Chicken Pox

Assalamualaikum.

Chicken pox! Ya everyone been there before. But as far as i know i never had one. Seriously dude.... NEVER! Some said you only got chicken pox only once in your life time. But i don't really get it what does it really mean by chicken pox. And ya i did a search about it...



        Chicken pox (varicella) is an acute, contagious disease marked by eruptions of the skin. It is generally regarded as diseases of childhood, but adults may also contract it. Children of all ages may be affected, although newborn infants are thought to possess some degree of temporary immunity. The incubation period (time from exposure to onset of the disease) is usually 11 to 19 days.

Manner of transmission: Chicken pox is caused by a virus and is usually transmitted directly from person to person and occasionally by indirect contact through the air or by contact with objects used by an infected person. An infected person may transmit chicken pox about two days before the days appears and up to 14 days afterward. The period of infectiousness averages about 14 days. One attack of chicken pox or ordinarily produces permanent immunity to the disease. Relapses and second attacks are rare.

Symptoms: A slight rise in temperature, loss of appetite, headache, and backache are sometimes the initial symptoms of chicken pox, but often a rash or skin eruptions appear first. The initial skin eruptions are reddened spots (macules) about the size of pinhead; they characteristically appear first in patches on the trunk, although occasionally a typical lesion or sore is seen on one of the hands or feet, or on the face before eruptions appear on the trunk. Within a few hours after the appearance of the macules, they enlarge and a small bilster (vesicle) filled with a clear fluid forms in the center of each spot. The fluid turns yellow after about 24 hours, and a crust or scab forms within 36 hours,The crust peels off in from five to 20 days, the time depending on the depth to which the skin has been penetrated. All of the eruptions do not appear at once, but in series or crops; the length and the severity of the disease is dependent in part upon the number of series of eruptions that are produced. By the third or fourth after the onset of chicken pox eruptions may be seen in all stages of development. Ordinarily, the patches of eruptions are most prevalent on the back and chest and decrease in number toward the hands and feet. In severe cases, almost all of the body may be covered, including the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and lining of the mouth and vagina. Usually, the temperature does not exceed 102, but in severe cases it may rise to 104 or 105 and remain elevated for four to five days. Contrary to previous beliefs, the crusts of the sores are not infectious.

What to do: Chicken pox is usually a mild disease requiring little special treatment. Even in cases which appear to be mild, however, a physician should make the diagnosis, as well as look for indications of complications. In its early stages, chicken pox is easily confused with more serious disease, such as smallpox. The doctor usually advises that the patient be kept in bed as long as new patches or eruptions appear and as long as there is any elevation of temperature. Since chicken pox is contagious, the patient should be isolated from members of the family who have not had the disease, especially very young and weak children and he should be kept from school and all other public places until all crusts have fallen off. He should be isolated for his own protection, also; his resistance to other infections is lowered while he is infected with chicken pox. Itching of the eruptions may be alleviated by oral antihistaminics or by applications of calamine lotion or other lotions which the physics may recommend. The patient, his bed, and clothing should be kept  scrupulously clean. Tub baths should be discontinued for a week to ten days after the beginning of the disease and replaced by sponge baths. Care should be taken during the application of soothing lotions and sponge baths not to rub the scabs off the lesions.