six months and older are especially susceptible to chickenpox. It should be noted that chickenpox is on average 10-21 days, but in children from 6 months to 1 year, this period is reduced to 7 days.

Symptoms of the disease

Chickenpox in infants begins with poor appetite and loss of sleep. The child behaves extremely restlessly, signs of weakness are visible. After a while, the body temperature of a newborn baby begins to rise and can reach 37-38 degrees. In some cases, the indicators can be much higher.

The main symptom of chickenpox, like in other age groups, is the appearance of a bright red rash all over the body. First, pimples appear on the baby's torso, and then on the head and limbs. Gradually, the rash changes appearance and red spots take the form of papules. The bubbles very quickly fill with a transparent liquid, and then dry up and a dense crust forms on their surface.

As some bubbles dry up, new papules appear on the clean area and also dry out. The most important thing is not to scratch the rash so that the formation does not take the form of ulcers. After a while, they will disappear on their own. In general, the symptoms of the disease resemble a common cold, however, an experienced doctor should prescribe the treatment of the disease in order to avoid possible complications in the future.

How newborn babies tolerate chickenpox

Chickenpox in infants can be mild or severe. A child can carry the infection quite easily. The baby will not experience any special changes in his condition, and the rash can be represented by separate pimples. In some cases, on the contrary, there is a severe and prolonged course of the disease, with possible complications.

IN special group includes babies who contracted chickenpox from their mother just before childbirth. As a rule, this form of chickenpox is extremely difficult and is accompanied by a very high temperature, a large number of rashes, as well as possible complications, such as pneumonia, hepatitis.

Methods for treating chickenpox in babies up to a year

Depending on the complexity of the course of the disease, the attending physician prescribes a specific treatment for the baby. Parents must strictly follow all recommendations and treat with prescribed drugs. Only in this case it will be possible to get rid of the virus very quickly. Recommendations may be of the following nature:

• with a mild course of the disease, it is treated in infancy by ridding the child of the symptoms of chickenpox. If the course of the disease is severe, hospitalization and a course of antiviral drugs are necessary;
• to reduce hyperemia, infants are prescribed paracetamol or ibuprofen, in a small dosage;
• to treat papules, you can use ordinary brilliant green, Kalamin or Tsindol lotion in the form of a suspension with a zinc base. With severe itching, to alleviate the condition of a child over a month old, it is allowed to apply Fenistil gel;
• blisters on the oral mucosa or genitals are especially unpleasant and dangerous. In this case, papules should be washed with furacilin or herbal (preferably chamomile) infusion. If wounds appear, they can be lubricated sea \u200b\u200bbuckthorn oil or an anesthetic gel used for teething;
• to prevent scratching of acne, it is necessary to put on the baby special mittens and use an antihistamine prescribed by the doctor;
• you can bathe babies in warm water, with a decoction of herbs or with potassium permanganate. Do not use a washcloth or detergent. After bathing the child, rub it with a towel;
• in especially severe cases, the child is prescribed acyclovir. This drug blocks the virus and prevents it from multiplying in the body;
• if the mother is sick with chickenpox five days before delivery or a little later, the child is immediately injected with immunoglobulin after birth.

Since the chickenpox virus in newborns can affect the body in different ways and cause unpleasant sensations to the baby, it is important to provide the baby with good care and correct treatmentso that the baby does not have serious complications.

Preventive measures

Additional measures must be taken to keep your baby safe from infection with chickenpox. This decision is especially relevant for women who have never had chickenpox, but plan to become a mother in the near future. If you neglect this advice, then if infected during the period of gestation, the child may develop pathologies that can further affect the physiological health of the baby.

To avoid unpleasant consequences and serious complications, it is important to get vaccinated against chickenpox three months before conception. It should be remembered that for an adult, the vaccination procedure involves the introduction of two doses of the drug with an interval of 6-10 weeks. Accordingly, you should visit the clinic for staging a little earlier.

When an older child or one of the adults falls ill in the family, it is necessary to isolate the baby from contact with an infected person, and during a period of particular infectiousness, carry out frequent wet cleaning in the apartment. This will help get rid of the chickenpox virus in the apartment, as the infection outside the body dies quickly. The main danger is that a child who has contracted chickenpox may not notice at first clinical manifestations the virus, however, carry the infection. In this case, it is unlikely that it will be possible to secure the newborn baby.

