How can chickenpox spread

For mild cases low fever for a short period of time and only a little rash, less than 30 spots , children can go to school or child care if they feel well enough to take part in regular activities, and if the facility permits. Pregnant women can develop severe chickenpox.

Most adult women are already protected against chickenpox by antibodies in their blood. If you are thinking of getting pregnant and have not had chickenpox, you should be vaccinated. If you are pregnant and have not had chickenpox, call your doctor right away if you are exposed to chickenpox. Your doctor may want to give you a special type of immune globulin VariZIG that has antibodies to chickenpox to help prevent you from getting a severe infection.

The best way to protect your child from chickenpox is vaccination. If your child is not yet vaccinated and comes in contact with another child or family member who has chickenpox, they may still be protected if they are vaccinated right away. If your child has an immune system disorder and comes in contact with chickenpox, call your doctor right away.

The doctor can give a special type of immune globulin VariZIG with a large concentration of antibodies to chickenpox to help prevent infection, or early treatment with an antiviral drug.

Last updated: May Home Health conditions and treatments Current: Chickenpox. Chickenpox Chickenpox varicella is a common, preventable childhood infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. What are the symptoms? Chickenpox begins with a fever , aches and pains.

Within 1 or 2 days your child will get a rash. The rash is usually itchy and can make your child uncomfortable. It appears on the scalp and face, spreading quickly down the body and onto the arms and legs. The spots start as flat pink spots that turn into small water blisters. New spots will form even after others turn into blisters. Some children only get a few blisters, but others can have as many as Blisters open, dry up and form scabs in 4 or 5 days. Most children lose their appetite and have a headache during the first few days.

How is it spread? The virus enters the body by the nose or mouth. You'll need to stay away from school, nursery or work until all the spots have crusted over. They may recommend a special appointment time if other patients are at risk. You may need medicine to prevent complications. You need to take it within 24 hours of the spots appearing. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.

Go to You can catch chickenpox by being in the same room as someone with it. It's also spread by touching clothes or bedding that has fluid from the blisters on them. Chickenpox is infectious from 2 days before the spots appear, until they have all crusted over — usually 5 days after they first appeared. It takes 1 to 3 weeks from the time you were exposed to chickenpox for the spots to start appearing. It's rare to get chickenpox when you're pregnant, and the chance of it causing complications is low.

If you do get chickenpox when you're pregnant, there's a small risk of your baby being very ill when it's born. Sometimes, chickenpox leads to other, more serious illnesses. Most kids don't have any major problems and get better in a week or two.

And when all the blisters have scabs, you're not contagious anymore and you can go back to school! In a few days, the scabs will fall off. A kid who gets chickenpox is unlikely to ever get it again.

Not long ago, millions of people got chickenpox each year in the United States. But now that kids get the vaccine, fewer and fewer people get chickenpox. But kids can get vaccinated when they're older too. Ask your mom or dad if you've had your shots. You'll be glad that you did if chickenpox starts making its way around your school!

Reviewed by: Kate M. Cronan, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Chickenpox? People who get the virus have: a fever a rash of spots that look like blisters They also might get a runny nose, cough, and stomachache. What Are the Signs of Chickenpox?

How Does Chickenpox Spread? Itchy-Itchy, Scratchy-Scratchy If you are that unlucky person, how do you keep your chickenpox from driving you crazy? These tips can help you feel less itchy: Keep cool because heat and sweat will make you itch more.

You might want to put a lukewarm washcloth on the really bad areas.