Infectious Diseases
Chicken pox
Chicken pox is a highly infectious viral illness, most common in children, that causes an intensely itchy rash of blisters.
Your child may generally feel unwell, with a headache and mild fever, just before the rash develops and for the first few days afterward. The first symptoms appear 10–21 days after contact with the infection, and most children are completely recovered 7–10 days later.
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See your doctor first
Arrange to see your doctor to confirm that your child has chicken pox.
Arrange to see your doctor to confirm that your child has chicken pox.
✨ What you can do yourself
Use these home treatments to make your child more comfortable and help prevent scratching, which can cause scars.
- If your child has a fever, take steps to reduce it. Offer your child plenty to drink throughout the day.
- Soothe itching by giving your child lukewarm baths twice a day. Try adding baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) or an oatmeal lotion to the bath water (see Natural Remedies section).
- An antihistamine will reduce itching and help your child sleep at night. You can also soothe his or her skin with calamine lotion (see Drug Remedies section).
- Cut your child's nails short to reduce damage from scratching. Give him or her cotton gloves to wear at night to prevent scratching during sleep.
- To soothe spots in your child's mouth, get him or her to rinse with half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water, being careful that he or she does not swallow the solution. Encourage your child to keep brushing his or her teeth as normal.
- Your child will be more comfortable in light, loose, non-itchy clothing. Avoid wool.
- Keep your child away from school, and away from any woman who may be pregnant, for 5 days from the time when the blisters first appear.
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Seek further medical advice
Arrange to see your doctor again if your child develops:
Arrange to see your doctor again if your child develops:
- Pus-filled spots and/or blisters near the eyes
- Earache or headache, breathing problems, drowsiness, or convulsions
💡 Remember: Chicken pox is usually mild in children, but it can be serious for newborns, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. Keep your child home until all blisters have crusted over (usually about 5 days after the rash appears).