Conclusion

Chickenpox in infants can also occur as in adult patients. All the classically symptoms in a newborn child are most often present, however, parents should remember that they independently diagnose and use remedies is strictly prohibited. All decisions related to the diagnosis of the disease, as well as its treatment and dosage medicinal preparations, is accepted by the attending physician. If you follow all the recommendations of a specialist, the disease will quickly disappear.

Chickenpox belongs to the category of childhood diseases that a person must suffer at a young age.

Usually they get sick at the age of 2 to 6 years, after which the body develops strong immunity.

But sometimes older or very tiny patients become infected with this ailment, and in these cases it is much more difficult.

So, what is the danger of chickenpox in infants and newborns, and what parents need to know?

Can a newborn get chickenpox?

Chickenpox in children under one year old occurs in several cases:

• if the mother does not have immunity to the disease (the woman transfers her immunity to the baby along with breast milk), and the child was in contact with the carrier;
• if a woman has had chickenpox just before childbirth, immunity has not yet formed in her body, the baby is already born sick;
• sometimes formula-fed children get chickenpox.

In any of the above situations, the disease is difficult and is accompanied by serious complications due to an imperfect immune system.

Breastfeeding (if the mother has immunity) will help protect the newborn from chickenpox. During the first three months, babies who received antibodies from milk do not become infected even after contact with sick people. Subsequently, the risk increases slightly.

Symptoms

Chickenpox in children under one year of age proceeds differently, depending on the intensity of the disease and the presence or absence of antibodies in the body.

The congenital form (begins no later than 11 days after birth) begins abruptly, with high fever, vomiting, and sometimes convulsions.

The baby refuses to breast, becomes lethargic and capricious, or, conversely, too excitable.

After a few days of such symptoms, rashes characteristic of the disease appear, and in difficult cases they can cover the baby's body very densely, including not only the skin, but also mucous membranes, genitals, eyelids.

The erased picture of the disease is characterized by a low temperature, headache, runny nose, general malaise, and papules appear later. Sometimes the disease begins with the appearance of a rash, which is considered a good sign, as in this case, chickenpox is easy to recognize and start appropriate treatment.

In order to identify chickenpox in time, parents need to know what papules look like. They resemble small specks that can rise slightly above the skin. After a while, a bubble with transparent contents up to 3 mm in diameter appears in their center, around which there is slight redness.

A rash on the face of a child

The appearance of rashes is wavy in nature - at first, single papules appear, then there are more of them. After some time (1-3 days) the bubbles burst and form crusts, which, in turn, dry up and fall off. When mild form disease, this process takes about 5 days, with severe - up to two weeks.

A patient with chickenpox is contagious for about 7-10 days - two days before the first elements of the rash appear and 5-7 days after.

Why is chickenpox dangerous in infants?

Let's find out if chickenpox is dangerous for infants. Chickenpox, especially its severe forms, are extremely dangerous for infants, especially for babies up to 3 months. Complications of the disease include:

• lesions of the central nervous system and internal organs;
• false croup and suffocation from drying out of the larynx;
• about 1/3 of babies under the age of one year die from chickenpox.

Only a specialist can diagnose chickenpox in infants - the diagnosis is made on the basis of a survey of the mother and examination skin... In controversial cases, a small patient may be assigned a blood test.

Treatment

Treatment of severe chickenpox is carried out in a hospital setting, and it is better for children under 3 months to go to the hospital even with a mild form of the disease.

No special therapeutic methods are used in this case, and all measures are aimed at combating the symptoms, preventing the spread of the rash and suppuration of the vesicles.

1. To lower the temperature, small patients are prescribed "Ibuprofen" and "Paracetamol" in the form of suspensions or rectal suppositories... You should not abuse antipyretic drugs - at a temperature of 37-37.5 degrees, viruses in the body die much faster, therefore, they should be given to the baby only when the thermometer shows 37.5-38 or higher.
2. To help the body cope with the disease, babies can be prescribed antiviral drugs - for example, "Viferon".
3. To dry the bubbles, they must be lubricated with brilliant green, a solution of potassium permanganate, fucorcin, or Fenistil gel, which not only heals rashes well, but also relieves itching. It is best to lubricate the skin not with a cotton pad, but with clean hands, since the infection can spread throughout the body with the cotton wool fibers. It is recommended to treat the rash about twice a day - the abuse of brilliant green can lead to an imbalance on the surface of the skin, which causes scars to form on it.
4. The baby's nails should be cut short, and special shirts should be put on his hands so that he does not scratch the rash on the body, otherwise viral infection bacterial can join.
5. Overfeeding the child or forcing him to eat with chickenpox is not recommended. To kids who are on breastfeeding, you should give breast on demand, and those who have already given up breast milk need a warm drink to remove toxins from the body.
6. Hygiene is very important for a quick recovery. The child needs to change clothes and diapers as often as possible, and they should be washed immediately in hot water and ironed. To make the baby more comfortable, parents should abandon too tight and synthetic clothing, and give preference to cotton clothing.
7. A baby with chickenpox should be regularly examined by a doctor to rule out possible complications.

