Experiences with

Chickenpox

Check if it's chickenpox

An itchy, spotty rash is the main symptom of chickenpox. It can be anywhere on the body.

Chickenpox happens in 3 stages. But new spots can appear while others are becoming blisters or forming a scab.

Stage 1: small spots appear

The spots can:

• be anywhere on the body, including inside the mouth and around the genitals, which can be painful
• spread or stay in a small area
• be red, pink, darker or the same colour as surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone
• be harder to see on brown and black skin

The spots fill with fluid and become blisters. The blisters are very itchy and may burst.

The spots form a scab. Some scabs are flaky while others leak fluid.

Before or after the rash appears, you might also get:

• a high temperature
• aches and pains, and generally feeling unwell
• loss of appetite

Chickenpox is very itchy and can make children feel miserable, even if they do not have many spots.

The chickenpox spots look the same on children and adults. But adults usually have a high temperature for longer and more spots than children.

It's possible to get chickenpox more than once, but it's unusual.

How to treat chickenpox at home

You'll need to stay away from school, nursery or work until all the spots have formed a scab. This is usually 5 days after the spots appeared.

• drink plenty of fluid (try ice lollies if your child is not drinking) to avoid dehydration

• take paracetamol to help with pain and discomfort

• cut your child's fingernails and put socks on their hands at night to stop them scratching

• use cooling creams or gels from a pharmacy

• speak to a pharmacist about using antihistamine medicine to help itching

• bathe in cool water and pat the skin dry (do not rub)

• dress in loose clothes

• do not use ibuprofen unless advised to do so by a doctor, as it may cause serious skin infections

• do not give aspirin to children under 16

• do not go near newborn babies, or anyone who is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, as chickenpox can be dangerous for them

• do not scratch the spots, as scratching can cause scarring

It's easy to catch chickenpox

You can catch chickenpox by being in the same room as someone with it. It's also spread by touching things that have fluid from the blisters on them.

When chickenpox can be spread

You can spread chickenpox to other people from 2 days before your spots appear until they have all formed scabs – usually 5 days after your spots appeared.

How soon you get symptoms after catching chickenpox

The spots start appearing around 1 to 3 weeks after you caught chickenpox.

Symptoms of chickenpox include itchy spots that become blisters, then scabs. It can be anywhere on the body, including in the mouth.

Chickenpox usually gets better on its own after 1 to 2 weeks. You can ease symptoms with cooling creams, antihistamines and paracetamol.

You can catch chickenpox by being in the same room as someone with it. It's also spread by touching things that have fluid from the blisters on them.

Related links

Chickenpox

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