Chicken-pox (varicella) in Children



Chicken-pox


Chicken-pox is a mild infectious disease, beginning with a slight rise in temperature (99° – 100°), loss of appetite, and general languor.
The eruption appears first on the back and consists of small red spots. These spots may be widely separated. There may be only four or five on the whole back. Small water blisters soon form on the top of these red spots and in a day or two these blisters become black and dry up. These spots are found on other parts of the body, but generally they are widely scattered.
The disease runs its course in three days to a week, and generally the child is not ill enough to remain in bed.
Chicken-pox has no serious complications or after effects; very severe cases may resemble small-pox somewhat, but such cases are rare.
Nursing : The child should be kept quiet and fed on a light diet. Great care should be taken to prevent rubbing or scratching of the eruption. The skin may be kept well covered with vaseline, and where there are large spots, they may be protected with a bandage.
Aconite may be given, a teaspoonful every hour in the early stages of the disease, but no other medication is necessary unless special symptoms arise for it.