Chickenpox in children under one year of age: symptoms and treatment. Treatment of chickenpox in children under one year of age For a mild form of chickenpox in infants it is typical

During the newborn period, children are very vulnerable. It’s not for nothing that mothers worry that their child may become infected with chickenpox, both from someone else’s sick child and from members of their household.

Chickenpox is highly volatile - the virus can penetrate even through closed doors from the next room. But at the same time, chickenpox cannot be “brought” on clothes from a clinic, store or from the street, since the virus dies in the external environment. Therefore, chickenpox in children under one year of age can appear only through personal contact or in proximity to a patient. In short, if someone in the family gets sick, there is a high risk of infection of the newborn.

On the other hand, if the baby’s mother once had chickenpox and is now breastfeeding the baby, this significantly reduces the risk of infection, even with constant contact with the patient. When breastfeeding, a woman passes antibodies to her baby, and this supports his immunity, which, however, will disappear by about six months.

Chickenpox is very severe in a child up to 3 months old, so during this period parents should protect him from contact with patients, as well as with people who have herpes on the lips. These rashes are considered to be form 1 of chickenpox.

How does chickenpox manifest in infants?

Of course, the first sign of chickenpox in a child under one year old is skin rash . The disease has a wave-like character - that is, rashes appear in batches, and there may even be relief, followed by a deterioration in the baby’s condition.

With a mild form of chickenpox, the symptoms in children under one year old look like a rash that alternately intensifies and subsides. The rash is accompanied slight fever which increases as the rash spreads. However, the temperature may not rise if the rash is local.

The rash begins as small red spots, which transform as the disease progresses into clear, fluid-filled blisters with a red halo around it. When the blisters burst and dry out, crusts called scabs form on the surface of the skin. The child's behavior during this period is characterized as capricious, restless, and irritable.

There are certain nuances of infection and the course of the disease in infants.

Not surprising, because even a mild form of chickenpox in children under one year of age provokes severe itching , which interferes with normal sleep and reduces appetite. It is easiest for babies who are breastfed at this time to suffer from the disease.

Babies receiving complementary feeding may refuse fruit puree or juice. There is no need to insist. It's better to just breastfeed your baby whenever he wants.

And don't forget to drink. It is much more difficult for artificially fed children, as sometimes they cannot eat at all. Mom needs to know that if you have chickenpox, you can’t force-feed your baby. It is better to give him water, unsweetened compote or very weak tea.

Unfortunately, a severe form of chickenpox also occurs in children under one year of age. It is usually very difficult to alleviate this condition on your own. The first symptoms of this form are temperature about 40 o and power failure .

Many mothers do not understand what is happening to the child and are very worried. Only the next day, when a profuse rash appears, does the picture become clearer. This form also flows in waves. With severe chickenpox, the child's larynx and sinuses may become dry, which sometimes leads to choking and false croup .

Of course, only a specialist can identify chickenpox in a child aged 1 year and determine the form of the disease. Therefore, at the first signs, it is necessary to call an ambulance and not resist hospitalization if the doctor insists on it.

Diagnosis is half the treatment

Parents usually suspect chickenpox if a rash is present, but doctors need a more complete picture. Therefore, the doctor will ask the mother in detail how the child behaved in the last couple of weeks, whether there were any contacts with those infected with the chickenpox virus.

Perhaps you and your baby were in the epicenter of the epidemic - a hospital, kindergarten, sanatorium, among other children or adults suffering from chickenpox. In most cases, examining the skin and interviewing the mother is sufficient to make a diagnosis.

In controversial cases, the doctor may prescribe a serological blood test or electron microscopy of the virus taken from the patient’s tissues. But, more often than not, everything ends with a visual inspection.

Features of treating children

For chickenpox in children under one year of age, no special treatment is required. The pediatrician prescribes complete rest, plenty of fluids and antipyretic medications. For itching relief For children from one month old, Fenistil drops can be used. The dosage usually coincides with the number of months the baby has lived - at 3 months - 3 drops, at 6 months - 6 drops, etc.