You should not bathe your child during the period of chickenpox disease, as the infection can spread through the body along with water. In addition, moisture causes rashes to dry much longer. The baby's wrinkles can be wiped off with a damp towel and sprinkled with talcum powder.

Prevention

The best prevention of chickenpox is breastfeeding - in children who have received immunity from their mother, the disease is much easier even if infected.

In addition, it is necessary to limit the baby's contact with potential carriers of the infection - these include people with herpes on the lips.

One of the most effective preventive measures against chickenpox - vaccination.

Vaccinations are given to children from a year old, therefore, to protect the baby, the mother and all family members who have not had this disease need to be vaccinated, especially if they are in places where you can get infected.

Conclusion

Chickenpox is a dangerous disease for infants, but with timely and proper treatment, it is quite possible to cope with it. Parents should show the baby to the doctor immediately after the onset of symptoms, and if there is a high temperature, call ambulance”And not protest if the doctor insists on hospitalization.

Video on the topic

In this publication, we will tell you: whether chickenpox can appear in infants, Komarovsky, as an experienced doctor, will more clearly tell you how to deal with the disease in newborns with chickenpox in his video at the end of the article.

Can a baby get infected and get chickenpox?

Many parents often wonder whether a newborn can get chickenpox, how difficult the child's illness is. infancy... They are especially worried about the baby when sick children are nearby.

A baby 2-3-4 months old may not be afraid of contracting chickenpox if his mother has already been ill. The older the baby is, the more likely it is to become infected, the baby at six months has great risks of getting sick.

When breastfeeding, an infant tolerates the disease quite easily and without problems, and recovers quickly. Since the mother's milk contains antibodies that protect the baby. Children under one year old can hardly tolerate chickenpox if they are artificially fed.

Thus, a baby can become infected with an ailment if he is older than three months. The immune system the baby is not yet strong, he is more susceptible to any infection. Do not forget about this, only an attentive attitude to the baby will help you avoid problems. If you notice that your baby is not feeling well, you should definitely see a doctor.

Is chickenpox dangerous for infants under one year old

The likelihood of contracting the disease of a newborn under one year old largely depends on the mother, if she feeds him with breast milk, this will make it much easier for the baby to transfer this disease.

In a newborn up to a month, there is practically no chance of getting infected. Chickenpox is treated strictly under the supervision of a doctor. Only he will be able to see the degree of complication and prescribe the appropriate drugs. If you turn to the doctor in a timely manner, the disease will proceed well, the baby will soon recover.

Symptoms in newborn children are unpleasant: the baby feels weak, often cries, the whole body itches, the temperature rises. This disease in infants should be treated directly in medical institutionso that there are no complications.

An infant does not have a completely strengthened body, the immune system is not strong enough, so you should not self-medicate and risk the life of babies.

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What does chickenpox look like in newborn babies: photo

In infants under one year old, chickenpox usually occurs in a mild form (if the mother feeds the child with breast milk). In the photo you can see the characteristic rash of the baby.
First, the baby has small, single spots. They quickly turn into bubbles filled with a clear liquid.

Then the appearance of red spots occurs in waves, each rise is associated with an increase in temperature. After a day, the bubble turns into a dried crust. In the photo you can see in infants: red, round spots, small bubbles and crusts at the same time.

For a mother of a baby of 6-7-8 months, this disease is a real test that must be dealt with with the maximum amount of effort and patience. Therefore, if you notice signs of the disease, then you must immediately rush to the doctor for an appointment. Only he will prescribe the correct treatment and give correct recommendations whether chickenpox is dangerous for babies and older children. Definitely, with the right treatment, the disease does not cause concern.

Some babies still have a hard time tolerating chickenpox: high fever, the process of a rash begins in the throat, which can lead to difficulty in the child's breathing. In a serious condition, the baby needs hospitalization. It is worth noting that congenital chickenpox appears if a pregnant mother has had this disease (in 25% of cases).

