Chickenpox in children: symptoms and treatment

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Chickenpox is a disease familiar to everyone, if not from the experience of their children, then from the stories of friends and colleagues. It is caused by an active herpes simplex virus type 3 called Varicella Zoster. It can be mild, moderate and severe. Typical symptoms are a rash all over the body with a rise in temperature.

Chickenpox in children, as well as its symptoms and treatment, refers to the so-called childhood diseases, but adults can get sick if they did not get sick in childhood, and they did not develop immunity against this type of herpes. During the incubation period, they can be short, and the onset of the disease is rapid, "explosive".

It is believed that if a child has had chickenpox, then he develops immunity for life. However, cases of repeated illness of chickenpox in people at a fairly adult age have been recorded. This happens if the disease in childhood was mild, and a fairly stable immunity against chickenpox infection has not been developed.

Recurrent disease always passes in a severe form, and its treatment requires a special medical approach.

The onset of the disease in a child

Chickenpox in children is an infection transmitted by contact and airborne droplets. Children become infected with it in preschool institutions, schools, places of mass gathering of children - in a cinema, a circus.

In the presence of at least one child-carrier of the infection in a large children's team, it is almost impossible to avoid infection. And parents may not even suspect that they have brought an already ill baby to the theater or to a children's holiday, because the incubation period for chickenpox lasts from a week to 21 days.

It is impossible to foresee how long the latent period of the course of the disease lasts before its first external manifestations appear - a skin rash in the form of separately located red dots, which soon transform into water bubbles, and then completely burst, leaving behind a lesion on the skin - smallpoxes that do not heal for a long time with the general skin.

The latent period of the disease has a peculiarity:

• the virus enters the nasopharyngeal mucosa;
• is introduced into the cells of the epithelium;
• actively reproduces.

This is the initial, incubation period of the disease. The child looks healthy outwardly, however, infectious agents gradually spread throughout the body.

The classic onset of chickenpox is like a common cold:

• temperature increase;
• lethargy;
• whims.

At the same time, the virus enters the lymphatic and blood vessels, spreads throughout the body, and causes fever. Only after that, characteristic rashes appear on the body - this is a feature of the incubation period.

However, there are other symptoms of the onset of chickenpox:

• first, red dots of a rash quickly pour out over the body;
• then the temperature is added;
• catarrhal phenomena appear.

Cases of asymptomatic chickenpox have also been reported, with only skin rashes. The rash also has different intensity options. For one baby, you can gently anoint each pimple with a cotton swab, and for another, even completely smear it with brilliant green or Fukortsin - the bubbles spill out so thickly. Variable and first places of rashes. In some children, they begin with the scalp, mucous membranes of the mouth, and the area around the eyes.

In others, the armpits, the lower abdomen, and the skin between the fingers are the first to be affected. Different variants of rashes and places of their localization are visible in the photo.

An interesting fact - the skin of the palms and feet is never affected.

In a few hours, red specks with sharp edges turn into watery bubbles. The second stage of the chickenpox disease begins.

Treatment of chickenpox in children

More recently, the herpes nature of chickenpox was discovered and scientifically confirmed. Since then, the treatment program for childhood diseases has also changed. But nevertheless, all the therapy undertaken is aimed at alleviating the general condition of the child, at preventing the development of complications.

Chickenpox is always treated at home, only in case of serious complications, the doctor suggests hospitalization in the infectious diseases department. Only parents can help the baby so that the child's body can cope with the suffering due to the itchy rash. According to the baby's condition, it is recommended to rest in bed for a time while the temperature is kept and the fever lasts.

In case of lesions of the mucous membrane in the mouth, it is necessary to revise the baby's nutrition and give him only gentle dishes, excluding salty, citrus fruits that irritate the oral cavity. Diet is one of the areas of treatment for chickenpox.

Classical drug therapy includes the reception:

• antihistamines to reduce itching;
• antipyretics to relieve fever;
• antiseptics containing aniline dyes to treat baby's skin.

