Chickenpox is one of the most common airborne diseases, it is transmitted very easily during the first days of infection, which is why it’s often difficult for the mother to protect her children from it. Today we introduce this disease to you, exploring its symptoms and how to treat your infected child.
What is chickenpox?
A skin disease which causes itching, comes in the form of red spots on the skin and is a result of infection of a virus called varicella, which is transmitted through saliva, air, and contacting affected persons.
Symptoms
-It could start with flu in some cases, which causes fever or high temperature to your baby, so head to the doctor if you see any of these symptoms.
-Your baby will also feel some pain and aching in his body when he gets infected with chickenpox, these pains could cause severe headache, immobility and an inclination to sitting or sleeping. If your child is unusually quiet, there’s a possibility that he has chickenpox.
-Children infected with chickenpox also suffer from lack of appetite, they don’t want to eat or drink even if it’s something they like.
-These symptoms turn to red spots or blisters all over the body, which look a lot like insect bites, and they last for a period between one to two weeks. This is when you should start using chickenpox lotion after consulting a doctor. As these spots turn into blisters, then dry and fall off, it is crucial that your child has no contact with other children in this stage, as these crusts could infect someone else.
Treatment
-Your child should have no contact with other people, no matter how old they are, if they hadn’t gotten it before. Unfortunately, though, the mother has to stay beside her child because he needs her. She needs to make up for this isolation and fatigue. You can make your child wear a mask to avoid getting infected yourself, your child needs you by his side in your best condition.
-Contrary to the common belief, you should bathe your child with warm water once or twice a day, then dry his body using a soft towel very carefully, to avoid harming the infected skin.
-Set the infected child’s belongings apart and don’t let anybody else use them. It is also preferable to boil and sterilize them after use.
-Tell your child not to scratch those spots at all to avoid leaving marks, and watch him all the time to make sure he doesn’t do it unintentionally, the lotion he uses will ease the urge for itching but it won’t put an end to it.
-Avoid giving him citrus fruits and very salty food, and give him cold drinks that are rich in vitamins instead.
-Ask your doctor for a medication to enhance your infected child’s immunity to accelerate his recovery, in addition to medication to treat his fever in case his temperature rises.