To dry the blisters, you can use brilliant green in the old fashioned way or smear the rash with Fenistil gel. The gel is applied locally; it is advisable not to cover healthy skin with it and use only a clean finger and not a cotton swab for application. The fibers of a tampon can easily spread infection throughout the epidermis.

Parents can also use the antiseptic Calamine Lotion, which is widely used in the West. The lotion not only reduces itching and cools the skin, but also reduces the risk of scarring.

For temperature reduction Paracetamol is usually prescribed, which can be used either as tablets or as rectal suppositories. The second form has great advantages, since it is very difficult for small children to give medications orally, and suppositories can be administered even during sleep.

Please note that it is advisable not to use these drugs at temperatures below 38-38.5 o C. Ibuprofen should not be taken for chickenpox. The medicine can cause serious complications.

It is very important to ensure that the little one does not scratch himself, tearing the blisters and contributing to the spread of the rash over healthy skin. To do this, you need to put a vest and scratches on the baby. It is unlikely that a child suffering from itching will like this.

But you need to take care of your recovery first. So parents need to be patient and not get irritated by the whims of the baby, who is already having a hard time. Try with all your might to calm and support the baby, as a peaceful state contributes to a speedy recovery.

In addition to this, it is necessary carefully observe personal hygiene measures – change diapers, rompers and undershirts often, after ironing them with a hot iron.

Children who are already eating lure , you need to consume more fermented milk products, fresh pureed vegetables and fruit and berry juices.

What not to do during treatment

Of course, every mother wants to alleviate the condition of her child as quickly as possible. But recovery will not come sooner than it should if you abuse ointments and medications.

Do not think that the more often you treat the wounds with brilliant green, the faster the rash will disappear. The brilliant green solution does not kill the chickenpox virus, but only dries out inflammation and disinfects.

Abuse of brilliant green can lead to an imbalance of beneficial and harmful microorganisms on the surface of the epidermis and, as a result, scars will appear.

In addition, if you use a cotton swab or pad, you risk spreading the infection and worsening the rash. But you can’t not treat the skin at all. Try to limit yourself to two procedures per day.

Soviet and many modern doctors insist that chickenpox in a child under one year of age is a serious reason don't wash or go for walks . It is known that the chickenpox virus does not survive in the external environment, so the infected baby no longer cares.

A complete refusal of hygiene procedures will also not bring anything good. Try to at least wipe the child’s folds with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or quickly wash him in the shower, and don’t be afraid to use talc.

What absolutely should not be done when treating chickenpox in children under one year of age is abuse antipyretic drugs . The doctor must prescribe a daily dose of the medication, exceeding which is strongly recommended.

Also, you should not give your child pills more often than indicated in the prescription. Understand that temperature is a sign that the body is fighting, killing the virus. An overdose of paracetamol is much worse than a temperature of 37.7 o C.

Vaccinations to prevent chickenpox

The best treatment is prevention, any doctor will tell you that. Chickenpox is prevented by vaccination, which is usually not given until the child is a year old. How, then, to protect an infant? Vaccinate your mother and all household members, especially if they often go to places where they can become infected.

Children are vaccinated according to schedule, but what about adults? If you have been in contact with an infected person and know about it, you must get vaccinated within three days from the date of contact. This will help reduce the likelihood of illness or at least transfer the disease to a milder form.

Contraindications to chickenpox vaccinations include pregnancy, but not lactation, as well as an allergy to gelatin or neomycin. At the same time, many chickenpox vaccines, such as Okavax or Varivax, can be administered to adults suffering from chronic severe illness and even AIDS.

Other methods of prevention

Since it is almost impossible to vaccinate a child under one year of age against chickenpox, it is worth protecting him from possible infection.

To do this, it is necessary to limit contact with sick children or adults, especially if the baby’s mother did not have chickenpox. If someone in your family has become infected, offer them inpatient treatment. It is also worth disinfecting the premises if there is a sick person in the house.

