How to treat chickenpox in children besides brilliant green: 6 most effective remedies

How chickenpox begins in children - the first signs and symptoms in the initial stage (photo)

Chickenpox or varicella is an acute infectious disease caused by viruses of the herpes family. A distinctive feature of chickenpox is a rash on the skin in the form of small blisters. Almost all children aged 2 to 7 years old suffer from chickenpox, especially if they attend kindergarten, since the pathogenic virus is very volatile and can penetrate not only into adjacent rooms, but also into apartments.

In addition, a large percentage of the incidence of chickenpox in children is due to the fact that the latent period of the disease is 14-21 days, due to which the virus has time to spread and cover all children in the group or kindergarten. The chickenpox virus ceases to act until the last rash ends, that is, the virus stops being transmitted when the last blisters begin to heal.

How can you get infected?

The virus is transmitted from person to person by airborne droplets. Chickenpox penetrates through the mucous membranes of the mouth, respiratory tract, and eyes deep into the body.

The chickenpox virus is very persistent and spreads quickly. He has the ability to penetrate even into other rooms and neighboring apartments. This is why children in groups become infected with chickenpox so easily. Just one child in a group who becomes infected with chickenpox immediately becomes dangerous for the children of the entire institution.

How to smear rashes on mucous membranes: in the throat, in the mouth, on the genitals

In moderate and severe forms, a rash may appear on the mucous membranes and genitals. In this case, not only treatment, but also antiviral therapy plays a big role in treatment. Let's consider in more detail how to smear these rashes.

For the treatment of throat and mouth

To treat the throat, gargles are mainly used. Rinsing allows you to keep the mucous membrane clean. If vesicles are available, ointments are used. The patient must maintain a drinking regime. Avoid spicy, hard foods.

The following preparations are used in rinsing:

• Furacilin;
• Calendula tincture;
• Miramistin;
• Chamomile solution;
• Tonsilgon.

If the vesicles are available, treatment is performed that helps heal the mucous membrane after the vesicles are opened. To treat rashes in the throat, use:

• Solcoseryl;
• Kalgel (has a cooling effect);
• Sea buckthorn oil;
• Zelenka.

Treatment of genitals

Treatment of the genitals can be done using the following means:

• Fenistil gel (relieves itching);
• Desitin;
• Fukortsin;
• Zelenka;
• Miramistin.

First signs

How does chickenpox start in children? First of all, the child develops:

• high temperature (up to 39.5°C),
• feverish reaction;
• moderate intensity headache;
• pain in the abdominal area (not always);
• general malaise;
• signs of intoxication (possible nausea and vomiting);

The first signs of chickenpox in children, as a rule, are indistinguishable from “normal” ARVI. The main symptom of chickenpox is a characteristic rash (first small pink spots, and then blisters with clear liquid).

A few words about chickenpox

If you follow all the doctor’s recommendations, then quickly curing chickenpox will not be difficult. The main thing is not to allow the baby to comb the pimples or scratch them. Chickenpox can be properly treated not only with the help of medications, but also in other ways - by maintaining optimal air temperature in the room where the baby sleeps (up to 22˦C), proper drinking regimen, feeding restrictions, and isolation from the street.

What about bathing, does it help treat chickenpox? This question really resonates with moms. Previously, it was believed that it was forbidden to bathe a baby with chickenpox, as this contributed to the spread of infection to healthy areas. Now this opinion is not substantiated. On the contrary, if the baby is not bathed for so long, then it is dirty skin that will lead to the spread of the disease to other areas of the body. In addition, clogged pores due to excessive sweating will also not lead to anything good.

Symptoms and signs of chickenpox in children

Basically, chickenpox is characterized by a typical, uniform course in all children, with rare exceptions, so the following main symptoms of this disease in the initial stage can be identified (see photo):

1. Sudden onset of the disease with the development of intoxication and a sharp increase in temperature.
2. Almost simultaneous appearance on the skin, sometimes on the mucous membranes, of typical vesicular elements.
3. An undulating course of the disease process with periodic additions of papulovesicles.
4. Increase in body temperature with each new wave of rash.
5. The formation of crusts on the surface of the bubbles, which subsequently do not leave any scars after recovery.

All stages of chickenpox in children follow each other sequentially and are characterized by certain typical symptoms.

