What happens to you when you have chicken pox?
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What happens to you when you have chicken pox?
Chickenpox consists of an itchy, red rash that breaks out on the face, scalp, chest, back and, to a lesser extent, arms and legs. The spots quickly fill with a clear fluid, rupture and then turn crusty. Chickenpox is an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus.
What do you get later in life if you had chicken pox?
Most people who have had chickenpox will be immune to the disease for the rest of their lives. However, the virus remains inactive in nerve tissue and may reactivate later in life causing shingles.
What happens if you get chicken pox twice?
The chickenpox virus You may not get chickenpox twice, but VZV could make you sick twice. Once you’ve had chickenpox, the virus remains inactive in your nerve tissue. Although it’s unlikely you will get chickenpox again, the virus may reactivate later in life and cause a related condition called shingles.
How can I help chicken pox?
How to treat chickenpox at home
- drink plenty of fluid (try ice lollies if your child is not drinking) to avoid dehydration.
- take paracetamol to help with pain and discomfort.
- put socks on your child’s hands at night to stop scratching.
- cut your child’s nails.
- use cooling creams or gels from a pharmacy.
What causes chickenpox?
Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It can cause an itchy, blister-like rash. The rash first appears on the chest, back, and face, and then spreads over the entire body, causing between 250 and 500 itchy blisters.
When are chickenpox safe?
To prevent spreading the infection, keep children off nursery or school until all their spots have crusted over. Chickenpox is infectious from 1 to 2 days before the rash starts, until all the blisters have crusted over (usually 5 to 6 days after the start of the rash).