2. General Information
• Chicken Pox is caused by a virus.
• The virus is called varicellazoster.
• The same virus can cause herpes zoster which is
also known as shingles.
• After getting chicken pox you are immune to the
disease.
3. Symptoms
• You will be covered in red pox.
• You will have a mild sickness which includes a mild fever,
stomach ache, headache and possibly a loss in appetite.
• All symptoms last 2-4 days after breaking out in pox.
• On average there will be 250-500 pox on the body.
• Children with skin problems can get up to 1,500 pox.
• Children with chicken pox can spread it to anyone that did not
have the disease or did not have the vaccination.
• Even children with the vaccine can have a small case with only
about 30 pox.
4. Tests & Diagnosis
• Usually chicken pox is identified by the
common rash.
• Blood tests and test of the fluid in the blisters
can also determine the disease.
5. Treatments
• The body can fight the disease on its own.
• An oatmeal bath in warm water can comfort the
child and help with the itching of the skin.
• Do not give/take Aspirin or Ibuprofen while
having chicken pox, it can cause diseases.
• Acetaminophen can be used for treatment.
• It is also important to not be in close contact with
others considering it is very contagious.
6. Complications
• If woman who are pregnant have chicken pox hen
they are at risk for congenital infection of the
fetus.
• Newborns can have a severe infection if they get
chicken pox and their mothers are not immune.
• The could be a second infection.
• There are chances to get Reye’s syndrome,
pneumonia, myocarditis, and transient arthritis
after having chicken pox.