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Chickenpox in infants: Komarovsky

Dr. Komarovsky says that chickenpox in infants requires increased attention from parents and specialists. The doctor notes that many parents actively smear their child with brilliant green. But it is worth noting that this remedy is not a medicine, it does not cure. If the little one was sick with chickenpox, in the future he will not face this disease.

Komarovsky asserts that with this disease, in no case should the patient be given aspirin (as an antipyretic medicine). During the illness, itching disturbs, he begins to intensively comb the skin, this leads to negative results, the consequences of this phenomenon: wounds that remain for a long time. It is necessary to distract the baby, cut short nails, change bedding daily.

In our article, Komarovsky's video answers the questions of what to do if a baby falls ill with chickenpox, how dangerous it is. Overheating must be avoided, because if the patient sweats a lot, the itching intensifies, this must be avoided.

Thus, Dr. Komarovsky advises to take less medication, distract the child so that he does not strongly scratch the rash. You need to bathe the baby as often as possible, observe hygiene, all this will help, recover as quickly as possible, adhering to these recommendations, you will make the baby better.

If the baby is sick at 3 weeks, you should immediately contact an experienced doctor.

In the video below, you will find answers to how babies get chickenpox. The forum for young mothers tells in detail about the features of the treatment of chickenpox, there are reviews about effective drugs with this disease.

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Chickenpox in infants is a very rarely diagnosed disease. The reason for its development is either the lack of immunity in the mother, or her infection immediately a few days before delivery. In this case, the baby is born already sick, and the disease itself proceeds in a very severe form.

Chickenpox infection of a newborn baby

A child in the first month of life can become infected only in two cases:

• If the mother has never had chickenpox, and the baby has been in contact with a sick person. In this case, the child will definitely get sick, and the disease will be severe.
• Congenital chickenpox. A similar diagnosis is made if the mother of the baby fell ill before childbirth and antibodies did not have time to form in her body. Congenital chickenpox is very difficult and is accompanied by serious complications.

If a woman is immune to the disease, and antibodies are present in her blood, then the child is reliably protected. In the next three months, he is guaranteed not to get sick, but then the amount of antibodies decreases significantly and the risk increases slightly.

Breastfeeding helps prolong the protection period. Together with breast milk, the baby receives antibodies that protect it. If the baby gets sick, then the chickenpox will be mild.

Chickenpox in infants who eat infant formula is almost always severe, since the immune system of such children is always weakened.

Congenital chickenpox symptoms

Chickenpox is considered congenital if the baby has characteristic symptoms before 11 days of life. The disease begins abruptly. The baby's body temperature rises, vomiting begins. Seizures are sometimes possible. At the same time, the baby refuses to breast, becomes lethargic or, on the contrary, too excitable. Similar symptoms can persist for a couple of days, and then rashes characteristic of chickenpox appear on the child's skin. In this case, painful papules can also cover the mucous membranes of the baby's mouth, nose and throat.

The disease can cause damage to internal organs, as well as the central nervous system. Approximately 1/3 of all newborns with this diagnosis die.

Chickenpox in children under one year old: symptoms

Symptoms of the disease in infants depend on the child's age, the presence of antibodies in his blood, and the type of feeding.

Chickenpox in infants can occur in both mild and severe forms. The form of the disease is determined depending on the density of the rash, the intensity of itching and total temperature body. Chickenpox in children without fever is a mild form. In this case, the baby's skin is not too badly affected.

In a severe form of the disease, papules cover not only the child's skin, but also the mucous membranes. Blisters can be seen in the mouth, eyelids and genitals of the baby.

Symptoms may appear in the following order:

• Small red spots appear first on the baby's skin. A little later, within about 24 hours, they turn into painful papules filled with clear liquid. The rash quickly covers the baby's body.
• The appearance of a rash is accompanied by a sharp rise in temperature up to 38 - 40 degrees. Since the disease has a wave-like course and rashes appear in stages, each new wave is accompanied by a mandatory temperature jump.
• After 5 days, the rash usually stops appearing. Old papules dry out and become crusty.

Bubbles cause a lot of trouble for the baby, because they itch very much. To prevent the baby from scratching the papules, special closed gloves must be put on the baby's arms.

