Is it possible to bathe a child with chickenpox?

The question of whether a child can be bathed in such a disease as chickenpox is very controversial. Let's consider this infectious disease in more detail and tell you about the conditions under which it is possible to conduct hygienic procedures with such an infection, and when this is strictly forbidden.

Can I bathe my baby during chicken pox?

Earlier pediatricians on this question mothers answered a categorical "no." So, until recently, it was believed that bathing increases the likelihood of rashes on those parts of the body where they were previously absent. In addition, in the process of hygiene procedures, there is a risk of trauma to the crusts present on the papules, which in turn is fraught with infection and prolongs the healing process.

However, today, pediatricians allow for bathing in children with chickenpox. It is very important to follow certain rules.

Features of bathing a child with chickenpox

When carrying out hygiene procedures in children with chickenpox, all of the following conditions must be observed:

1. You can swim only in the first days of the illness, when there is no rise in body temperature as such. In this case, you need to bathe gently. Best in the shower with a small jet of water.
2. Completely wash the baby in the bath can only be on the 5th-6th day of the illness, when the body temperature is already normalized, and the amount of rashes will decrease slightly. However, to determine exactly how many days after the start of chickenpox you can bathe a child, it is better to ask the pediatrician about this.
3. The water temperature should not be high - 38-40 degrees. This will not allow the crusts formed after scratching on the spot to get wet.
4. When bathing is best not to use any means of hygiene. Enough to wash the baby with a simple, running water. This will avoid possible allergic reactions.
5. After taking hygienic procedures, in no case should not wipe the child with a towel. It is enough simply to blot out the remaining droplets of water from the surface of the body with blotting movements. It is best to use a soft towel. This allows you to avoid traumatizing existing rashes. In addition, individual pediatricians recommend that the child for some time after the bath was naked. Air baths have a positive effect on the skin and contribute to the rapid healing of rashes. At the same time, do not overdo it - wear your baby after 10 minutes have elapsed since the release of their bath.
6. After the child is washed, it is necessary to perform the treatment of papules with an antiseptic, for example - diamond green.

Why wash children with chickenpox?

Having dealt with the day on which chickenpox can bathe a child, it is necessary to say about the importance of this kind of hygiene procedures.

First, bathing allows you to cleanse the skin, and thereby prevent the entry of pathogenic microorganisms in the area of ​​skin lesions.

Secondly, this kind of procedure helps to reduce itching. After bathing the child feels some relief, i.e. the skin is no longer so itchy. The baby becomes less restless, less irritated and crying.

Thus, from the above, we can conclude that when there is no temperature, it is not only possible to bathe a child during chickenpox, but even it is necessary. However, it is very important to observe all the nuances mentioned above. In addition, do not often spend bathing a sick child.