Feel free to tell friends and family that you will stop visiting your home until your child is a little older. The health of your baby, while still quite fragile, should become a priority in your life.

Doctor Komarovsky about chickenpox in children

I like!

Young parents whose children have not reached school age know firsthand how often their child gets sick, and not just with acute respiratory infections. Another scourge that is best dealt with in childhood is chickenpox. This is an infection that is transmitted by airborne droplets, namely through the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth. In order to recognize the disease in time and isolate the child, young parents need to know how chickenpox begins in their baby - what are the symptoms and treatment.

Children usually catch chickenpox in kindergarten - the whole group can get sick at once. It has been proven that small children aged 1 to 12 years are more easily able to tolerate the disease, which lasts from 5 to 10 days. Chickenpox can cause complications in infants, adults, pregnant women and adolescents. Children who have recovered from the disease, as a rule, do not get sick again during their lives, but the virus can subsequently become more active and, under certain conditions, cause shingles. We suggest watching a video on how to recognize chickenpox in children and prevent complications.

http://youtu.be/VMRfgEfNE-Q

Symptoms of the disease

Chickenpox in children is global in nature - the virus enters the blood through the mucous membranes and spreads throughout the body. A characteristic manifestation of the infection is a rash all over the body, including the genitals, lips, scalp, armpits and other extremities (see photo). Chickenpox causes severe itching, which causes the child to scratch, thereby increasing the number of blisters. Scratching can easily cause infection.

After infection, at least 7 days pass before the first symptoms appear.

If you look closely, the rash on the child’s body consists of blisters with liquid, around which red, inflamed skin is visible (see photo). Bubbles burst easily when physically exposure and spread the infection even more. The next day, the burst blisters dry out, but cause pain and itching. For comparison: this is how herpes on the lips of adults hurts.

The main symptoms of the disease in children:

• temperature rise to 38-39.5 degrees;
• rash on the body, except for the palms and feet, in the form of small blisters with redness of the tissues around;
• fatigue, drowsiness;
• whims;
• poor appetite.

Chickenpox is an extremely contagious disease, so sick children are immediately isolated. Quarantine lasts at least 10 days for mild cases of the disease. At this time, you should give the child maximum attention, protect him from drafts, and maintain complete hygiene.

Treatment of chickenpox in children

When a child develops chickenpox, he is isolated from other children. At high temperatures, they give an antipyretic and provide bed rest. If the child is over 1 year old, make sure that the baby does not itch. You can give an antihistamine to reduce itching (Diazolin, Suprastin).

Treatment of chickenpox in children does not involve taking any medications. Antibiotics are prescribed by a doctor in case of complications caused by other viruses and bacteria entering through wounds on the body. This causes extensive suppuration of the skin and mucous membranes. Antibiotic treatment is prescribed only by a doctor.

Blisters all over the body are burned with brilliant green or potassium permanganate to dry and disinfect them (see photo). When the child is ill, do not bathe him. In case of severe contamination, children are briefly bathed in a weak solution of potassium manganese. A separate bath is prepared for bathing, which is then disinfected. It is not advisable to get the rashes wet, otherwise they will not heal well.

Houses are wet cleaned daily with disinfectant detergents. Bed linen is changed daily, and a child's underwear is changed more often. The room is ventilated several times a day.

If a child is bothered by itching, you need to distract him with games and try to explain that he should not itch. As a rule, chickenpox goes away on its own after 5-7 days and never bothers the child again. Blisters, if not scratched, do not leave scars or age spots.

Treatment of chickenpox in children from 1 year to 12 years – basic actions:

• complete isolation from other children;
• home mode;
• frequent change of bed and underwear;
• cauterization of inflated and burst bubbles with brilliant green (potassium permanganate);
• strict diet;
• bathing, if necessary, in a pink solution of potassium permanganate;
• drinking plenty of water;
• taking antipyretics if necessary.