Incubation period

Chickenpox is a contagious disease transmitted by airborne droplets. The most frequent outbreaks of the disease occur in late autumn - early winter.

The incubation period is the time interval from the introduction of the virus until the first symptoms appear. The following stages are distinguished:

• First. At this time, the virus adapts in the child's body.
• Second. Reproduction of viral cells.
• Third. The penetration of the virus into the blood and the appearance of the first characteristic symptoms.

The baby's general condition worsens, but from this moment the production of the first antibodies begins. In general, the incubation period for babies is quite short and can be as little as 7 days.

Treatment in babies up to a year

Treatment is prescribed only after confirmation of the diagnosis and is carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the attending physician. When worsening general condition the child may require hospitalization.

If the baby carries chickenpox in a mild form, then the baby is recommended to drink plenty of fluids. If the child is breastfed and the introduction of complementary foods has already begun, then for the period of illness, any food other than breast milk is excluded.

At high temperatures, antipyretic drugs are prescribed. But remember that aspirin is strictly prohibited.

All papules that appear on the child's skin need to be treated with brilliant green. So they dry out better and do not cause any special problems for the baby. Zelenka has antibacterial properties and destroys pathogenic flora, preventing possible suppuration.

Fenistil gel will help reduce itching. But in a child, you cannot treat all the skin with it at the same time. The medicine is used in places of greatest accumulation of rashes.

In severe chickenpox, papules appear in the baby's mouth. It is recommended to treat them with sea buckthorn oil or kalgel. It is commonly used for teething and is a good anesthetic.

Dr. Komarovsky is a famous Ukrainian pediatrician who has his own point of view on the treatment of chickenpox in children.

Almost always, doctors prescribe parents to treat papules with a solution of brilliant green. But Komarovsky is against such a procedure, because he considers such "art" unnecessary. After all, even without treatment, crusts on the blisters are still formed. And it is up to parents to decide whether to apply brilliant green or not.

Komarovsky (chickenpox is always accompanied by severe itching) recommends that parents monitor the child more closely and do not allow him to comb the rash. In this case, deep scars are formed in place of the bubbles, which remain for life. In addition, scratching can lead to a secondary skin infection. To relieve itching, the baby is prescribed special drugs. But the doctor is of the opinion that parents should not use too much medicines... Better to try to distract your child with a game or hobby.

An important point is the daily change of linen. And do not wrap the baby too much, because the baby sweats a lot. This only makes the itching worse.

Quarantine compliance

For the entire period of the illness, the crumbs need to refuse to receive guests. The baby's immune system is very weakened, and strangers can become sources of other pathogenic bacteria. It must be remembered that chickenpox in infants has the highest complication rate.

Chickenpox in infants is not as common as in kindergarten children. If a baby's disease goes away without complications at 3 years old, then in children of several months of life it can become a test for the body. A baby can get sick with this infectious disease everywhere, so parents should be as prepared as possible for such a disease.

Chickenpox in infants

Chickenpox in children under one year old can develop if the baby had contact with a sick family member (this is especially true for families raising several children). If the mother has had chickenpox in the last months of pregnancy or does not have antibodies to this type of infection (she has not been sick before), the newborn can become infected in the first couple of months of life.

If a woman had chickenpox (before pregnancy), then she transfers a certain amount of antibodies to her newborn and up to 3 months he will have immunity to this disease.

Cases of congenital chickenpox are dangerous for the infant and proceed with complications. The disease is more easily tolerated in children with strong immunity. Chickenpox in infants who are naturally fed (breast milk of the mother) passes faster and easier than in artificial infants.

Congenital chickenpox manifests itself during the first 11 days of a newborn's life, the symptoms are identical with the usual chickenpox (the rash looks similar in the photo), the situation is aggravated by vomiting, convulsions. The infection can affect the central nervous system and internal organs... Among patients with such diagnoses, there are high statistics on deaths.

After 3-4 months, the child's immunity, which was provided by the mother's antibodies, gradually begins to decrease, therefore, during this period, the baby is most susceptible to diseases, ranging from colds to infectious. It can become infected when communicating with patients or without direct contact with them (the virus spreads by airborne droplets over a hundred km).

Credible symptoms

Chickenpox in newborns can pass in a mild form (without temperature jumps, severe itching, weight loss, appetite) and in severe (a rash covers the baby's skin, mucous membranes, elevated temperature body 39-40C, there are convulsions, balance disorder).

