How to Treat Chickenpox in Kids?
Chickenpox is very contagious and is a common childhood viral disease caused by a virus called Varicella-Zoster Virus. It shows mild symptoms in children however, it may be life threatening to healthy infants, children and adults and individuals with impaired immune systems.
If you are feeling that your child is at high risk of complications get medical help with the best General pediatric doctor in Delhi, Dr. Promilla Butani. She will provide the best child care and treatment plan needed by your child. Here in this guide learn more on chickenpox in kids and ways to manage this disease.
What are the symptoms of chickenpox?
For 2-4 days before the onset of the pox rash, children may have vague symptoms like a fever, headache, stomach pain, or loss of appetite
A typical kid develops 250–500 small, fluid-filled blisters over red areas on the skin, which begin on the face, trunk, or scalp and progress from there
After 1-2 days, the blisters get hazy and finally scab
The chickenpox commonly appears in the mouth, vagina, and eyelids
The rash is itchy
The rash is worse among children who have other skin disorders, such as eczema or a recent sunburn
What to expect?
The rash often occurs between 10 and 21 days after being exposed to someone who has chickenpox. The duration between exposures to acquiring the rash is called the 'incubation period'.
Children with severe infections or underlying major medical issues may be given antiviral medicine. The majority of children with chickenpox are sick for five to seven days. Only a few people will be required to be admitted to the hospital.
The goal of treatment is to alleviate the itching caused by the rash as well as other viral symptoms. There are several medications and lotions available at a nearby pharmacy to help with itching. If a child develops a large, sore, red area around the rash or becomes more sick, consult with an expert kids pediatrician in Delhi, Dr. Promilla Butani, for confirmation of a secondary bacterial infection.
How to treat chickenpox in kids?
Chickenpox usually requires no medical treatment. Here are a few points to consider to ease the symptoms of chickenpox in kids:
When children are sick, it can be challenging to ensure that they drink sufficient amounts of water. Give sips of drinks, candy, water-based frozen foods, soups, and other fluids regularly. Cold drinks and soft, bland foods can be beneficial, but avoid giving the child anything too salty or acidic. This helps prevent dehydration and regulates the fever. Children with chickenpox may feel weary and irritated.
Children with chickenpox may have a reduced appetite, but make sure your child drinks enough water to pass urine at least four times a day. Also, keep the child cool because heat and sweating aggravate the itching.
Although it is unlikely to save siblings from getting chicken pox, it is usually a good idea to give the affected child's siblings their own towel.
The child should not be allowed to scratch the blisters since this would irritate them and leave them susceptible to infection. If the scabs are scraped off, there's also a greater chance that the blisters will leave a scar.
Cutting the child's nails short and convincing them to wear cotton gloves will lessen their scratching. An antihistamine may be prescribed by a physician if the child's itching is causing them to have difficulty falling asleep.
Children with chickenpox should not attend kindergarten or school until all blisters have healed. A dry blister scab cannot spread. If a child has chickenpox, parents should inform the school since other kids might need to be treated or immunized.
It is not true-a common misconception-that the scabs must fall off before the risk of infection disappears.
Before sending the child back to nursery or school, make sure that scabs have developed on all of the blisters, as the spots and blisters might develop in stages.
It could be necessary for some family members to avoid the child during this contagious phase. This involves patients receiving chemotherapy or long-term oral steroids, as well as babies and expecting mothers who have never had chickenpox. If they have already had chicken pox, most people cannot get it again.
Children with chickenpox may typically be treated at home and don't require hospitalization but guidance from a reputed general pediatrician doctor in Delhi like Dr. Promilla Butani is crucial.
Chickenpox is extremely contagious.
Chickenpox cannot be cured with antibiotics.
Usually, symptoms like rashes are treated rather than the infection itself.
In general, the rash appears 10 to 21 days following the initial chickenpox exposure.
One to two days prior to the rash appearing and until the last blister has dried, chickenpox can spread.
Get consultation with the expert child doctor to manage this disease in kids and to get more guidance and the best treatment plan for your child.
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