Lubricating the bubbles with brilliant green dries the wounds and prevents infection from penetrating through the skin. In addition, brilliant green visually shows how many new rashes have appeared per day and how quickly the healing process is proceeding. Burning with brilliant green helps relieve some of the itching. Instead of brilliant green, you can use a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Alcohol and alcohol-containing medications are contraindicated.

Features of the disease in children under 1 year of age

Chickenpox is not scary for babies under 3 months, whose body still contains mother's antibodies, which reliably protect it from the aggression of the outside world. After 3 months, immunity gradually decreases, and the baby can easily catch the disease. For children from 6 months to 1 year, whose immunity is not formed, chickenpox is dangerous.

The symptoms of the disease are the same as in children over 1 year old (see photo). For children aged 3 to 6 months, the disease begins with rashes all over the body. In a mild form, these can be single pimples that quickly disappear without an increase in body temperature.

In babies 3-6 months old, a wave-like course is observed - the period of rashes is replaced by a short-term lull.

With new rashes, body temperature rises.

The baby is very bothered by an itchy body, he becomes whiny, eats poorly, and sleeps poorly. At this time, you should breastfeed him as often as possible - this will help to quickly cope with the disease. After consulting a doctor, you can give an antihistamine syrup, which is used in children under 1 year of age (Fenistil).

Treatment is the same as for children over 1 year old. The wounds are treated with brilliant green or Fenistil gel. The gel is used on individual areas of the skin; you cannot smear the entire body at once. Bath as rarely as possible, in a basin with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. For little fidgets, it is better to wear a shirt with sewn sleeves.

Treatment of chickenpox is carried out at home, observing strict rules of personal hygiene for both children and adults. You cannot walk with your baby or bathe him during an acute illness. If the attending physician's requirements are correctly followed, the disease recedes 8-9 days after the first signs are identified and never returns.

Chickenpox is a viral disease traditionally considered to be of childhood concern and not of particular concern. A playful little boy of about five years old, decorated in greenery by his caring parents, does not look sick and leaves no doubt about his recovery. But chickenpox in infants has some specifics that you should be aware of.

The mother of a child who has not had chickenpox cannot pass on immunity to this disease, exposing him to infection.

How common is it in infants?

In the first year of life, the immune system of babies is different from the immune system of an older child, and even more so of an adult. At this age, the immune system is not yet fully formed and weakly performs protective functions. In this case, nature has provided mother's milk: during breastfeeding, some of the necessary antibodies enter the baby's body with milk and compensate for deficiencies in the functioning of the immune system, preventing the baby from getting sick. Consequently, if the mother had chickenpox before pregnancy, antibodies to the virus appeared in her blood, which she will provide to the baby during feeding. It is for this reason that chickenpox in children under one year of age is extremely rare, and if infection does occur, the disease is usually mild; symptoms in infants are mild and do not cause much discomfort to either mother or child.

If we talk about the likelihood of infection, then two factors should be noted: social and physiological.

1. Chickenpox is a contagious disease transmitted by airborne droplets from person to person. So, the more often a baby comes into contact with other people/children, or in public places (playgrounds, nurseries), the higher his chances of becoming infected.
2. The likelihood of getting sick increases, oddly enough, as the child grows older. The thing is that when breastfeeding, until the baby reaches three months of age, there are enough antibodies in the milk to resist the virus. Over time, their number decreases, and there is a danger of infection. By the sixth month of life, the risk of infection is already quite high.
3. If the mother has not had chickenpox and cannot provide the baby with immunity to the disease, and the infant has been in contact with a sick person, infection occurs in one hundred percent of cases.
4. The so-called congenital chickenpox occurs very rarely - if the mother became infected during pregnancy.

What is the danger of chickenpox in infants?

In the first three months of life, the risk of getting sick is practically absent. More often, babies get sick during the transition of the body to its own immunity, that is, children older than three months are at risk.

In most cases, chickenpox occurs without complications in infants, in a mild form, which children tolerate well. It all starts with fever, anxiety, and the appearance of a rash similar to mosquito bites. By the next day, the lymph nodes may enlarge; the rashes turn into blisters with liquid, which are very itchy and force babies to literally scratch themselves until they bleed. A one-month-old baby is sure to be injured in such cases. To avoid this, it is recommended to wear special suits with closed handles that prevent tearing of the papules.

