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Childhood diseases are the bane of every mom and dad, there are divided opinions on whether the child should not get sick or should get sick as soon as possible. Of course, there are also supporters of the theory that a child should not be vaccinated against infectious diseases, is that a correct opinion? What does chicken pox look like in an infant? What should you pay attention to?
Chicken pox is one of the most dangerous infectious diseases in childhood. It is caused by the Varicella Zoster Virus, or VZV for short. Infection can occur via droplets. Smallpox in a breastfed infant is very rarely diagnosed because the baby is passed on antibodies in the mother’s milk. Unfortunately, the risk increases if the mother did not have smallpox and could have been infected. Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease, transmission of the virus occurs very quickly, even through brief contact. When it comes to vaccinations, it is most often taken by parents of children with impaired immunity. The important point is that you can get smallpox only once in a lifetime, but the VZV virus stays in the body for life and can become active causing shingles.
Smallpox in an infant – symptoms
Regardless of whether it is smallpox in an infant or an older child, it is a very burdensome disease and difficult to treat. The first symptoms of the disease are not easy to diagnose as they may resemble the symptoms of a cold. The child becomes lethargic, a runny nose, abdominal pain, most of them have a fever. Over time, tiny red spots begin to appear on the body that are very itchy. An infant can develop smallpox after contact with someone who no longer has any obvious symptoms of the disease.
The first symptoms can be noticed about 3 weeks after contact with a sick person. Infection occurs very easily. According to doctors, smallpox occurs very rarely in an infant, and if it becomes infected, the disease is usually quite mild. Experts believe that the older a person gets, the more severe the symptoms of smallpox are. In the next stages of the disease, the pustules turn into lumps that are filled with serous fluid. They crack or dry out by themselves, forming scabs. The rash is most often spread over the torso, but in acute disease, pustules appear anywhere on the body. The scabs fall off after about 8 days, if they have not been scratched or were not too deep, there should be no trace of them.
Smallpox in an infant – treatment
Smallpox in an infant is in most cases mild, but antipyretic drugs must be administered anyway, and preparations are also available in pharmacies to minimize itching. In the case of smallpox, you must not give your child salicylates, e.g. aspirin, only drugs with paracetamol. It is very important not to let your child scratch the pustules, so the nails should be shortened. Bathing in lukewarm water is also recommended.
Check: Antiviral drugs do not increase the risk of birth defects in the newborn
Doctors also prescribe antiviral drugs, but it is necessary to administer the drug within 10 hours from the appearance of the first symptoms. The pustules cannot be lubricated with alcohol. A proper diet is also important, which consists of delicate, semi-liquid meals. Good hygiene is also important, because when an infection occurs, you will need to be given an antibiotic. After the disease, you can go for a walk with your child for about XNUMX days after the symptoms have disappeared.
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