Chook Me!

What are the symptoms of chicken pox?

I am taking my 6 month old to the doctor because I think he may have the chicken pox. I have never had them before so I do not know what to look for. Any information or advice would be helpful. Any advice who had it or whose kids had it and didn't google the answer?

Public Comments

1. you feel itch and dizzy and fever for sure
2. fever and poxes. you should becareful as you can get it too. since you havent had them before
3. Check out the links below
4. check out this page www.kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/chicken_pox.html
5. Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), also known as human herpes virus 3 (HHV-3), one of the eight herpes viruses known to affect humans. It starts with conjunctival and catarrhal symptoms, moderate fever and then characteristic spots appearing in two or three waves, mainly on the body and head rather than the hands and becoming itchy raw pox (pocks), small open sores which heal mostly without scarring. Chickenpox has a two-week incubation period and is highly contagious by air transmission two days before symptoms appear. Following primary infection there is usually lifelong protective immunity from further episodes of chickenpox. Recurrent chickenpox is fairly rare but more likely in people with compromised immune systems. Symptomatic treatment, with calamine lotion to ease itching and paracetamol (known in the US as acetaminophen) to reduce fever, is widely used.
6. Gross but great pictures so you can tell what they look like. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.acponline.org/graphics/bioterro/j_chickenpox.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.acponline.org/bioterro/chickenpox.htm&h=200&w=300&sz=12&hl=en&sig2=7vKbBGiu4kvTx2syyTbJnw&start=24&tbnid=RPtP8jIu03bpUM:&tbnh=77&tbnw=116&ei=VuoERZDiMZTGiwGejbGACg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dchicken%2Bpox%26start%3D20%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official_s%26sa%3DN
7. Look dear,don't worry.It's simple.its clinical picture is: short prodromal period followed by appearance of skin eruption *prodromal period:mild constitutional manifestations[mild fever,malaise,headache]for 24 hours.It may sometimes be so mild to pass unnoticed& the rash is the 1st sign noticed. *Rash:maculopapules ,rapidly progress to superficial vesicles in few hours,which rupture & dry up in few days,forming crusts & scabs that fall off & dry in around one week,without leaving any pitting of skin.Secondary infection & pustulation of vesicles may sometimes occur. Characteristics of varicella eruption: *centripetal:more rash on trunk,head,than neck & limbs *pleomorphic;rash appears in successive crops&so all stages [papules,vesicles,crusts]are found on the body at the same time. Complications: 1-secondary infection:&pustulation of vesicles 2-Encephalitis:rare with good prognosis 3-1ry atypical pneumonia:usually in adults Fatality: rare if any .immunosuppresive medicines e.g steroids,increase severity of disease & risk of case fatality. Susceptibility Varicella is predominantly a disese of children.Adults may be affected where the disease is usually more severe.It's followed by solid immunity & 2nd attack is rare. varicella cases are usually sporadic with increased incidence during winter & spring. outbreaks ,however,may occur in confined groups of children.
8. I got it last year (aged 25) and I was shocked when the doc told me. I had been feeling dizzy and kinda flu-like and I noticed a few heat spots on my neck and tummy. I went to the doc that afternoon (hadn't looked in a mirror since getting up in the morning) and was told I had chicken pox. I looked in the mirror at the doc's and was horrified to see I was covered in red blotches all over my face! Honestly I had thought it was a heat reash and a bit of a fluey bug. Be very careful around your little one as chicken pox is more dangerous to adults. If he does have it at least he won't remember it and it is milder in children, just be prepared for a very unhappy baby til they go away! Calamine lotion is good for cooling the 'pox' but something like Zovirax is great as the ingredient in that is ideal for zapping those spots! And it is impossible not to itch and end up with a few scars. That's what I hated most. Hope he is feeling better soon and that you don't get it :-) xx