Congenital chickenpox

Intrauterine infection poses a great danger to infants. Infection at different periods has different consequences, and the longer the period, the higher the possibility of developing pathologies in infants:

• In the first trimester of pregnancy, the risk of embryopathy is low and is about one percent. The twelve to sixteen week period is a period of development of the nervous system, so in the worst case, chickenpox in the mother can provoke cataracts or encephalopathy in the fetus.
• In the second trimester, the risk of developing pathologies increases to two percent.
• The most dangerous thing for the health of the unborn child is infection of the mother in the third trimester - children, however, get chickenpox in a quarter of all cases.

The chickenpox virus does not always manage to penetrate the placental barrier, but doctors cannot yet say with certainty what affects this.

Classic symptoms (fever, rash) appear around the eleventh day of life, but they are aggravated by vomiting and, often, convulsions. By affecting the body of a newborn, the virus is capable of causing pathological changes in the central nervous system and internal organs, provoking difficult to predict and severe complications.

Incubation period and symptoms

Chickenpox “masters” in the human body from 7 to 20-25 days. People become infected with this virus only through airborne droplets and almost never through household items. The patient becomes a carrier of infection two days before the first symptoms appear and remains so for 5-7 days after their onset.

In the case of intrauterine infection, the baby’s symptoms appear in the first month after birth, on the 10th-11th day of life, and require mandatory professional treatment. Chickenpox in infants, like in everyone else, has two degrees of severity:

• light;
• heavy.

The mild form is characterized by:

• slight increase in temperature (up to 37.5 degrees);
• the appearance of a small rash similar to insect bites.

Body temperature depends on the scale of the rash: the larger the rash, the higher the temperature. By the next day, the pimples turn into transparent blisters with liquid that contains many viral cells. It is at this moment that scratching is dangerous, since papules that burst at this stage spread the infection to large areas of the body. To prevent such infection, the wounds are cauterized with a solution of brilliant green.

After 2-3 days, the papules become rough and crust over. Usually the rash is recurrent in nature and after a few days (from 2 to 3) the rash recurs.

Chickenpox in children under one year of age is severe if:

1. this is a case of intrauterine infection;
2. The child’s immunity for some reason (feeding with formula rather than breast milk, some diseases) is unnaturally weakened.

Children with a history of one of the above cases have a difficult time coping with the disease. A severe form of chickenpox is recognizable by the rapid development of symptoms: body temperature rises to forty degrees within a few hours, papules form 2-3 hours after the temperature jump. In such cases, you must immediately consult a doctor - only he can prescribe correct and effective treatment.

When a baby is born, happiness appears in the family and with it comes responsibility. After all, the baby is very vulnerable to various diseases. Many parents worry for this reason and this is not surprising. Some infections, including chickenpox in children under one year of age, can cause severe complications, which pose a danger to the life and health of the baby.

The virus enters the body through breathing, onto the mucous membrane. Like any other virus, Varicella zoster invades cells, primarily the skin epithelium. Then the virus, having established itself in the cells, begins to reproduce itself, thereby increasing its concentration in the human body. Then it enters the blood and, along with it, spreads throughout the body. Scientific research in the field of virology has shown that the virus is capable of infecting the entire human body, including internal organs, the brain and the nervous system.

There is an opinion that after suffering from chickenpox, the human body develops immunity to this virus and re-infection is impossible. Unfortunately, this statement is not entirely true. The fact is that the body does produce antibodies, which subsequently create immunity against the virus, but they do not kill it, but neutralize its activity. That is, the virus remains in the human body, but does not manifest itself in any way. To some extent, the virus remains in suspended animation and waits for the right moment. This point is a weakening of the immune system. If this happens, no matter after what period of time, the virus is activated. However, its manifestation will no longer be chickenpox, but herpes zoster, characterized by profuse local rashes, often accompanied by acute pain and itching. And yes, there are cases of “second chickenpox,” but the scientific world has not yet given an explanation for this.

