Chicken Pox: How Does It Looks Like?

Chicken pox is a very common childhood virus infection. It is caused by varicella zoster virus and is extremely contagious. The virus spreads through droplets (exhaled air, coughing, sneezing) and contact with fluid from skin lesion (direct contact, sharing towel etc). The virus can survive outside human body in the environment for few hours.

Once you know that your child's schoolmate has chicken pox with skin rash, it is usually too late to avoid infection to your child unless there is no real close contact between them. This is because the infected child is able to spread the virus even 2 days before the rash appears.

If after contact with a chicken pox child for one week and your child still seems alright, it still does not mean that your child is not infected, as the incubation period for the virus is between 10-21 days. Usually the first symptoms to appear are rather non-specific such as mild fever, body ache, minor cough or flu symptoms. Most people only aware of the infection after the body rash appears.

Chicken pox rash is quite obvious and there are generally three stages. The first rash to appear is like a red dot, which will then progress to blisters that will eventually burst and become crusted (scabs). Typically the rash appears in crops, which means that at one time these three types of rash will appear together.

      Rash appears in crops

       Typical chicken pox rash

Chicken pox rash usually will last for 5 days. The infected child is considered non-contagious once all rashes have become scabs (dry). The infected child usually can return to school/nursery 1 week after the rash first appears.

There is no specific treatment for chicken pox other than symptomatic relief for fever/pain and itchiness. Antiviral is indicated only in some special circumstances such as in immuno-compromised child or when complication occurs.

Chicken pox can be prevented through vaccination. Young children can get the vaccine after 12 months old. For children more than 12 years old or adult, two doses given 6-10 weeks apart is recommended.