Chickenpox is a typical "child" disease. It is considered to be so, because in childhood it is much easier than in adults, and practically does not need treatment. Many parents even specially drive their babies to visit the sick with chickenpox so that they get sick as soon as possible. But is this correct? Can a young woman get chickenpox, and how are these babies borne by her? Our article - about chickenpox in newborn babies and babies.
Symptoms of chicken pox in infants
Infants suffer from chickenpox on a par with older children. There is much less chance of contracting it from a child who is breastfed by a mother. In addition, babies from birth to six months still have antibodies transmitted by the mother during pregnancy, and the general immunity they have always stronger. But with half a year and until the child develops its own body protection, it is very easy to catch chickenpox. This is also facilitated by its "volatility": the varicella-zoster virus is very quickly transmitted from person to person.
The first signs of the disease are rashes on the face and abdomen of the baby. They look like mosquito bites, but very quickly spread throughout the body, and the next day they turn into bubbles filled with liquid. They can scratch too much, making the child nervous. Simultaneously with the rash, the child usually has a fever and lymph nodes increase. 5 days after the appearance of the first rash, the chickenpox stops being contagious, the rashes stop and the pimples gradually disappear.
Features of the course of chickenpox in children under 1 year old
Chicken pox in babies can flow in different ways. It either passes very easily, without temperature fluctuations, with single minor rashes on the skin, or it torments the child with severe itching and fever. The baby is too small to take it easy, and therefore the chickenpox's manifestations are poured into mourning, caprices, refusal to eat, restless sleep. In severe cases, chickenpox affects not only the surface of the baby's skin, but also mucous membranes, causing great suffering to the child and, accordingly, to his mother. After chickenpox, complications such as rhinitis, conjunctivitis, shingles and other infectious diseases are possible (the latter can easily be carried by combing the blisters with fingernails).
How to treat chickenpox in infants?
Chickenpox is a disease that starts suddenly and develops quickly. That's why all parents should know about what to do if their baby has a chickenpox.
First of all, should give the baby a drug against allergies (it will reduce the itching and ease the condition of the baby). Antihistamine and its dosage will be prescribed to you by a pediatrician, who, when infected with chickenpox, should be called to the house. If the child's body temperature rises above 38.5 degrees, it should be brought down by conventional means (antipyretic syrups and candles, such as panadol or nurofen for children ). It is recommended to lubricate the rash with antiseptic
In fact, no treatment for chickenpox is provided, and all of the above methods only relieve the symptoms of the disease, alleviating the condition of the baby. Before parents there is an important task constantly to distract the child from combing pimples. Doctors, pediatricians of the old school do not recommend at this time to bathe the kids (it supposedly contributes to a longer healing of pimples), but modern studies do not prove this. Moreover, bathing also relieves itch well, so if the child does not have a temperature, you can bathe him, just do not rub the pimples with a washcloth and towel.