HealthandDiets.com - Treatment for chickenpox

In otherwise healthy children, chickenpox typically requires no medical treatment. Your doctor may prescribe an antihistamine to relieve itching. But for the most part, the disease is allowed to run its course.

For people who have a high risk of complications from chickenpox, doctors sometimes prescribe medications to shorten the duration of the infection and to help reduce the risk of complications.

If you or your child falls into a high-risk group, your doctor may suggest an antiviral drug such as acyclovir (Zovirax) or another drug called varicella-zoster immune globulin (VZIG), which contains antibodies to the chickenpox virus.

In some cases, your doctor may also recommend getting the chickenpox vaccine after exposure to the virus. This can prevent the virus or lessen its severity.

If complications do develop, doctors treat those by type. Treatment for skin infections and pneumonia may be with antibiotics. Treatment for encephalitis is usually with antiviral drugs. Hospitalization may be necessary.

Don't give anyone with chickenpox — child or adult — any medicine containing aspirin because this combination has been associated with a disease called Reye's syndrome.

Self Care

To help ease the symptoms of an uncomplicated case of chickenpox, follow these simple self-care measures:

Don't scratch. Scratching can cause scarring, slow down the healing process and increase the risk that the sores will become infected.

If your child can't seem to stop scratching, put gloves on his or her hands, especially at night.

Trim your child's fingernails to lessen the amount of damage that can be done.

If itching is particularly severe or irritating, talk to your doctor about prescribing an over-the-counter antihistamine for relief.

Take to the tub. Cool baths can help relieve itching and provide a playful diversion for a young child.

For added relief, sprinkle the bath water with baking soda, uncooked oatmeal or colloidal oatmeal — a finely ground oatmeal that is made for the tub, not the stove.

Apply lotion. Dabbing the spots with calamine lotion may help relieve the itching.

Try bed and a bland diet. Getting plenty of rest can help beat any infection.

Soft, bland foods can also be helpful if chickenpox sores develop in the mouth. Spicy, acidic or hard and crunchy foods can be irritating to mouth sores.

Treat a fever. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) won't cure chickenpox, but they can lower a mild fever.

Don't give aspirin to anyone with chickenpox because it can lead to a serious disease called Reye's syndrome. And don't try to treat a high fever without consulting your doctor.

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