Severe complications can occur in severely weakened, malnourished children, as well as in children with immunodeficiency. The danger of chickenpox for newborns and infants up to one year old, causes and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment Chickenpox in a nine-month-old child treatment

Chicken pox is infection, caused by the varicella zoster virus, which belongs to the herpes family of viruses. It is characterized by fever, a rash with various elements (from spots to crusts), severe itching and catarrhal phenomena.

A feature of type 3 herpes virus is its volatility. In a poorly ventilated area, it can spread up to 20 m, and anyone who has not had chickenpox can become infected.

Chickenpox most often occurs in children before school age, but it is extremely rare in children under 6 months.

In newborn children chicken pox has an extremely severe course. They are often diagnosed with atypical forms of chickenpox.

By age 6, 70% of children have antibodies to chickenpox and are immune for the rest of their lives.

After a person has chickenpox, they develop antibodies to the herpes virus type 3, and an immune response is formed to the re-introduction of the virus. But with immunodeficiency, shingles or a repeated case of chickenpox may develop, since the virus continues to “live” in the nerve ganglia and it is impossible to completely recover.

Shingles most often affects people with immunodeficiency. A feature of this disease is that the rash does not spread over the entire skin, but along the course of the nerve, for example, along the intercostal spaces or on the face along one of the branches of the facial or trigeminal nerve. This disease is unpleasant, its prodromal period is especially unpleasant; often the patient does not associate it with the manifestation of herpes infection.

A little history

Until the 18th century, chickenpox was not considered as an independent disease; it was considered one of the manifestations smallpox. It was only at the beginning of the 20th century that the first descriptions of a virus - the causative agent of the disease - appeared in the contents of vesicles. And only in the 40s of the twentieth century a description of the chickenpox virus appeared.

How does chickenpox manifest in children? Course of the disease

Usually, after contact with a sick person, after 11–21 days (this is the incubation period of chickenpox), the first signs of chickenpox appear in a child. The long incubation period often causes a little confusion among parents.

It would seem that the meeting with the patient was a long time ago, and the threat of getting sick has already passed, and then the child begins to complain of body aches, chills appear, the temperature rises to 38 - 39 ˚C, nasal discharge appears, the baby becomes lethargic and drowsy. Since a lot of time passes after contact with a patient, mothers cannot always understand that these are the first symptoms of chickenpox in children.

After a day or two, a rash appears. It is initially small-spotted or spotted. Children usually complain of itching, children up to four years may cry and act restless. Within a day, the spots turn into vesicles filled with serous contents. After a few days, the blisters open, and in their place crusts form on the skin. After the crust comes off, the wound heals completely, leaving no scars.

It should be noted that the rash appears (sprinkles) every 2 - 3 days for 3 - 7 days, therefore all the elements of the rash are different (polymorphic).

The child is contagious two days before the first signs of the disease appear, during the period of rashes and up to seven days from the moment of the last addition.

It should be noted that usually younger age child, the easier he tolerates the disease. It is easier for a 3-year-old child to survive this period than for an adult.

Symptoms of chickenpox in children

temperature above 38˚С. Please note that sometimes the temperature rises to 40˚C. This is not a complication of the disease, but only a feature of the reactivity of the immune system of a sick person. However, in some cases the temperature throughout the entire illness can be 37 °C;
The appearance of the rash varies in stages. Stages of the rash - spot-bubble-appearance of crusts. The rash appears on the child's entire body, except the palms and feet. Chickenpox is also characterized by a rash on the scalp;
wave-like appearance of the rash, when after the appearance of the rash there is a short-term lull.

Other symptoms of the disease:

viral conjunctivitis. It usually appears when the herpes virus affects the first branch of the trigeminal nerve. When viral conjunctivitis appears, children may complain of discomfort in the eyes, they will say that it is unpleasant or painful for them to look at the light, tears flow from their eyes;
vulvovaginitis in girls;
stomatitis - the appearance of a rash on the mucous membranes of the mouth. If a rash appears in the child’s mouth, you should contact your doctor for further examination and possible changes in treatment tactics.

Swimming with chickenpox

Is it possible to bathe a child with chickenpox when he is sick? This question is especially acute.

Opinions on this issue, as always, differ.

