Photo: Anya Chibis
What it is
Chicken pox is caused by a virus that’s spread to others through sneezing, coughing or even laughing.
How to tell your kid has it
The infection usually starts with a fever, followed by an itchy rash that turns to red spots and fluid-filled blisters (up to 500 of them!)
Chicken pox is contagious from two days before the rash appears, so kids don’t know they’re gifting it to their friends, who will become infected two to three weeks after contact. The only way to avoid catching it is to keep your distance from anyone with the pox, ideally by not sharing the same room, because it can be easily transmitted.
While frequent handwashing can help keep the virus at bay, the best prevention is a shot. “In recent years, we have seen local outbreaks of childhood disease such as measles and mumps that can be traced back to children who were not vaccinated,” says Grace Park, a family doctor from South Surrey, BC.
Ideally, tots should be vaccinated against chicken pox when they’re 12 to 18 months old, and again with a booster between four and six years old (most parents include it in their routine measles, mumps and rubella vaccine schedules). Older kids who haven’t had pox can also be protected by the vaccine.
Treatment
Since you can’t cure chicken pox once you’ve caught it, Dr. Park recommends acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce fever, and calamine lotion and antihistamines for soothing the itch.
Try one of these products if chicken pox plagues your house:
Equate Children’s Ibuprofen Suspension, $5.83 for 120 mL.
Equate Calamine Lotion USP, $2.84 for 225 mL.
Equate Junior Strength Acetaminophen Tablets USP, $4.97 for 20 tablets.
Originally published in the Walmart Live Better Back to School 2013 issue.
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