The incidence of chickenpox has declined since the creation of the vaccine but it is still a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. The most common chickenpox symptom is a rash that turns into blisters and then scabs. The rash usually shows up on the back, chest and face and then may spread to the rest of the body. If your child does contract chickenpox follow these tips:
- Keep your child at home—chickenpox is highly contagious. Limit exposure to other people until all of the chickenpox blisters have formed scabs and no new blisters develop.
- Take a colloidal oatmeal bath in lukewarm water.
- After the bath put a topical ointment like calamine lotion or petroleum jelly on.
- Relieve a fever with non aspirin medications—don’t use aspirin or products that contain aspirin with chickenpox.
- Keep your child’s fingernails trimmed short to help prevent skin infections caused by scratching the blisters.