Typically, the following medications are used for chickenpox:

• any antipyretic fever, excluding Aspirin;
• from itching - Suprastin, Fenistil in drops, Zodak, Loratadin;
• for rinsing the mouth - Furacillin solution after each meal;
• in case of eye damage - Acyclovir eye ointment.

Amidopyrin, Aspirin are strictly prohibited, since they are very dangerous for children, and are not used in the treatment of chickenpox.

Antibiotics are used only in the case of bacterial infection of the vesicles. Therefore, the task of the parents is to ensure that the child does not scratch the watery blisters, which cause unbearable itching. Combing is dangerous because a secondary bacterial infection can join, and then the child will have to be given antibiotics.

It is better for a child to walk at home without a T-shirt, in panties and socks, so that the natural cooling of the skin relieves the feeling of itching.

To prevent bursting bubbles from becoming infected from the environment, room dust, pet hair, they must be treated several times a day with antiseptic disinfectants:

• 1% - alcoholic solution of brilliant green;
• Castellani liquid;
• an aqueous solution of Fukortsin;
• methylene blue solution;
• a weak aqueous solution of potassium permanganate.

Pediatricians give preference to the classic brilliant green, since it is clearly visible against a green background when a fresh rash ceases to appear on the skin. Skin rashes with chickenpox do not appear immediately, spots and acne appear within a week. Therefore, skin rashes of 3 different stages are present at the same time.

The specks of the first rash literally in a few hours transform into bubbles filled with pathogenic fluid, which cause unbearable itching, the child begins to scratch the skin.

Relieve itching and antihistamines, and local treatment, and taking medicine for herpes infection. The most effective antiviral drugs are Acyclovir, its derivatives, Dokosanol, Valacyclovir, Tromantadin, Panavir Gel, Flakoside, Alpizarin, Helepin. For fever, it is recommended to give the child Ibuprofen or Paracetamol. Ultraviolet radiation helps a lot, if at home there is such an opportunity.

Today pediatricians have at their disposal many pharmacological preparations for the effective treatment of chickenpox. They choose drugs based on the condition of the child, his age and the number of skin rashes.

Treatment of chickenpox with folk remedies

The task of parents is to reduce pain and itching sensations throughout the disease. Ancillary treatment with folk remedies is to externally lubricate the rash and take baths.

• 1-2 times a day, lubricate itchy skin with a solution of low concentration baking soda, using cotton pads, which must be changed for every 5-10 cm of treated skin;
• in the afternoon, every 3-4 hours it is necessary to put the child in cooling baths; ½ cup of baking soda is poured into the bath; bath time - no more than 15 minutes;
• alternate baths with soda with baths, with potassium permanganate, dilute the water in the bathroom to a faint pink color; duration - no more than 5 minutes, frequency rate - 1-2 times a day;
• alternate baths with celandine; method of preparation: pour a handful of fresh chopped herbs with boiling water, let it brew until it cools naturally, pour the infusion into the bath; the duration of the bath is 10 minutes, the frequency is 2 times a day; every time to prepare a fresh infusion of celandine, it is not recommended to immediately prepare a large volume of infusion for several baths;
• a bath with chamomile infusion is also being prepared; prepare a saturated herb infusion along with stems, leaves, pour into a bath with warm water. The good thing about this bath is that you can take it in unlimited quantities and sit in it for as long as the child wants.

Along with bathing in the bath, folk healers recommend strengthening the immune system so that the body can more successfully fight the disease. A vitamin mixture of honey with lemon juice helps a quick recovery.

The components are mixed in equal proportions immediately before use. Children should be given before meals, 1 tsp, 3 r. per day, given the absence of allergy to citrus fruits.

When the formed crusts begin to fall off, redness on the skin is recommended to lubricate with vitamin E from ampoules. Any unrefined sunflower oil can be used. This treatment helps to restore the skin, so that the skin does not have "pockmarks".