Our mothers used to apply brilliant green on each spot to treat the chicken pox. To date, this method is not actual used anymore. However, the infection is still wide-spread, though there is a vaccination against this virus.
The causes of chicken pox
The chicken pox is a viral infection of the herpes family. It means that this virus stays on one’s body for the rest of the life.
A peak of this disease falls on 4 – 5 years olds till the primary school age. This infection is not so dangerous for little children, except infants and kids with allergy, immunodeficiency and other serious problems.
It is known that this virus affects humans only; animals cannot be infected. After the disease a person gets a life–long immunity, however, there is a probability to have shingles in the future.
How can a person catch the chicken pox?
The disease carriers are children with the chicken pox in an incubation period with a skin rash appearance. Besides, adults with shingles are also the carriers of the disease as far as they have the same rash to discharge the virus.
There is approximately 100 % probability to be infected if you make contact with the chicken pox carrier. If you didn’t vaccinate your baby with a weak immune system, then the child will be infected.
It should be noted, that this virus affects even those who live in the neighborhood or the children from the other groups of the kindergarten. That’s why, only one affected kid may start the real epidemic.
The virus penetrates a body, reaches both nose and mouth of a child, mucous membranes and then this cold forms small vesicles on the skin by means of multiplication. The skin rash distributes a mass of viruses, which spreads in the environment.
The symptoms of chicken pox
The incubation period in children lasts for different time periods (up to 3 weeks at the most). Thus, quarantine within 21 days is required to define every affected kid.
In general, the disease occurs in 10 days and a child catches the virus 2 days before the skin rash. Unfortunately, the affected child may visit a lot of public places within this period. The virus lives until the last dry crust on the skin is gone.
Initial symptoms are the same ones as under the other colds:
- weakness and poor appetite;
- temperature increase;
- mucus, throat tickling.
This is a pre-dromal period. After this, the rash appears on the skin. At this period, a body temperature goes up to 104 degrees and even higher. The skin rash occurs everywhere, except head and feet and inside the mouth.
The rash has a punctiform nature. It lasts for a few days and the temperature rise is possible as soon as new vesicles appear. The rash also doesn’t affect feet and palms. A little girl can have the rash on her genitals.
The chicken pox rash is a specific one, thus it’s very easy to diagnose it. However, stings and allergy have the same reaction as well as this disease.
First you may notice 10 mm red round tubercles, which transform into vesicles with liquid. This liquid is yellow and transparent at the first stages, and then it grows turbid and a curd appears. Each vesicle has its life–cycle and its stage.
The elements become dry within 2 days and if a baby doesn’t touch them, he won’t get scars the in future. The rash elements of different stages mature during 2 or 3 weeks. The chicken pox disease is impossible without the skin rash appearance.
Modern treatment
A new adequate treatment, which brings alleviation, starts from a proper hygiene of wounds and prophylaxis of bacterial infection. It is better to stay in bed in case of the temperature increase and bad condition of the baby. In case of sweating, you will have to change the baby’s cloth and bed linen from time to time.
Don’t forget to bathe a baby everyday as the skin should be clean every day. It’s recommended to bath a baby with a special soap for children without any brushes as you may scratch curds. In case a baby has an acute itch, then prepare a bath with baking soda.
It is important to cut the nails of your baby to avoid scratches. Offer your baby antihistaminic remedies to remove the itching.
You should not use the brilliant green if you bathe your baby regularly. To date there is a great choice of different preparations against the chicken pox: calamine lotion, marigold solution, fenistil gel and bepanthen plus. In case of an acute itching, use a required dosage of suprastin or tavegil at night.
Use myramistinum, lugol or iodine for mouth cavities and gargle it with soda solution.
How long does the quarantine period last?
It’s necessary to isolate affected children from other people until the moment the rash is dry. As to contacting kids, they need 21 days of the quarantine period. It is necessary to air and disinfect the room of a baby within this period. After this, you child may start visiting any public place.
If you don’t want your baby to face the chicken pox disease, then you may use a vaccination which protects one’s body for 5–6 years.