Doctors note that with chickenpox in children, the symptoms are predominantly pronounced. However, it is almost impossible to make a diagnosis based only on the symptomatic picture, since they are more reminiscent of a common acute respiratory infection or acute respiratory viral infection:

• Temperatures can reach 39 or 40 degrees;
• Nausea, refusal to eat (vomiting occurs at very high temperatures);
• Chills;
• Headache;
• General weakness and malaise;
• Joint and muscle pain (at high temperatures, cramps or involuntary twitching of the limbs are possible);

A clear sign of chickenpox is a rash, which no doctor would confuse. The rashes usually appear on the face and head. They look like small red spots no more than a centimeter in diameter. Within a day, they transform into papules (small pimples with a clear, watery liquid inside) and cover the child’s entire body, with the exception of the feet and palms. The rash may cause a strong desire to scratch, but this should not be done, as this can cause infection and cause serious skin complications. The first rashes begin to go away the next day after their appearance, but chickenpox has a wave-like course, which means that after the first foci of the rash appear, new ones appear after 1-2 days. The last wave of rashes appears 5-10 days (depending on the form of the disease) after the appearance of the first rash.

How does the rash heal? First, the head of the pimple dries out and becomes covered with a brown crust. There is no need to rip it off, as it falls off on its own after 2-3 weeks, leaving red-pink spots at the site of the rash. These spots also disappear after some time, leaving no traces as a memory.

At an early age, the infection most often occurs in a mild form and does not pose a threat to life and health, but chickenpox in children under one year of age is a completely different matter. How is chickenpox tolerated in children under one year of age? It's often difficult. This is due to two factors. Chickenpox in children under 1 year of age can pass easily if the mother, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, passed on her immunity (antibodies) to the baby. Under such circumstances, you may not notice how your child gets chickenpox, since the disease will proceed without an increase in temperature, or with a minimum temperature, and the rashes will be insignificant. If the child has not received antibodies from his mother to fight the infection, then his immature immunity will alone resist the virus, and this is not yet feasible for him.

How does chickenpox occur in children under one year of age? There are 3 forms of the disease:

• Mild form of chickenpox. It is characterized by a low temperature (up to 38 maximum), rashes on the body or on the oral mucosa in small quantities, practically do not itch and disappear 4-5 days after the first elements of the rash appear. Treatment for this form is exclusively symptomatic, that is, actions are aimed at alleviating the symptoms of infection. Does not require special medical intervention;
• Moderate form of chickenpox. In this form, the virus in the body causes severe intoxication, since its concentration is high. The consequence of this is a high temperature (38-39 degrees), rashes on the body in a large volume and everywhere, accompanied by severe itching. A rash may appear on the mucous membrane. The rash goes away within 6-7 days. To treat this form, antipyretic drugs are used, as well as homeopathic and antihistamine ointments and remedies;
• Severe form. The concentration of the virus in the body is high. Temperatures can reach 40 degrees. The rashes are very abundant and distributed throughout the body, as well as in the nose, mouth, and eyes. The itching causes serious discomfort and the child cannot sleep. A rash on the mucous membrane can cause suffocation. The rash can last on the body for 9-10 days or more. It is reckless to treat this form of chickenpox at home, since serious antiherpetic drugs and immunoglobulin injections are used for therapy;

Unfortunately, this sad picture is complemented by all sorts of complications from the infection. The consequences of chickenpox in children under one year of age are very diverse. There are two types of complications of chickenpox: bacterial (infection of pathogenic bacteria in wounds) and infectious (viral). The following complications can be classified as bacterial:

• Suppuration of the rash. Occurs due to bacteria entering the wounds when scratching. The consequences can be very sad, ranging from scars that are difficult to treat to necrosis of skin areas and loss of a limb;

Bacteria, in addition to local penetration into wounds, can enter the blood. In this case, the following consequences are possible:

• Bacterial pneumonia (bacterial pneumonia). Accompanied by high fever (up to 40 degrees) and cough;
• Inflammation of the brain. Severe headaches, vomiting, high fever, hand tremors, impaired coordination of movements;
• Blood poisoning. It is characterized by a very high temperature (40 degrees and above) and it is quite difficult to bring it down, involuntary twitching of muscles and limbs, delirium, vomiting, etc.;

All these complications develop rapidly and occur in an acute form. For this reason, treatment by the couple is not carried out in a timely manner. As a rule, therapy is carried out using antibiotics.

In case of viral complications, the virus damages the internal organs of the body. These include:

• Chickenpox pneumonia (with lung damage). Children with immunodeficiency are at risk;
• Viral encephalitis (inflammation of the brain);
• Inflammation of the optic nerve;
• Arthritis, arthrosis (if the joints are affected by the virus);
• Myocarditis (if the heart muscles are affected by infection);
• Development of complications from the kidneys and liver;

The course of such complications occurs in a less acute form than bacterial ones, but this is a huge danger, since the couple diagnoses and treats such complications when it is already too late.

As you have seen, chickenpox in a child under one year old has its own characteristics, so it is worth paying maximum attention to his well-being during this period of time. When the first symptoms or signs appear, you must call a doctor at home as soon as possible. Be healthy.

Chickenpox in infants is not as common as in children of kindergarten age. If in a 3-year-old child the disease goes away without complications, then in children a few months old it can become a test for the body. A baby can get this infectious disease anywhere, so parents should be as prepared as possible for such an illness.

Chicken pox in infants

Chickenpox can develop in children under one year of age if the baby has had contact with a sick family member (this is especially true for families raising several children). If the mother had chickenpox in the last months of pregnancy or does not have antibodies to this type of infection (hasn’t had it before), the newborn can become infected in the first couple of months of life.

If a woman had chickenpox (before pregnancy), then she transfers a certain amount of antibodies to her newborn and for up to 3 months he will have immunity to this disease.

Cases of congenital chickenpox are dangerous for the baby and occur with complications. The disease is more easily tolerated in children with strong immunity. Chickenpox in infants who are naturally fed (mother's breast milk) goes away faster and easier than in bottle-fed infants.

Congenital chickenpox manifests itself during the first 11 days of a newborn’s life, the symptoms are identical to ordinary chickenpox (the rash looks similar in the photo), the situation is aggravated by vomiting and convulsions. The infection can affect the central nervous system and internal organs. Among patients with such diagnoses, there is a high mortality rate.

After 3-4 months, the child’s immunity, which was provided by the mother’s antibodies, gradually begins to decrease, so during this period the baby is most susceptible to diseases, ranging from colds to infectious diseases. It can become infected by communicating with sick people or without direct contact with them (the virus spreads by airborne droplets over a hundred kilometers).

Reliable symptoms

Chickenpox in newborns can occur in a mild form (without temperature fluctuations, severe itching, loss of weight, loss of appetite) and in a severe form (a rash covers the child’s skin and mucous membranes, there is an increased body temperature of 39-40C, there are convulsions, and imbalance).

Symptoms of this disease are:

1. red spots (1 cm in diameter), which first appear on the child’s face and scalp, spread quickly throughout the body; then turn into painful blisters filled with colorless liquid
2. high temperature (from 38 to 40C)
3. the number of spots does not decrease, but increases sharply
4. after 5 days, blisters on the baby’s body become covered with a crust, new ones do not form
5. itching (the disease is dangerous because the infant’s wounds itch, he rips them off, further infecting the body; chickenpox in infants in the first few months of life is easier: they cannot rip off the blisters on their own and tolerate the disease more easily than patients older than one year).