You cannot take a bath, that is, lie for a long time and steam your body (to avoid infection of open wounds).
Do not use a sponge or washcloth. Do not rub the child’s body with anything or anything.
Be careful with soaps and shower gels. They dry out the skin and can increase irritation.
It is better if the child takes a shower.
After a shower, you need to blot the water with a soft towel. Under no circumstances should you rub your body.
After the skin has dried, it should be treated with brilliant green or fucorcin.

Features of caring for children with chickenpox

Children usually bring the infection from kindergarten and often infect their younger brothers and sisters. Chickenpox in children is mild, and the most unpleasant thing is the rash, which is why these children are treated at home.

We will discuss how to treat chickenpox in children a little later, but for now let’s remember how to care for children with chickenpox:

diet. If a child refuses to eat, do not force it; it is better to eat a little, but more often. Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet;
drinking plenty of water. Fruit drinks, compotes, jelly and homemade freshly squeezed juices are recommended. If the child does not want to drink it, offer tea or water;
it is advisable to limit active games; trying to keep the child in bed is pointless;
try to explain that the sores cannot be scratched, the child’s nails must be cut short;
It is advisable to change bed linen every day, the child should sleep separately in his own bed;
The room in which the child is located must be washed every day and ventilated at least once an hour;
It is desirable that there are no other children around the sick child, but, alas, this is not always possible.

To walk or not to walk?

This is another question in caring for a child with chickenpox that worries parents: is it possible to walk with a baby with chickenpox?

During the period when the child is contagious, walks are not recommended. But if the parents are sure that the baby will not have contact with anyone (for example, if you live in a private house), then you can go for a short walk.

We list the important conditions for walking:

Body temperature should return to normal.
The last rash was 7 days ago. Otherwise, if you do go for a walk, there should be no other people on the street, especially children or pregnant women.
If a child has recently had chickenpox, he should not sunbathe or swim in open water.
The immune system of a child who has recovered from the disease is still weakened, so he is not recommended to have contact with sick children or unwell adults.

Prevention and vaccination

Made in our country since 2008, but still not included in the list mandatory vaccinations, which means that parents themselves must decide for themselves whether to vaccinate their baby or not.

Vaccination is now recommended from the age of two. The vaccination is done once, provided that the child is under 13 years old, and twice for children over 13 and adults who have not yet been sick.

Vaccination is carried out with Varilrix or Okavax vaccines (they are live attenuated vaccines).

Vaccination takes place according to the following scheme:

"Okavax" - 0.5 ml (one dose) at a time for children over 12 months of age;
"Varilrix" - 0.5 ml (one dose) twice with an interval of 2 - 2.5 months.

Emergency prophylaxis is carried out with any of the above-mentioned drugs within 96 hours from the moment of contact with a sick person. In our country, such prevention is not common.

After administration of the drug, after 7 days, signs of chickenpox may appear in the child. This is a mild malaise, an increase in temperature to 38 ° C, and a mild rash may appear. All symptoms go away on their own within a few days. There is no need to treat them; they are not a complication of vaccination.

Another method of prevention is isolating sick children. True, this is ineffective, since in children the prodromal period does not always manifest itself clearly, and the child is contagious two days before the appearance of the rash.

What can chickenpox be confused with?

At the beginning, before the rash appears, the disease is similar to the course of any viral disease, for example, influenza.

At the first signs of sleep, you can mistake chickenpox for an allergy or heat rash, but usually within 24 hours it becomes clear that the conclusion was made incorrectly.

Usually after the rash appears, everything becomes clear.

Complications of chickenpox

There are always exceptions, but more often they talk about rules. For example, when a pregnant woman who has not previously had chickenpox gets sick, she has a chance of losing her baby, or the baby may be born with chickenpox.

Children under the age of one year suffer from chickenpox extremely hard, and it occurs in them in an atypical form.

Another option is adults and teenagers. They also sometimes have complications, such as viral pneumonia, myocarditis or encephalitis.

Atypical forms of chickenpox

Rudimentary. The rash is spotty, there are practically no catarrhal symptoms, the disease passes easily.
Hemorrhagic form. Bubbles in this form are filled not with transparent, but with blood content. The course of the disease is severe, patients experience vomiting with blood, nosebleeds, and possible black stools. On the second day, petechial rashes (small pinpoint hemorrhages in the skin) appear.
Bullous form. The bubbles in this form merge, forming so-called bullae. They are usually filled with muddy contents.
Gangrenous form. It has an extremely severe course.
Generalized form. With this form of the disease there is severe intoxication, damage internal organs, .