1. The initial stage of chickenpox and the child is the incubation period, which covers the time from the penetration of varicella-zoster into the baby’s body until the immediate manifestation of the first clinical symptoms. Its duration is considered to be from a minimum of 5 to a maximum of 21 days, however, on average it can last about 2 weeks. At this time, varicella-zoster actively multiplies and also accumulates in the mucous membranes of the oropharynx and nasal cavity, and is then able to overcome all protective barriers and penetrate the blood. At this moment, the very first sign of chickenpox in children develops: the appearance of a rash on the body, accompanied by a high temperature.
2. The stage accompanied by the symptoms described above is called the initial stage, but sometimes it is preceded by a so-called prodromal period, during which a rise in temperature, headaches, weakness, and lethargy are recorded. The temperature with chickenpox in children sometimes reaches 40°C and above.
3. As a result of the penetration of the chickenpox virus into the skin, local swelling is formed and a period of rash occurs, which can last from just 2 days to 7 days or even more. It is characterized by the initial formation of a red spot, which quickly takes the form of a papule, then transforms into a vesicle, which subsequently becomes covered with a crust. Most often, the patient’s torso is first affected by the elements of the rash, then the arms, legs, and only after that they can be detected on the face and scalp. This process is also characterized by very disturbing itching, which causes serious discomfort. Along with the formation of a rash, an increase in lymph nodes is observed, as well as the manifestation of symptoms of intoxication of the body.
4. The last stage of chickenpox in children is characterized by normalization of body temperature, falling off of crusts, and improvement of the patient’s well-being. At the site of the former pathological element, covered with a crust, brownish pigmentation remains at first, however, over time it disappears. The skin after chickenpox in children, in the absence of constant scratching of itchy elements, with careful treatment and prevention of infection, remains healthy and clean. The average duration from the moment the first signs appear until the skin is completely cleared of crusts is about 3 weeks.

Chickenpox occurs extremely rarely in infants under 6 months of age, since the child is protected by antibodies received from the mother. If the disease is registered in a child under one year old, it proceeds quite easily. The temperature with chickenpox in children of this age is usually low, the period of rash is short, and the intoxication syndrome is practically not expressed. However, this applies to children born to mothers who had chickenpox as children. Otherwise, chickenpox in children under one year of age lasts quite a long time and is severe.

Conclusions and recommendations

Doctors note that every person who experiences chickenpox needs to treat skin rashes. The treatment relieves itching well, prevents the formation of complications and promotes rapid recovery.

It should be noted that the sooner treatment is started, the faster the final recovery will occur. Treatment at an early stage helps prevent further development of the rash.

Currently, a large number of effective preparations are available, which, unlike traditional greenery, are colorless. Before choosing a drug, you should consult with your doctor, as some drugs have contraindications or require adjustments in drug therapy.

Chickenpox is a disease that requires a comprehensive approach. Complete treatment often includes not only treating the skin, but also taking other medications to relieve symptoms and achieve successful recovery.

Severity

Depending on the characteristics of its course in children, chickenpox is divided into three forms:

Zelenka: should it be processed, what should it be replaced with?

In Russia, the most popular remedy for treating chickenpox rashes is brilliant green. Already in 1917, it was found that brilliant green is one of the most highly active and fast-acting antiseptics.

The drug has proven itself to be accessible and has a wide range of applications. Safe for any patient, used to treat infants. The main disadvantage of using the drug for chickenpox is: a persistent effect on the skin, stains on clothes and bed linen.

Functions of brilliant green in the treatment of chickenpox

• Reduces itching (has a drying effect).
• Kills microbes (when bubbles (vesicles) burst, an open wound appears, to which bacteria can attach. Zelenka prevents their formation).
• Applying green dots to new blemishes every morning can help you notice when new blemishes no longer appear.
• Zelenka prevents the formation of scars (at an early stage, treating spots prevents new blisters from forming).
• Treatment with brilliant green can be carried out on the genitals and mucous membranes.

How to apply brilliant green for chickenpox

Chickenpox appears as red spots, which later turn into blisters. Treatment must be carried out from the beginning of their manifestations until crusts form.

Before applying, be sure to wash your hands or use gloves. You can apply the solution with cotton swabs (ordinary cotton wool). For open wounds, use only sterile cotton wool or wipes.

It is worth carefully handling each element separately. You can touch up the rash as needed. This is often not worth doing, as it will not affect the therapeutic effect.

Chickenpox in infants

It must be remembered that any child over the age of six months can get chickenpox. In most cases, the course of the disease in infants is quite complex: such young children do not tolerate symptoms well, cannot complain and cannot take advice. As a result, they need more careful care and constant attention from the mother.

