Chickenpox

Chickenpox is very common. It is caused by a virus called varicella. If your child has been in contact with someone who has chickenpox it can take 2 to 3 weeks for them to develop the rash. Children can pass the virus to others from the day before the rash appears until the last spot has scabbed over. Your child may also have a temperature, a cough and a runny nose.

Chickenpox starts with red bumps that become small, yellowish blisters. The spots can affect the whole body including the mouth and genitals (which can be very painful). They then open before scabbing over.

Visit the NHS website for more pictures of how the rash develops.

Most children with chickenpox can be looked after at home and do not need to see a doctor. If your newborn baby or child with a weak immune system (for example due to cancer treatment, immunosuppressive treatment or genetic immunodeficiency) catches chickenpox then you should contact a doctor.

 

 

  • Itchy, spotty rash
  • High temperature
  • Aches and pains
  • Loss of appetite
  • General feeling of being unwell
It can be upsetting to see your child unwell with chickenpox. While treatment of the virus itself is not usually needed, there are simple things you can do to make your child more comfortable:

  • Paracetamol for a high temperature or pain
  • Antihistamines (for example piriton) can help with itching and sleep
  • Plenty to drink
  • Try ice lollies or jelly if your child is not drinking much
  • Try an oat bath. Put a handful of porridge oats in a small cloth bag or a sock. Tie it at the top and place this in their bath
  • Pat dry after bath rather than rubbing
  • Dress in loose clothes
  • Avoid scratching. Keep nails short or apply hand mittens at night to reduce damage to the skin
  • Don’t give ibuprofen unless advised to by a doctor
  • Speak to your local community pharmacist for advice on what can help with itching
  • Usually the last spot has crusted over by 5-7 days after the rash first appears
  • It is easily passed to other people until spots have dried and scabbed over
  • Avoid nursery or school for 5 days from the start of the rash or until all spots are fully scabbed over
  • Avoid contact with newborn babies
  • Avoid contact with pregnant women (unless they have already had chickenpox) and people with a weakened immune system
  • Now that your child has had chickenpox, they will usually be immune for life. The virus lives in the body forever (in the nerve roots) and may come back at some point in life as shingles. You cannot catch shingles from chickenpox.
The chickenpox vaccine is a vaccine used to prevent catching and spreading the disease. It has recently been recommended but is not yet part of the standard vaccine programme but is offered to children who are at increased risk of severe chickenpox infection and to those with a family member at risk of complications. It is also available privately through travel clinics and pharmacies and costs between £120-£200. More information is available here.