All atypical forms (except rudimentary) are treated in the hospital, often in intensive care units.

Treatment of chickenpox in children

If you see that your child is sick, call a doctor who will prescribe and monitor treatment. Each drug has its own subtleties and features. Incorrect treatment, as well as its complete absence, can lead to complications during the course of the disease.

If the temperature rises above 38.5 °C, you can give the child an antipyretic drug based on ibuprofen or paracetamol.
For decreasing skin itching You can use local ointments, such as Gerpevir, Acyclovir. It is possible to use Fenistil gel.
Antihistamines can be used. For example, the drug Diazolin, it is available in tablets.
To prevent secondary infection of ulcers, use brilliant green or Fukortsin. The application of such preparations also helps to determine the appearance of new bubbles.
For a sore throat, you can use herbal decoctions and medications approved for the treatment of children of a particular age.
Antiviral therapy is mandatory. It is prescribed by a doctor.

Dear mothers, I wish you not to be overwhelmed by the tears of your children, but to do this, be very attentive and patient towards them. Chickenpox is just a part of your child's life, and over time, only photos will remain that remind you of the green-spotted period.

Chickenpox is familiar to everyone viral infection, which affects mainly children. Often, chickenpox in childhood proceeds easily and does not pose a threat to life and health. However, there are cases when the virus affects very young children. In this article we will look at the symptoms and treatment of chickenpox in infants.

As we have already said, chickenpox is a viral infection. Consequently, the causative agent of the disease is a virus, the susceptibility of people to which is almost 100%. Can a baby get chickenpox? There are 2 ways to infect infants:

Congenital infection. This happens when the mother becomes infected immediately before giving birth, several days or weeks before. In such a combination of circumstances, a child is born with chickenpox and, as a rule, the disease occurs in a severe form with a high probability of all kinds of complications of the disease. This is explained by the fact that the mother’s body, when infected, has not yet had time to form immunity to the virus, therefore, the child has not received any antibodies to fight the infection. Approximately 30% of all cases of congenital chickenpox resulted in infant death;
If an infant has had contact with chickenpox, the child is highly likely to be infected. Considering that the immune system of infants has not yet been formed, the disease often takes a severe form and can also lead to the development of complications;

Does it happen that chickenpox in babies goes away easily? Yes, chickenpox in infants is not always a severe case. If a child gets chickenpox after an injection of immunoglobulin, or during pregnancy the baby received antibodies from the mother or through mother's milk during feeding, in such cases the infection can occur very easily. So easy that you may not even notice that the child has been ill with something.

I think we have addressed the question: “Can a baby have chickenpox?” Next, let's look at what chickenpox looks like in infants.

During the latent period, babies, as a rule, do not have any manifestations of the disease, that is, the infection is already in the body, but the level of virus concentration has not yet reached the required scale. The first symptoms appear in the final part of the latent period of the disease. It is generally accepted that the incubation period in children can last 7-21 days, on average two weeks. It depends on the job immune system child. For example, with congenital immunodeficiency, the infection develops very rapidly.

How does chickenpox manifest? The first characteristic manifestation of infection is heat, reaching a couple of 40 degrees. This is due to severe intoxication of the body by the virus and the appearance of temperature is quite natural. The temperature may be accompanied by weakness and malaise of the whole body, headache, chills, fever, twitching of muscles and limbs, pain in the muscles and joints. In this case, the child will cry and most likely refuse to eat.

At this stage, diagnosis of the disease is possible only with the help of special laboratory tests for antibodies against the Varicella zoster virus (the name of the causative agent of chickenpox), however, a day or two after the onset of fever, you will find several reddish spots on the baby’s head or face.

