Most Common Illnesses And Infections In Children

Chickenpox

Chickenpox is a highly contagious infection caused by a virus known as varicella-zoster. Children younger than two years old are at an especially high risk of chickenpox, and a vaccine is available that can prevent this condition. Patients with this ailment develop symptoms within ten to twenty-one days of infection. In the early stages of this condition, the patient might experience a fever, body aches, headaches, fatigue, and a loss of appetite. After one or two days, an itchy, raised rash will normally develop over large areas of the body. Some patients may have as many as five hundred raised bumps. The spots turn into blisters, and these begin to leak after a day or so. 

At this time, the rash will form scabs, and new spots may also appear. While many cases of chickenpox are mild and resolve on their own, patients are considered contagious until the entire rash has formed scabs. Medical treatment should be sought if a patient with this condition develops a fever of more than 102 degrees Fahrenheit and if they experience dizziness, vomiting, shortness of breath, or loss of muscle control. These may be signs of serious complications.