Parent Center: Chicken Pox (birth to 12 mo.)

My baby has a spotty red rash all over her chest. Could it be chicken pox?

It could be. Because most babies get antibodies against the virus from their mother while in the womb, it's unusual for a baby to come down with chicken pox during the first year. Those who do tend to have a mild case.

Chicken pox, also called varicella, typically causes an itchy rash that starts out as small red bumps. These bumps quickly change into clear, fluid-filled blisters on a pink base, which eventually become dry brown crusts. New waves of blisters often spring up as the illness progresses.

The rash often appears first on the scalp, face, or trunk. It can then spread over the entire body. Children usually get between 250 and 500 blisters, although it's possible to have just a few.

Your baby will probably be tired and slightly feverish. She may have a loss of appetite and, for a couple of days before the rash appears, a mild cough or a runny nose. Chicken pox usually lasts five to ten days.

How did my baby get chicken pox?
Chicken pox is caused by the varicella zoster virus, which passes from person to person with remarkable ease. If your baby has been exposed to the chicken pox, it usually takes 14 to 16 days for the pustules to appear, although they can show up anytime between ten and 21 days.

People with chicken pox can pass the virus along by touching someone after touching the blisters or coughing or sneezing onto their hand, or by releasing it into the air whenever they sneeze, cough, or even breathe. The virus can also spread from direct contact with the fluid from the blisters before they crust over.

Is chicken pox dangerous?
For healthy babies, chicken pox is usually more of a nuisance than a real threat. On rare occasions, though, even healthy children can develop serious complications from chicken pox, like a bacterial skin infection, pneumonia, or encephalitis, a swelling of the brain.

If your child has chicken pox, call the doctor if she seems sicker than expected, if she develops a fever after the first few days, if the rash spreads to her eyes, or if the skin around the pox becomes swollen, painful, or very red.

If your child has a weakened immune system from a chronic illness such as leukemia or from taking high-dose oral steroids (for asthma, for example), the infection can cause grave complications. Some special protective measures, such as an injection of varicella zoster immune globulin or the varicella vaccine, can only be useful shortly after exposure. If your baby's immune system is compromised, call her doctor at the first sign of chicken pox — or even if she's only been exposed to someone who's sick.

Adults who come down with chicken pox can get very sick and are at risk for such complications as bacterial pneumonia. If you're pregnant and have never had chicken pox, read our article on chicken pox during pregnancy and ask your doctor what precautions you should take and what to do if you've been exposed.

What are shingles?
The same virus that causes chicken pox can cause a painful rash called shingles. When a child has chicken pox, the virus remains in the body and can reappear as shingles many years later. This happens to about 1 in 10 adults who had chicken pox earlier in life.

Is there any way to prevent chicken pox?
Yes. A vaccine has been available since 1995, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children receive the shot at 12 to 15 months of age, with a second dose at 4 to 6 years.

The vaccine causes few side effects in healthy children and keeps more than 95 percent from getting a serious case of chicken pox. The shot isn't recommended if your child has had a severe allergic reaction to gelatin (yes, the stuff that makes Jell-O hold together), the antibiotic neomycin, or — when she's older — a previous dose of the vaccine.

If your baby has cancer or any disease that affects her immune system, has recently had a blood transfusion, or is taking high doses of oral steroids, her doctor will carefully evaluate whether receiving the vaccine would be a good idea.

See our article on the chicken pox vaccine for more information on the pros and cons of the shot.

How should I treat my baby's chicken pox?
Keep your baby home from daycare until all the sores have crusted over to prevent her from spreading the disease and to give her time to recuperate. Unfortunately, children are most contagious the day or two before the rash erupts, usually before parents know their child is sick.

While your baby's recuperating, the most comforting thing you can do is relieve the itching. Give her a cool bath every three to four hours. Sprinkle baking soda or colloidal oatmeal (made specifically for the bath) into the water for added relief. (You can also use uncooked oats. Tie them in a cheesecloth bag and toss it in the tub.) After the bath, put calamine lotion on the itchy spots.

It may seem like an impossible task, but try to keep your baby from picking and scratching her sores, which can slow the healing process. Sores that aren't allowed to heal can leave scars or lead to skin infections such as impetigo. Keeping your baby's nails short can help.

Bring down your baby's fever with the proper dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Never give aspirin to your child as it can trigger Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially deadly condition.

If your baby seems really uncomfortable, you might ask her doctor about giving her an over-the-counter children's antihistamine to help reduce the itching.

Doctors can prescribe an antiviral drug called acyclovir to treat chicken pox, but it's not generally recommended for otherwise healthy children. For children with weak immune systems, however, acyclovir can be crucial.

source from http://www.babycenter.com