The most characteristic sign of infection in infants, and in all people in general, is a rash. How does it start, photo? At first, the rashes are localized, as a rule, in the area of the head and face and appear as several reddish pimples, no more than 1 centimeter in diameter. After a short period of time (maximum within a day), the rash turns into papules (small pimples filled with clear liquid) and spreads over almost the entire body, with the exception of the feet and palms. The rashes are very itchy, so the child will experience considerable discomfort. It is worth noting that scratching or squeezing the rash is strictly prohibited, as this can cause infection in the wounds, therefore, the appearance of purulent complications from the skin side. In addition to the appearance of a rash on the body, there are frequent cases of rashes in the mouth and mucous membranes. When a rash appears on the mucous membranes, the child experiences pain, which leads to refusal to eat.

The rash can stay on the body for 4-12 days, depending on the severity of chickenpox. It should be noted that the rashes are wavy in nature, that is, the first elements of the rash begin to dry out and become covered with a brown crust already on the second day after their appearance. After this, a calm day may come, the temperature will drop a little, and the child will feel better. Then a new wave of rashes will follow and everything will repeat in a circle. In the future, the entire rash will be covered with crusts. Under no circumstances should you peel off the crusts from the affected areas yourself, as they are a natural barrier to various types of bacteria. After 2-4 weeks, the crusts will fall off on their own and leave behind red-pink spots, which also go away on their own without any medical intervention. If the disease proceeded without complications, then there will be no trace of the rash.

First of all, don't panic. Modern medicine provides treatment for even the most severe cases of infection, so the first step in the fight against chickenpox is to call a doctor at home. After examining the little patient, the doctor will give you a sick leave certificate and write out recommendations for treatment. Usually, mild treatment forms of chickenpox are performed at home and are exclusively symptomatic. Treatment of severe chickenpox requires hospitalization with antibiotics (in cases of purulent complications), antiviral drugs (for example, acyclovir) and immunoglobulin injections.

What you read below is provided as information, do not treat your child without consulting your doctor.

How to treat chickenpox in an infant:

Put mittens on your baby's hands and carefully watch your child's nails, trim them as needed. This will reduce the risk of infection in the wounds;
Any complementary feeding should be excluded during the period of illness; the child’s diet should only include breast milk. If a child refuses to eat, do not try to force feed him;
It is definitely worth increasing your fluid intake, as at high temperatures the body becomes dehydrated;
It is worth ventilating the room more often; the room should not be stuffy and hot. You should beware of hypothermia, as this can lead to the development of pneumonia due to chickenpox;
At high temperatures, it is possible to use antipyretics based on paracetamol ( rectal suppositories or syrups). Paracetamol for children can be used from 1 month of a child’s life, however, in case of individual intolerance, strong allergic reactions. In children under 2 months of age, paracetamol can cause an asthma attack. Antipyretics based on ibuprofen are not recommended, as this can cause inflammation of the soft tissues.

Important! Application acetylsalicylic acid with chickenpox it is impossible. This is a jurisdictional matter, since using this remedy, you are 100% likely to kill your child. Moreover, aspirin is generally contraindicated for children under 12 years of age.

Treating the rash with antiseptic water and alcohol solutions should be carried out 2 times a day, morning and evening. The well-known “brilliant green” or “potassium permanganate” is suitable for this. Processing should be carried out pointwise using cotton swabs, otherwise your actions may lead to the spread of infection to unaffected areas of the skin;

How long to process? Until the characteristic crust appears on the rash.

To relieve itching, you can use antiallergic and immunomodulating ointments and gels (Fenistil gel, Infagel, Viferon). The use of these drugs is possible from 1 month of the baby’s life, but their use should be reasonable and not exceed daily norm. Fenistil gel helps relieve itching, swelling and has an anesthetic effect. Infagel and Viferon are immunomodulators. Their use will reduce itching and swelling, and also promote better fast healing rash. To everything else, we add that these immunomodulators have an antiviral effect;

The use of these drugs should only be started after consultation with a specialist.

To relieve itching, baths with the addition of decoctions of sage, chamomile, and oak bark are very suitable. These herbs have antiseptic effects, relieve itching and help dry out the rash. The water should not be hot or warm.

You can also use cool baths with the addition of table salt. Water will help reduce the temperature, and salt will help dry out the rash and relieve itching. This procedure can be repeated every 4 hours.