Incubation period

From the moment the virus enters the child’s body until characteristic spots appear on the body, it can take from 7 days to 3 weeks, usually 21 days. At the first stage, the virus adapts to the new environment of existence, at the second, its cells begin to multiply, and in parallel, antibodies begin to be produced: at this time, the child looks lethargic, whiny, he may have poor appetite and sleep disturbances. At the third stage, spots appear on the skin and the temperature rises sharply. Symptoms of the disease in a newborn can be identified 7 days after infection.

Treatment

Review of the most popular vitamin supplements for children from Garden of Life

How can Earth Mama products help new parents care for their babies?

Dong Quai is an amazing plant that helps maintain youth in the female body.

Vitamin complexes, probiotics, omega-3 from Garden of Life, designed specifically for pregnant women

Chickenpox in children under one year of age must be confirmed by a competent specialist - he can indicate treatment in a particular case. The symptoms of this disease are similar to other infectious diseases, so parents cannot reliably determine chickenpox on their own.

If the baby is sick or there is a suspicion of infection, it is necessary to call a competent doctor (do not visit the clinic, exposing other small patients to the risk of infection).

Treatment of chickenpox in infants usually involves the following:

1. decrease in temperature (treatment can be carried out either with suppositories for rectal administration based on,)
2. taking medications orally (reduce itching, soothe the baby)
3. treatment of skin ulcers with antibacterial agents (brilliant, on the most damaged areas where there are the most blisters)

After only 5-6 days of this treatment, the rash looks less noticeable, and the blisters dry out faster. Chickenpox in infants can be severe, when the rash spreads to the throat and can cause suffocation. In this case, the oral mucosa should be lubricated with sea buckthorn oil. When chickenpox occurs in infants, it is recommended to give them more water and temporarily stop introducing new foods into the diet.

They are not used in treatment (the viral nature of the disease does not imply such therapy).

Komarovsky about the disease, its nature

Komarovsky adheres to the theory that a child can be deliberately infected with the chickenpox virus: young patients suffer from it in a mild form and rarely develop complications. You can vaccinate your baby against this disease; it is not included in the standard vaccination program, but is indicated in cases where the baby’s parents suffered a severe form of this virus.

Komarovsky especially pays attention to the fact that it is strictly forbidden to use aspirin as an antipyretic drug for this disease - the combination of the drug with the chickenpox virus poses a mortal danger of liver damage. Particular care should be taken in this situation when treating patients with liver defects.

To relieve itching, Komarovsky recommends not overheating the baby, bathing in cool water and drinking a lot. He advises adding a little potassium permanganate or soda to bathing water: these additives promote wound healing by drying them.

Regarding the contagiousness of chickenpox, Komarovsky confirms the information that after five days after the formation of new ulcers on the skin, the disease ceases to be contagious; by this time the rash looks already dried out. To make it easier to track this, you can use brilliant green (it does not have any other effects: it does not reduce the symptoms of infection, does not relieve itching). The stereotype of using brilliant green in the treatment of this infectious disease does not have a full scientific basis.

Regarding quarantine for chickenpox, Komarovsky says that a method of isolation is indicated for medical institutions where patients with a reduced level of immunity are being treated. For a healthy group of kids, quarantine is not necessary. Komarovsky indicates that the disease can be practically asymptomatic (the number of ulcers is up to 10, with an average of 250) or severe (about 1500 blisters). In particularly difficult cases, the doctor prescribes the drug Acyclovir, the use of which must be combined with plenty of fluids.

After an illness, the pediatrician does not recommend taking your child to kindergarten for at least another two weeks, but not because of contagiousness. The disease negatively affects the immune system. After an illness, the baby needs to restore the body’s protective properties and only then send it to children’s institutions.

A well-known pediatrician associates the most serious danger from the described virus with a woman’s pregnancy: if she becomes infected in the first six months of pregnancy. In these cases, there is a high risk of developing serious pathologies in the newborn, including physical deformities and serious developmental defects.

The doctor does not rule out the possibility of re-infection, but says that a second illness is always milder than the first. Regarding the severity of the disease, a media specialist in the field of pediatrics provides statistical data: out of one hundred thousand cases of illness, death is inevitable in two cases.