Chickenpox

Chickenpox is predominantly a childhood disease that mainly occurs in autumn and winter.
It is spread through sneezing and coughing. Chicken Pox starts with a high temperature that lasts approximately three days. After this fever,  the rash starts as red spots on the body and spreads. The spots form into blisters which then burst and scab over.  The fluid within the blisters is highly contagious so the sufferer is contagious from when the fever starts until the last blister has scabbed over. Hence the usual incubation period is 15-20 days.


What to do 

If your child is generally in good health, there is no need to visit the doctor. However if you feel that the Chicken Pox is not following its normal course you should advise a doctor. The most wide spread problem is infection of the sores through scratching. To avoid this you should cut the nails short and apply calamine lotion as and when necessary.

If an adult has Chicken Pox they should see a doctor immediately as complications may occur. If a pregnant woman catches chickenpox, the infection can spread to the unborn baby, and this can be very very serious. If your child has chickenpox, you MUST ensure that you avoid contact with ALL pregnant women. However if a pregnant woman has had chicken pox, they naturally protect  their unborn child from Chicken Pox.'


Chickenpox and Shingles

Shingles is a painful rash normally prevalent in adults (and occasionally in children), caused by the chickenpox virus. The virus lies dormant in the spinal cord for many years after the initial chickenpox infection.

In some people the virus reappears in the form of a rash which remains highly infectious until it has scabbed over. Chickenpox can be caught from people with shingles by people who have never had it, but shingles cannot be caught from people with chickenpox.