If the rashes are widespread and profuse, the doctor may recommend the use of Acyclovir ointment. This ointment has a targeted effect against herpes viruses types 1, 2 and 3, and the chickenpox virus belongs to type 3. In general, this ointment is very effective for chickenpox. Promotes faster healing of the rash;
To treat rashes on mucous membranes, use sea buckthorn oil or Chlorophyllipt, and to remove pain you can use Kalgel;

Komarovsky about chickenpox in infants

An experienced pediatrician, Evgeny Olegovich Komarovsky, notes the frequency of severe chickenpox in infants. To avoid congenital chickenpox, he recommends delaying childbirth for a few days and still recovering to the expectant mother. As for the infection of chicken pox in babies, Evgeniy Olegovich advises not to worry, since all this, today, can be treated.

Chickenpox in newborns and infants (photos, symptoms, treatment) will be discussed below. This is a problem that is of great concern to young parents who are faced with this infectious pathology. The very question of whether infant contracting chickenpox requires special consideration. This disease is not uncommon in childhood, but in newborn infants it can be quite severe with reduced immunity. To the question of whether an infant can become infected with chickenpox, unfortunately, the answer will be in the affirmative, but parents are quite capable of reducing the likelihood of such infection.

The essence of the disease

Chickenpox, or more precisely, chickenpox, belongs to the group of exodermatoses and is an acute infectious lesion that manifests itself in the form of a skin rash. The skin lesion consists of papules and vesicles and is generalized, i.e. affects almost all parts of the body. The causative agent of the disease is the herpes virus – varicella zoster. The disease is characterized by shallow damage to the skin, affecting only the upper layers of the epidermis, which facilitates treatment.

Can a baby get chickenpox? At its core, chickenpox is a typical anthroponosis and provides lasting immunity. In other words, infection can only occur from an infected person, and a person who has been ill at least once acquires immunity to the pathogen. In infancy, the child's immune protection is mainly provided due to the protective functions of mother's milk. Thus, up to 3-4 months, the baby is under the protection of the mother, which means that infection is possible only if the woman has never had chickenpox and is not immune to it.

Important: Taking into account the fact that in childhood (up to 10-14 years) the vast majority of people suffer from the disease to varying degrees of complexity, the absence of immunity in the mother is a rather rare occurrence. Therefore, the question of whether infants get chickenpox can be answered this way: they get sick quite rarely under the age of 6 months and only in the absence of maternal immunity.
At the age of 6-12 months, immune protection begins to be provided mainly by the developing child's body. During this period, chickenpox may appear in infants through direct contact with an infected person. Consequently, the likelihood of infection increases significantly, and preventive measures to avoid contact with sick people. The most dangerous period in terms of infection is November-June.

Etiological features of the disease

Infection with chickenpox is possible only through airborne droplets through direct contact with a sick person (usually a child). Adults with shingles are also at risk. Contact and household path, i.e. through objects or clothing, not recorded. The infectivity of the virus in the absence of immunity to it is almost 100%.

Chickenpox in newborns depends entirely on the condition of the mother's body. At the age of up to 3 months, infection of an infant is possible under 2 conditions:
contact of the baby with an infected person if his mother has never had chickenpox;

congenital chickenpox in the case when a woman became infected with chickenpox immediately before giving birth, and antibodies did not have time to develop.

Features of the manifestation of the disease

Once in the child’s body, the virus quickly spreads through the blood and lymph, penetrates the layers of the skin and mucous membranes, where it begins active division. In places where the pathogen settles (in the spiny skin tissues and epithelium), an inflammatory reaction occurs. Incubation period illness lasts from 5 to 20 days.

On initial stage chickenpox in newborns and infants (photo attached) manifests itself in the form of skin redness up to 12-15 mm in size. In this place, blisters with a transparent liquid form quite quickly. When they rupture, a crust forms.

What symptoms of chickenpox may appear in children? Chickenpox in children develops abruptly and is severe. The following symptoms of chickenpox in infants are noted:

temperature increase to 39-40˚C;

the appearance of general weakness;

headache.

Most characteristic feature- a spreading rash that quickly covers a large surface of the skin and mucous membranes. Severe itching is observed in the areas of the rash. The skin on the abdomen, thighs, shoulders, chest, face and scalp is actively affected.

