Chicken Pox In Babies
Some Important Facts About Chicken Pox In Babies
Chicken pox in babies is a fairly uncommon infection that can be quite serious for certain infants depending on the form and the child's overall health. This is stemmed from a virus that is in the herpes family. Infants that acquire this either became infected during the course of the pregnancy which is called fetal varicella or they caught it after they were born, called postnatal varicella. Fetal varicella is very serious as it can virtually cause malformations and sometimes death to the infected newborn. Postnatal varicella is much more common and not nearly as serious and causes what is recognized visually as the chicken pox rash. The physical characteristics of this form of chicken pox in babies is flat, red, itchy spots that will eventually raise themselves into little blisters filled with fluid and end up crusting over. The infant may also experience stomach pain and more commonly, a headache or fever. This rash will attack the chest, face and scalp first and then spread over other parts of the body.
Chicken pox in babies leaves the infant very contagious for the initial 48 hours but can then continue to be so for about a week after the breakout is first noticed. This disease is spread to others through respiratory secretions, this being saliva and mucus. It is essential to keep other infants and children away from the infected baby.
It is very hard to pinpoint down where the infant caught the disease from because after they have been exposed to the virus it can take anywhere from 10 to 21 days for the infection to become visible. Chicken pox in babies isn't generally a real threat but more of a nuisance. There are however some occasions that the infant can get pneumonia, bacterial skin infection and can it cause the brain to swell. It is important to call your physician immediately if the rash spreads to your infants eyes or becomes swollen. It can also give severe complications if your infant is on any type of steroid for the treatment of asthma or if they have a chronic illness like leukemia, resulting in a weak immune system.
Chicken pox in babies can be prevented. There is now a vaccine available for infants 12 to 15 months of age. This vaccine is not recommended if your baby is allergic to gelatin, has cancer, takes steroids or has had a blood transfusion as it can cause serious side effects.
If your baby is infected they should not go to daycare or be around other babies until the rash is crusted over and they are no longer contagious. A cool bath every fours hours or so is calming for your baby's condition and it doesn't hurt to sprinkle a little baking soda in the water too. After your infant is dry you should smooth calamine lotion on the spots. If you baby is suffering from a headache or a fever you can give them their proper dosage of ibuprofen or if you prefer acetaminophen. It is very important to never, ever, give the infected baby aspirin as it can cause Reye's Syndrome which is rare but deadly.
Chicken pox in babies can spread rapidly through day cares so it is of the utmost importance that you never leave your child at one of you believe there is even a chance that they have the infection. It is more of an annoyance for your baby than painful one and it is reassuring to know that at least they are young that they won't remember having this infection.