Chickenpox in newborns is characterized by the same symptoms, but in young children, chickenpox, which occurs in a particularly complex form, can cause serious harm to the body, affecting the development of internal organs. Treatment of chickenpox in infants should be carried out under the strict supervision of a qualified pediatrician.

You should try to ensure that the child does not tear off the scabs from drying out rashes, because This will only make it more itchy and increase the risk of re-infection. The child's hands need to be washed more often, since the causative virus may be present on the skin and under the nails. Nails should be cut short. It is recommended that your baby wear cotton gloves at night.

Herbal ointments

Such means include:

1. Alpizarin (suppresses the spread of viral infection, the active ingredient is Indian mango leaves). 2. Gossypol (cotton seeds and cotton plant - the basis of the drug). Gossypol slows down the spread of viral infection. 3. Kelofibrase (relieves inflammation, contains camphor, heparin). Prevents scar formation. 4. Aldara (imiquimod, interferon inducer). An excellent regenerating agent. 5. Helepin (lespedeza kopeck extract), inhibits viral activity. 6. Dermatix (silicon-containing polymers and inorganic divalent silicon oxide). The drug has a remodeling, softening, antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effect. Eliminates redness and severe itching.

How to treat chickenpox in a child?

Since chickenpox is caused by a virus, it is useless to treat the disease with antibiotics. The doctor may prescribe antibacterial drugs in cases where the course of chickenpox is complicated by the addition of a secondary bacterial infection.

There is no specific treatment against this infection, but necessary measures aimed at alleviating the patient’s condition must be taken. If a child gets chickenpox, the parents' task will be to minimize unpleasant symptoms and alleviate the baby's condition. To do this, at home, you must fulfill the basic conditions necessary for a speedy recovery:

1. Observance of strict bed rest;
2. Frequent change of underwear and bed linen;
3. Increased drinking regimen to reduce intoxication;
4. Light dairy-vegetable diet.

At the first unfavorable symptoms, you should call a doctor at home, who will give the necessary advice on care and prescribe medications to alleviate the child’s condition. The most important point of treatment during the active phase is the elimination of severe itching. When a rash appears, the skin itches and itches, and parents need to ensure that the baby does not scratch the itchy areas. This will help avoid the addition of a secondary bacterial infection.

1. Blisters on the body should be treated several times a day with antiseptic solutions (green or colorless Castellani liquid). This will help prevent the infection from spreading further throughout the body and reduce the number of rashes. This treatment helps dry out the blisters and form a crust, speeding up recovery.
2. To eliminate itching, the doctor may prescribe antihistamines (Suprastin, Diazolin, Diphenhydramine). These drugs effectively eliminate itching and have a mild calming and sedative effect, which will help cope with sleep disorders. The attending physician will select the required dose and dosage regimen.
3. If a child has a high temperature, the doctor will prescribe antipyretics (Paracetamol, Nurofen, Efferalgan). It is not advisable to give aspirin to children under 10 years of age.

Drinking plenty of fluids (lemon tea, compotes, juices, green and herbal tea) will help you recover quickly; the liquid will remove toxins from the body. During illness, the child loses his appetite, but it is necessary to maintain his strength. A dairy-vegetable diet will help with this, providing the body with the necessary vitamins and nutrients.

Severe forms of chickenpox affecting internal organs are treated in a hospital. Complex therapy necessarily includes antiherpetic drugs (Zovirx, Acyclovir); immunoglobulin and interferon are used to treat the condition.

Why is chickenpox treatment needed?

Skin treatment with antiseptic agents is prescribed to prevent suppuration. The antiseptic properties of the drugs kill microbes and have a drying effect, which promotes faster healing of wounds. The products also relieve itching and have a calming and anti-inflammatory effect.

Antihistamines are also used in combination to relieve itching. For the best effect, skin treatment and antihistamines should be started immediately after the first rash appears.