Chickenpox in newborns and infants (photo illustrates the symptoms) has a wavy nature in its manifestation. The rash appears all over the body, then disappears on its own, leaving crusts, but after a short period of time it appears with renewed vigor. Waves of exacerbation occur at intervals of about 25-30 hours. There may be 4-5 exacerbations in total. The wavy nature of the rash creates a motley picture external manifestations with a polymorphic structure. Each affected area can develop a large number of bubbles (most often 30-80) of different sizes.

Classification of the disease

Chickenpox in a child can develop with to varying degrees gravity. Taking into account the symptoms of chickenpox in children and the intensity of the disease, the following forms are distinguished:

A mild form of chickenpox develops without fever or with the appearance of low-grade fever.

The average form of the disease causes an increase in temperature to 37.8-38.6˚C with the manifestation of characteristic symptoms.

A severe form of pathology is expressed by a sharp increase in temperature to 39-40˚C, a significant deterioration general condition may be accompanied by vomiting. The child becomes capricious and restless and refuses to eat. Some weakening is observed in the periods between waves of damage.

In addition to the typical course of the disease, there are cases of atypical chickenpox. With this development of the pathology, extreme manifestations may be observed: a rash with very small vesicles and, conversely, a skin lesion with vesicles larger than 25 mm. The rudimentary form of chickenpox can have a hidden course without serious external manifestations.

Chicken pox can cause serious complications of different nature. Skin complications sometimes develop into complex and severe forms: pemphiginous, ulcerative, purulent, hemorrhagic, gangrenous chickenpox. There are cases of complications of internal organs:

varicella croup;

bronchopneumonia;

purulent inflammation of the middle ear;

stomatitis;

pharyngitis;

purulent parotitis;

conjunctivitis;

keratitis;

vulvitis;

orchitis

Possible neurological problems: serous meningitis, encephalitis, polio syndromes.

Principles of disease treatment

Important: Treatment of chickenpox in newborns and infants should begin when the first signs of the disease appear. You should not self-medicate; to eliminate the risk of complications, you must consult a doctor who can accurately diagnose the pathology.

There are no specific drugs aimed specifically at combating chickenpox, but treatment is provided with general-purpose drugs for skin diseases. Therapy is carried out, first of all, taking into account the form of the disease and the general condition of the child. The use of antibiotics to destroy the pathogen is useless, since the herpes virus cannot be treated with antibiotics.

Treatment of chickenpox in children solves the following problems:

control the spread of skin lesions;

eliminating itching;

lowering the temperature and accelerating the healing of the rash.

Given the highly infectious ability of the disease, a child with chickenpox should be quarantined. One of the important conditions: during the period of exacerbation of the disease, you should not bathe the child, since when washed with water, the rash spreads throughout the body.

In mild and moderate forms, chickenpox in infants does not require the use of systemic and potent drugs. The simplest and effective method- treating areas of the skin where the rash has appeared with brilliant green, which serves as an excellent antibacterial agent and has a high drying effect. In addition, the use of brilliant green allows for visual control of the development of the rash.

With significant damage and severe itching Fenistilon gel is recommended, which covers the areas of greatest accumulation of bubbles. To speed up the healing of affected areas, Castellani's solution is widely used, after which crusts quickly form in place of the papules.

How to treat complicated forms

When chickenpox develops in severe form, in addition to skin lesions, a very high temperature and signs of general intoxication of the body cause alarm. As a rule, Paracetamol or Ibuprofen are prescribed, preferably in the form of anal suppositories. Aspirin should not be used for chickenpox.

Chickenpox or varicella is a disease manifested by moderate intoxication of the body and a small blistering rash on the skin. Pathological process, developing in children aged 2 to 6 years, junior schoolchildren, adolescents or adults, proceeds without complications and ends with recovery. At the same time, when untimely treatment chickenpox in infants can lead to a number of adverse consequences for the child's body. Therefore, it is so important to know whether a newborn can avoid infection with chickenpox, how this disease manifests itself on early stages development, how young children tolerate it, and what methods are used to combat this pathology in infants.

Characteristics of the pathogen and route of infection

Chickenpox in newborns develops as a result of infection with the varicella-zoster virus (Varicella Zoster, Herpesviridae). The causative agents of the disease have weak resistance to the external environment: it has been proven that they are easily deactivated by exposure to sunlight and other sources ultraviolet radiation, elevated temperatures, in conditions of lack of moisture.

