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What are Symptoms of Chicken Pox?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Chicken pox, or varicella, is a common childhood illness caused by the human varicella zoster-virus. It is an uncomfortable condition, but most make a complete recovery. Exposure to someone else with this illness in a school setting, or on a playdate, is the general means of transmission. However, incubation of the virus can take up to two weeks before symptoms appear.

Initial symptoms of chicken pox are usually ignored. One may have slight nasal congestion, a loss in appetite, or one may feel tired or run down. These symptoms may occur for a day or two before other manifestations of the disease. At this point, contagion is possible. So if one has not had chicken pox and has been exposed to someone who has come down with the more recognized symptoms a day or two after exposure, it is still quite possible to contract the virus.

A boy with chicken pox.
A boy with chicken pox.

The next symptom of varicella is a rash that can be present anywhere on the body. It usually develops on the trunk first, and then spreads to the rest of the body. It can also be present in the mouth, on the palms of the hands, on the genitals, or on the scalp.

At first the rash appears to be a collection of tiny blisters. The number of blisters varies considerably. Some people, especially very young children may only show one or two blisters. It is not uncommon however to have over 100 blisters covering the body.

A girl with chicken pox.
A girl with chicken pox.

Within two to three days of the blisters appearing, they will break and become sores. This tends to be the most uncomfortable time for those affected with varicella, as the sores can itch. Scratching the sores can cause secondary infections to form, and may cause scarring as well, so scratching should be avoided. Calamine lotion and oatmeal baths may help relieve some of the itching.

A fever over 101 degrees with chicken pox may indicate infection of a sore.
A fever over 101 degrees with chicken pox may indicate infection of a sore.

The sores begin to crust over and form scabs about 10 days after forming. Once all sores are scabbed, and the scabs are falling off, there is little risk of spreading the illness to others. Children may also have a slight fever during the first few days of the condition. A fever over 101 degrees F. (38.33 degrees C.) may indicate infection of one or more sores. One should contact a doctor if fever continues beyond the first few days of appearance of the blisters or if any of the sores seem to be filled with pus. Children with fever should never be given aspirin, as this virus is one that may cause the very severe Reye’s syndrome when aspirin is taken.

Children should never take aspirin.
Children should never take aspirin.

Women who contract chicken pox during pregnancy can pass the virus to their unborn children. This can be very dangerous especially in the first three months of pregnancy and can result in growth problems and defects. It is highly recommended that women who have not had this disease receive the chicken pox vaccination a few months before trying to conceive.

Older children, teenagers and young adults are likely to have more severe cases of varicella than young children. They usually have more sores, run a temperature for longer, and may experience some nausea.

The greatest complication of this condition in the healthy adult or child is infection of the sores resulting in either strep or staph infections of the blood. Sores should be carefully evaluated, and a doctor should be contacted if any sores seem to be infected. Those with compromised immune systems can become very ill with chicken pox and some may even die from the illness. Anti-viral medication can help reduce death rates and make this condition less severe for those with conditions like HIV or Lupus.

Because of these rare cases, one should never go to a doctor or hospital if you suspect chicken pox, without first informing the medical professionals of your suspicion. Hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices often have protocols in place for examining patients with suspected varicella. One may have to wait in one’s car or come in after hours to avoid passing the virus onto those who have certain illnesses, or who are pregnant.

The varicella vaccination is now frequently given to children. Some children, however, cannot receive the vaccination due to allergies. Approximately 80% of those who receive the vaccine are immune to the virus. The other 20% may get the virus in a much less severe form. In most cases, a single case of chicken pox makes one immune to the illness for life. However, in rare occasions, one may get a second case.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

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Discussion Comments

highlighter

Regardless of how some people react to chicken pox, the chicken pox vaccine is an example of a purely profit oriented vaccine with little to no societal benefit whatsoever. Chicken pox is no more harmful than the basic flu, but the profits involved in creating a vaccine for such a mild illness is immense. Exposing a child to chicken pox is probably more beneficial than not exposing them. The exposure to common illnesses will help to build a child's immune system, and will prevent them from getting sick as often in the future.

Furthermore, the varicella vaccine is only 80% successful. You will never know if it is successful until you actually contract the varicella virus. The twenty percent of the vaccinated population that are not actually protected end up with a false sense of security, which in reality increases their chances of being exposed to the virus later in life; say when they have children of their own.

Alchemy

@ Behzadhba- The biggest risk of chicken pox is the risk of blood infections from the sores. This is more prevalent in older children and adults. The infections are especially hard for people with immune disorders to cope with so chicken pox can be especially dangerous to individuals with these disorders. This is why parents try to expose their children to chicken pox at a younger age. When children are younger, the symptoms are less severe and their immune systems are more resilient.

behzadba

Why do the Older children, teenagers and young adults are likely to have more severe cases of chicken pox than young children?

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    • A boy with chicken pox.
      By: Dan Race
      A boy with chicken pox.
    • A girl with chicken pox.
      By: Arpad Nagy-Bagoly
      A girl with chicken pox.
    • A fever over 101 degrees with chicken pox may indicate infection of a sore.
      By: robhainer
      A fever over 101 degrees with chicken pox may indicate infection of a sore.
    • Children should never take aspirin.
      By: pogonici
      Children should never take aspirin.