Folk remedies

There are various ways to get rid of itching due to chickenpox and in traditional medicine:

1. At high temperatures, it is advisable to drink cranberry juice, viburnum drink, rosehip infusion, and sea buckthorn tea. Strawberry juice saturates the body well with nutrients and has a pronounced antimicrobial effect.
2. Bath with chamomile. 5 tbsp. Pour a tablespoon of inflorescences (dry or fresh) into a liter of hot water, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for a quarter of an hour, strain. Add the decoction to the filled bath. The procedure takes 10 minutes, perform twice a day.
3. Tea tree oil. The only essential oil allowed for direct application to the skin, without conductive oil. If you treat all elements of the rash with tea tree oil using a cotton swab, this will significantly relieve itching and scabies. This procedure promotes disinfection and speedy healing of wounds.
4. Mix equally chamomile flowers, coltsfoot grass, chicory grass, calendula flowers, burdock root and immortelle flowers. Brew the prepared mixture with a dose of 40 g with half a liter of boiling water. Let it brew in a thermos for 8 hours. Take 4 times a day, a third of a glass.
5. Grind the calendula herb. Heat 60 g of calendula, previously brewed in a liter of water. Pour the strained broth into the bath and bathe the patient for a quarter of an hour in the morning and evening. Do not rub the skin.

Remedy No. 5 - Zinc ointment or paste

The composition of the drug does not include harmful and toxic components. The main active ingredient is zinc oxide. The product is white or light yellow. When applied it does not stain the skin.

The drug disinfects the surface of the skin, thereby preventing the proliferation of bacteria and microbes. After application, a thin protective film is formed.

Application is practically safe and does not cause side effects. Can be used without age restrictions. Ointment and paste are allowed during pregnancy. In rare cases, it causes allergies. To exclude this, you need to test for an allergic reaction.

Application of zinc ointment or paste

Zinc ointment or paste is used exclusively externally. Processed 2-3 times a day. Before use, you should consult your doctor.

Zinc ointment (paste) is not recommended for use in severe cases of the disease and in the event of complications: skin suppuration, abscesses, inflammation.

How many days does quarantine last for chickenpox?

Doctors have given an opinion on the contagiousness of the disease: from 4 to 13 days. Therefore, epidemiologists, if it is necessary to announce quarantine measures, close educational institutions for 14 days. During this period, the child cannot be allowed into kindergarten or school.

The first 5-10 days are dangerous for others during this period. You can focus on the appearance of the rash - while it is present on the body, the virus is in active form. During this period, it is very important to limit the patient’s contact with healthy people.

Is it possible to swim if you have chickenpox?

Contrary to popular misconceptions, you can and should swim when you have chicken rash. The main thing is to take a warm bath; the water should not be hot or cold. The baby should also walk in the fresh air, but avoid contact with other children. In such conditions, treatment will be more effective, and the patient will be able to avoid complications and other severe consequences of chickenpox.

How many days does a child have fever with chickenpox?

Very often, the temperature for this disease rises during the prodromal period - when preliminary symptoms appear. The increase in temperature may not be very critical - up to about 38 degrees, sometimes with a feeling of nausea and even vomiting.

The temperature may rise and fall slightly throughout the course of the disease - with each new rash on the baby's skin. During such periods, it is necessary for the baby to drink enough fluids, rest and get a good night's sleep. It is not recommended to reduce the temperature with antipyretic drugs if it has not reached high values.

It is strictly forbidden to give aspirin to your child. However, timely prevention will help avoid complications, and even infection with chickenpox itself. The main thing is to do everything in a timely manner and completely isolate the baby from contact with patients.

Medicine No. 2 - Acyclovir ointment

Acyclovir ointment for chickenpox has long remained the main modern treatment. Antiviral ointment effectively fights herpes virus type 3. Reduces the likelihood of complications, accelerates the recovery of damaged skin.

The composition selectively acts on the synthesis of viral DNA and blocks the replication of the virus. To achieve the maximum therapeutic effect, it is necessary to use the drug as early as possible.

The drug is approved for children. Before use, you should consult your pediatrician. The dosage is determined individually. Not recommended for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Treatment in the 1st trimester is especially dangerous. At this stage, the placenta is not able to completely protect the baby. Negative substances can penetrate inside.

Use for dehydration, liver failure, and neurology is prohibited.

Application of Acyclovir ointment

The drug is applied with clean hands and a cotton swab no more than 5 times a day to the elements of the rash and adjacent areas of the skin in a thin layer. Treatment is recommended every 4 hours during the day. The product forms a protective film on the skin.

The standard treatment period is 5-7 days. Therapy should be continued until a crust forms on the blisters or until they are completely healed.

Combining chickenpox ointment with other external agents is not recommended. There are contraindications.