The symptoms of this disease are:

1. red spots (1 cm in diameter), which first appear on the baby's face and scalp, spread quickly throughout the body; then turn into painful blisters filled with colorless liquid
2. high temperature (from 38 to 40C)
3. the number of spots does not decrease, but increases dramatically
4. after 5 days, the blisters on the baby's body are covered with a crust, new ones are not formed
5. itching (the disease is dangerous because the baby's wounds itch, it tears them off, additionally infecting the body; chickenpox in babies in the first few months of life is easier: they cannot pluck the blisters on their own and tolerate the disease easier than patients older than a year).

Incubation period

From the moment the virus enters children's organism it can take from 7 days to 3 weeks before the appearance of characteristic spots on the body, more often 21 days. At the first stage, the virus adapts to the new environment of existence, at the second, its cells begin to multiply, and antibodies begin to be produced in parallel: at this time, the child looks lethargic, weepy, he can be observed poor appetite, sleep disorder. At the third stage, spots appear on the skin, the temperature rises sharply. Symptoms in a newborn can be identified 7 days after infection.

Treatment

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Chickenpox in children under one year old must be confirmed by a competent specialist - he can indicate the treatment in a particular case. The symptoms of this disease are similar to other infectious diseases, so parents cannot reliably determine chickenpox on their own.

If the baby is sick, there are suspicions of an infectious infection, it is necessary to call a competent doctor (do not visit the clinic, endangering other small patients infecting).

Treatment for chickenpox in infants usually involves the following:

1. lowering the temperature (treatment can be carried out or suppositories for rectal administration based on,)
2. taking medications by mouth (reduce itching, soothe the baby)
3. treatment of skin ulcers antibacterial agents (brilliant green, - to the most damaged areas, where there are most blisters)

After 5-6 days of such treatment, the rash looks less noticeable, the blisters dry out faster. Chickenpox in infants can be severe when the rash spreads to the throat and can cause choking. In this case, the mucous membrane of the mouth should be lubricated with sea buckthorn oil. When chickenpox occurs in infants, it is recommended to water them more, temporarily cancel the introduction of new products.

They are not used in treatment (the viral affiliation of the disease does not imply such therapy).

Komarovsky about the disease, its nature

Komarovsky adheres to the version that a child can be deliberately infected with the chickenpox virus: little patients get sick with it in a mild form and they rarely have complications. You can give your baby a vaccine against this disease, it is not included in the standard vaccination program, but it is indicated in cases where the parents of the baby in a severe form transferred this virus.

Komarovsky pays particular attention to the fact that it is categorically impossible to use aspirin as an antipyretic drug for this disease - the combination of the drug with the chickenpox virus poses a mortal risk of liver damage. In this situation, you should be especially careful when treating patients with liver defects.

To relieve itching, Komarovsky recommends not overheating the baby, bathing in cool water and drinking a lot. He advises adding a little potassium permanganate or soda to the bathing water: these additives help heal wounds by drying them.

Regarding the infectiousness of chickenpox, Komarovsky confirms the information that after five days after the onset of the formation of new ulcers on the skin, the disease ceases to be infectious, the rash by this time looks already dried. To make it easier to track this, you can use brilliant green (it has no other effects: it does not reduce the symptoms of infection, does not relieve itching). The stereotype of using brilliant green in the treatment of this infectious disease has no scientific full justification.

Regarding quarantine for chickenpox, Komarovsky says that a method of isolation is shown for medical institutions where patients with reduced levels of immunity are treated. For healthy group babies do not need quarantine. Komarovsky means that the disease can be practically asymptomatic (the number of ulcers is up to 10, with an average of 250) or severe (about 1500 blisters). In especially difficult cases, the doctor prescribes the drug Acyclovir, the use of which must be combined with an abundant drink.

After an illness, the pediatrician does not recommend taking the child to the garden for at least two weeks, but not because of infectiousness. The disease negatively affects the immune system. After an illness, the baby needs to restore the protective properties of the body and only then send it to children's institutions.

A well-known pediatrician associates the most serious danger from the described virus with a woman's pregnancy: if she becomes infected in the first six months of pregnancy. In these cases, there is a high risk of developing serious pathologies in the newborn, up to physical deformities and serious malformations.

The doctor does not exclude the possibility of re-infection, but says that a re-infection is always easier than the first. Regarding the severity of the disease, a media specialist in the field of pediatrics cites statistical data: out of a hundred thousand patients, lethal outcome is not avoided in two cases.