Treat a Child with Chickenpox
Varicella, better known as chickenpox, most often occurs during childhood. Parents can treat the uncomfortable all-over-body tell-tale blisters with simple home treatments without a doctor's visit or hospital stay. These tips guide a caregiver through making the chickenpox experience more bearable for the suffering child.
Instructions
1. Vaccinate children as part of immunization schedule at about 12 months. Vaccines are 85% to 100% effective in preventing a chickenpox outbreak depending upon the severity of the illness. Even with the vaccine, some children may develop a mild case lasting a shorter time with fewer blisters.
2. Give children's acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) to the child suffering from a fever associated with chickenpox. Children develop a fever, headache, stomach ache or loss of appetite about two days before the pox appear and sustain those symptoms for about two to four days after the blisters appear.
3. Prevent the child from scratching and infecting blisters by giving him/her an oral antihistamine like children's Benadryl or an oatmeal bath. Aveeno oatmeal baths effectively ease the itching and are safe even for babies and children. Putting socks or mittens over an infant's hands or cutting fingernails will help damage to the skin by scratching.
4. Entertain the child with puzzles, board games, books, video games and such because he or she will be home from school from for one to two weeks and become quite bored.
5. Visit the pediatrician if the child is older than a year old and hasn't been vaccinated. The doctor can prescribe antiviral medicine and administer the vaccine with an early diagnosis.
Tags: Treat Child