Chickenpox

Chickenpox is a common illness that mostly affects children. It causes an itchy rash and a general feeling of being unwell. It is usually mild and self-resolves within one to two weeks without the need to see a GP. However, it can cause complications in people with a compromised immune system or during pregnancy.

Incubation period

14-17 days

Symptoms

Itchy rash, Fever, Headache, Sore throat, Stomach ache

Possible complications

Skin infection, Pneumonia, Encephalitis, Arthritis, Kidney or liver infection

About chickenpox

Chickenpox is a very contagious illness that causes an itchy rash. It can also make the person with the virus feel generally unwell. This illness will usually self-resolve within one to two weeks without the need to see a GP.

It can cause more serious side effects in people with compromised immune systems or during pregnancy in someone who hasn’t had chickenpox.

An infection usually provides life-long protection and it’s rare to get a second attack of chickenpox.

However, the virus remains in the body and can re-emerge to cause an attack of shingles, a condition that usually affects older people, which can cause an uncomfortable rash that is sometimes followed by prolonged pain (neuralgia) in the area of the rash.

Chickenpox symptoms

Chickenpox often starts with a fever, headache, stomach ache and/or sore throat. These symptoms may last a few days. A red, itchy rash will then start to develop, usually on the belly, back or face. It will spread to almost everywhere else on the body, including the scalp, mouth, arms, legs and genitals.

The chickenpox rash typically begins as many small, red bumps that look like spots or insect bites. These will appear in waves over two to four days before developing into blisters filled with fluid. Over the next couple of days, the blisters will burst, leaving open sores that crust over to become dry, brown scabs. It’s common to see all three stages of the rash on a person with chickenpox at the same time.

If there are any scars from the chickenpox rash, it’s usually due to overenthusiastic scratching!

Possible complications

Most people who catch chickenpox are only mildly ill and make a complete recovery within a week or two.

Adults with chickenpox are generally more unwell than children, and also more prone to complications.

The most common complication of chickenpox is a skin infection, especially after lots of scratching; this may require antibiotics. Other problems are rare in children with a healthy immune system but include pneumonia (more common in adults); encephalitis (infection of the brain) from which full recovery is usual; arthritis; kidney or liver infection.

Chickenpox presents more of a risk to people with a compromised immune system (e.g. someone who is undergoing chemotherapy) or the unborn baby of a pregnant woman who hasn’t had the illness.

If your child is in contact with someone in one of these categories and hasn’t yet had chickenpox, you may want to consider having them vaccinated.

Chickenpox FAQs

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) causes chickenpox infection. Most cases occur through contact with an infected person.

Yes. Most children catch chickenpox before the age of five and 90% have had it by the age of ten.

The chickenpox vaccine isn’t normally required but may be recommended for children who are in close contact with someone with a weakened immune system – for example, a sibling or parent with leukaemia or who is undergoing chemotherapy.

FIND OUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHICKENPOX VACCINATION HERE

The tell-tale rash is usually the first sign that someone has chickenpox, especially if it appears after a couple of days of feeling unwell. Some people only get a handful of spots while others are covered from head to toe. If you are in any doubt, it may be possible to organise blood tests to confirm any active chickenpox infection.

In most cases, chickenpox can be treated at home without needing to see a GP. If your child catches chickenpox, you should keep them away from nursery or school for five days after the rash appears.

You should also:

  • Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluid to avoid dehydration (try ice lollies if they don’t feel like drinking)
  • Give your child paracetamol to help with any pain or discomfort
  • Cut your child’s fingernails and put socks on their hands at night to stop them from scratching
  • Use cooling creams or gels from a pharmacy
  • Consider using antihistamine medicine to help relieve itching (check with a pharmacist first)
  • Bathe your child in cool water and pat the skin dry
  • Dress your child in loose clothes

Chickenpox statistics

Chickenpox is not a notifiable disease, which means that cases don’t have to be reported. As a result, we don’t know the number of cases in the UK or worldwide over the past 12 months.

Public health data for communicable diseases in the UK (where known) is published by the Royal College of General Practitioners and can be found here.

You can search the Office for National Statistics (ONS) website for the most recently published information about deaths where chickenpox was registered as an underlying cause.

Individual advice about protecting your child against chickenpox

The chickenpox vaccination is often about protecting someone your child is in contact with. Need advice about whether it would be recommended for your child? The BabyJabs clinicians are here to listen and answer your questions to help you decide.