Chickenpox Treatment
Posted by Chicken Pox - 29/12/08 at 08:12 amChickenpox Treatment
Chickenpox is viral infection that is common and usually self-limited. This is a common ailment in case of children within the age group of about 5 to 12 yrs. The spread of the disease is marked by the droplet infection or by hands and clothing of attendants. It has incubation period of about twelve to 21 days. But generally it’s about 14 days.
The disease is very common, attacking all age groups, but especially children under 10. Chickenpox is most prevalent in autumn and winter.
Chickenpox treatment generally starts as soon as it is diagnosed seeing the signs and symptoms. Chickenpox treatment is mainly concerned with the prevention of secondary infection of the lesions. In children the fingernails should be cut short and, if itching is severe, gloves or splints should be applied. Using a smoothing lotion such as calamine with 1 percent phenol may alleviate the itching. If the lesions are profuse, penicillin may be given to prevent secondary infection. Isolation is necessary till all the crusts have separated. The most important part of diagnosis is to distinguish a severe case of chickenpox from a mild case of smallpox. This differentiation usually rests on the order of appearance, the distribution and, in smallpox, the protracted development of the rash. Chickenpox may also be mistaken for various skin diseases like impetigo, urticaria and scabies. Modification of the disease by administration of human immunoglobulin has not proved very successful, now it’s administered to prevent chickenpox by herpes zoster immunoglobulin given within 72 hours of exposure to infection.