A child can only become infected with chickenpox from someone who is already sick. The most common routes of transmission of infection in infants three months of age and older are:

airborne - with a fine aerosol released by a sick person when talking to children, coughing, sneezing;
contact-household - when using shared towels, toys and other items.

Do children under two months of age get chickenpox? Dr. Komarovsky and other pediatricians argue that babies 1 or 2 months old can get chickenpox only if their mothers do not have acquired immunity to this disease. Often, such children are infected with the varicella-zoster virus transplacentally during fetal development.

The mechanism of pathology development

The incidence of chickenpox in infants in large populated areas 2 times higher than in rural areas. It has been noted that the peak of chickenpox epidemics occurs in autumn and winter.

The mucous epithelium becomes the entry point for infection respiratory tract. Viruses invade epithelial cells, penetrate the blood through lymphatic flows, and integrate into nerve and skin tissues, provoking the development of a number of pathological processes:

local dilation of small vessels with the formation of red spots on the skin;
formation of serous edema (papules);
peeling of epidermal tissues (vesicles).

The presence of viral agents in the body infant leads to the development of general intoxication, fever and the appearance of other nonspecific manifestations of the disease.

Clinic of disease in infants

The incubation period for chickenpox in newborns lasts from 11 days to 3 weeks. However, in cases where the baby becomes infected transplacentally, the first signs of the disease may appear within 6-7 days.

The first symptoms of chickenpox in one year old child are:

restless behavior, anxiety, moodiness;
lack of appetite;
sleep disturbance;
a sharp increase in temperature;
diarrhea;
vomit;
severe skin itching.

After 2-3 days, small papules appear on the child’s body, head, limbs and face. After 7-8 hours, the granular elements are transformed into rounded vesicles with a diameter of up to 5 mm, filled with transparent exudate. After another 2 days, the bubbles fall off, dry out and turn into a brown crust on the surface skin. Subsequently, the crusts separate, leaving gradually discolored pigment spots on the newborn’s skin.

Very often, chickenpox in infants manifests itself as a rash on the epithelium oral cavity, larynx and genitals. The loose elements open up and transform into superficial ulcers. After 3-5 days, erosions on the mucous membrane heal without leaving a mark.

Dr. Komarovsky draws the attention of parents to the fact that with chickenpox, rash elements do not appear simultaneously, but with pauses of 20-30 hours. Because of this, a polymorphic rash consisting of papules, vesicles and crusts is found on the baby’s skin. The appearance of new rashes is accompanied by a sharp increase in temperature.

Children who suffer from chickenpox acquire stable, lifelong immunity to this disease. Antibodies reliably protect the body from reinfection. However, Dr. Komarovsky and many other pediatricians believe that with a sharp weakening of immune forces, people who have previously had chickenpox may become infected a second time.

Treatment of chickenpox in children

Chickenpox in children under one year of age can be successfully treated on an outpatient basis. Dr. Komarovsky and his colleagues insist on hospitalization only in those clinical cases when the disease occurs in atypical form with pronounced manifestations of general intoxication of the body.

Unfortunately, a system for etiotropic treatment of chickenpox in children under one year of age has not yet been developed. All measures taken by doctors are purely symptomatic.. Most often, the therapy program includes:

Examination of a small patient, drawing up a map of symptoms and treatment programs for the disease.
Bed rest for a week.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Reduce fever using Ibuprofen or Paracetamol if indicated. You can treat your baby with medications only after agreeing on the dosage with your pediatrician.
Treatment of rashes on the skin with antiseptic preparations (diamond green, sodium permanganate solution).
Irrigation of erosions on the mucous membranes with chamomile infusion, Furacilin solution, sea buckthorn oil, hydrogen peroxide.
Using protective gloves to prevent the baby from scratching the rash.
Daily change, washing and ironing of clothes and bed linen child.
Regular cleaning and ventilation of the patient’s room.

Dr. Komarovsky prohibits the use of Aspirin as an antipyretic for chickenpox in children under 1 year of age. According to pediatricians, the use of this drug can provoke the development serious illnesses liver. In cases where chickenpox occurs in a complicated form, children may be prescribed antiviral drugs(for example, Acyclovir).

Prevention and prognosis for chickenpox

A set of measures aimed at preventing chickenpox in newborns includes:

timely vaccination of the mother (during pregnancy planning) and baby;
limiting contact between the child and sick people;
strict adherence to hygiene requirements.

Is chickenpox dangerous in young children? According to doctors, to the development of complications or fatal outcome can only result from an advanced disease that occurs in a severe form. In other cases, the disease ends with the baby’s complete recovery.

Chickenpox is a common childhood viral infection, which becomes a challenge for the baby and his mother. Find out the features of chickenpox in children under one year old, treatment methods and possible complications to be ready.

Chickenpox (varicella) is acute illness caused by the herpes virus.

How is chickenpox transmitted?

The route of transmission is airborne. The source of infection is a sick person who releases the virus when coughing or sneezing. The incidence reaches 100%, so it is almost impossible to protect your baby from a sick family member.

The pathogen can travel long distances with air currents, however, its instability in the external environment practically eliminates the domestic route of infection.

Morbidity

Chickenpox mainly affects children of preschool and primary school age. Babies under 3 months of age practically do not get sick due to the presence of maternal antibodies in the blood. Children aged 6 months to 7 years are most susceptible. By the age of 15, from 70 to 90% of children have already recovered from the disease. After illness, strong immunity remains.

The most favorable and mild course of the disease is in childhood. Chickenpox occurs easily in children breastfeeding.

The incubation period varies from 7 to 21 days.

Symptoms of chickenpox in children under one year old

The prodromal period is practically not expressed or expressed weakly. The child may be lethargic, whiny, or, conversely, overexcited. Possible loss of appetite and refusal of complementary foods.

Expressed clinical manifestations occur with the appearance of a rash. The rash can appear on any part of the body and spread chaotically. First, red spots form on the body, which within 24 hours turn into blisters containing clear liquid that are very itchy. Infants have fewer rashes than adults. During this period, the temperature may rise and the lymph nodes may enlarge.

The rashes are localized mainly on the face, neck, scalp, torso, and limbs. In severe cases, they affect the palms, soles, and mucous membranes.

Chickenpox is characterized by a red rash

The appearance of new elements (addition) continues for about 3-8 days. Simultaneously with the cessation of sleep, the baby’s condition improves.

Over time, the bubbles dry out and a crust forms, which disappears after 1-2 weeks, leaving no trace.

The child becomes contagious a day or two before the rash appears and continues to shed the virus until the 5th day after the last rash.

Treatment

Treatment for chickenpox does not usually require hospitalization. Therapy is symptomatic.

The elements of the rash are lubricated with brilliant green, methylene blue or Castellani solution. The drugs do not cure the disease, but help the blisters dry out more quickly and prevent bacterial infection. In a hospital setting, doctors use colored elements to determine the appearance of new rashes.

Since the rashes are accompanied by severe itching, it is important to avoid scratching the elements. This is fraught with the addition of a secondary infection, as well as the appearance of scars. The baby's nails need to be trimmed short and kept clean. A very small child can wear thin gloves. Distract your child from illness with toys, fairy tales, and songs.

To reduce itching, your doctor may prescribe antihistamines.

You can cure chickenpox on your own

When the temperature rises above 38.5 0 C, you need to give the child an antipyretic drug (syrup or suppository).

To combat intoxication, it is important to follow the baby’s drinking regime. Regularly offer him tea, juice, fruit drink, compote or just water. If your baby is breastfed and not yet receiving complementary foods, put him to the breast more often.

You can bathe your child in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, without using a washcloth. Rest water procedures better to exclude.

It is important to change your underwear daily to prevent the spread of rashes, and change your bed linen as often as possible.

Complications of chickenpox

In children, including infants, the most common complication is the addition of a secondary infection, which leads to suppuration of the blisters. At large volume infection, antibacterial drugs are prescribed.

A decrease in immunity under the influence of a virus can contribute to the development of bacterial complications: stomatitis, conjunctivitis, mumps.

In exceptional cases, chickenpox is complicated by chickenpox croup, pneumonia, viral encephalitis or meningoencephalitis, and sepsis.

Severe complications can occur in severely weakened, malnourished children, as well as in children with immunodeficiency.

Chickenpox is a common disease, and if your baby shows the first signs, you should not self-medicate. Be sure to consult your pediatrician.