Advice from Doctor Komarovsky

The most common question that concerned parents ask their favorite doctor concerns the effects of brilliant green in children with chickenpox. Evgeniy Komarovsky’s answer is unequivocal - there is no therapeutic effect from such an action, brilliant green serves only as an indicator of the period of contagiousness. Lubricating the blisters with a colored solution every day, one day mommy notices that there are no new rashes. From this moment the countdown begins for the last five days, when the baby can pose a danger to others.

The doctor draws the attention of parents to the fact that the viral infection, which is chickenpox in children, is not susceptible to antibiotics and does not require special medications during the normal course of the disease. Only in adolescence, when the disease is too severe, do doctors prescribe antiherpetic drugs.

The main advice that Dr. Komarovsky gives for mothers of sick children:

• avoid overheating, which increases itching;
• cut your nails short, wear gloves if necessary, and do your best to distract the baby from combing the bubbles;
• do not give aspirin so as not to cause liver complications;
• scratching the blisters leads to bacterial infection and the likelihood of marks for life;
• chickenpox quite strongly suppresses the immune system, so after suffering from the disease you should refrain from visiting kindergarten and devote more time to walks.

Regarding vaccinations, Komarovsky believes, sensible parents should not have any discussions. However, he reminds that vaccination against chickenpox is voluntary, so mothers and fathers will have to take responsibility for its implementation.

Drug for complications No. 6 - Baneocin ointment

If a patient experiences skin suppuration due to a bacterial infection, Baneocin ointment will help relieve inflammation.

This drug is not taken for primary treatment. It is allowed to apply to no more than 1 percent of the patient’s body surface.

Baneocin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic. The drug is highly effective in the treatment of skin suppurations. Used in adults and children from birth. During pregnancy, use is not recommended.

Application of Baneocin ointment

Apply 2-4 times a day. If necessary, to the eyeballs.

Possible complications

Fortunately, most children recover well from chickenpox. However, in some categories of patients the disease may have unfavorable outcomes, such as:

1. Hepatitis;
2. Pathology of the structures of the eyeball (keratitis);
3. Encephalitis. This pathology is manifested by severe damage to the central nervous system, manifested by seizures. This is due to the high tropism of the virus to nervous tissue. In most cases, this complication is detected in patients on days 7-12 of the disease. A persistent disorder of higher nervous activity in the form of idiocy occurs relatively rarely;
4. Pustular skin lesions: phlegmon, abscesses or boils. They are the result of penetration of pathological microorganisms into the liquid inside the vesicle, which, upon contact with neutrophils, can form pus;
5. Pneumonia. Most often diagnosed in adults. A feature of chickenpox pneumonia is the extreme paucity of clinical symptoms. The diagnosis can only be made by x-ray, and the image reveals small inflammatory foci throughout almost the entire length of the lung tissue;
6. Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle. It is manifested by dullness of heart sounds, pain in the heart area, as well as changes in the cardiogram;
7. Nephritis is an inflammatory kidney disease that most often occurs on the 10th-12th day of illness. In most cases, this pathology goes away on its own and does not require any specific therapy.

However, chickenpox can still serve as a reason for the appearance of another disease, not as a complication. As you already know, chickenpox is a type of herpes virus, therefore the virus remaining in the body is inactive and occurs in a latent state. However, as a result of repeated exposure to the chickenpox virus and a number of associated factors, it can lead to the occurrence of a disease such as herpes zoster.

Why can’t you use a solution with a higher concentration, for example, 5 percent?

The fact is that such a solution can kill not only bacteria, but also the upper epidermal layer. At the same time, the thinnest layer of the epidermis will dissolve and the contents of the pimples will spill out. And, as you know, open pimples are an ideal environment for bacteria.

If pathogenic microorganisms penetrate inside the pimple, an infection will occur, fraught with suppuration, increased itching, and an increase in the number of rashes.

Useful tips to speed up the healing process

Treatment of chickenpox can only be symptomatic. Its main symptoms:

• itching and watery rash all over the body;
• temperature increase;
• nausea;
• weakness.

Therefore, treatment of symptoms must be comprehensive. Take antipyretic drugs such as Paracetamol along with salicylic acid. In addition, take vitamins, especially vitamin C. It is a good idea to drink plenty of fluids to help flush out toxins from your body.

Salicylic alcohol effectively dries out pimples, especially in their initial stages, when they are filled with watery, transparent contents.

Is it worth getting vaccinated?

Doctors began vaccinating children against chickenpox relatively recently. The composition of the vaccine is represented by live but weakened pathogens. The first vaccination is usually given at 12–14 months. The chickenpox vaccine is re-administered after 3 to 5 years. Adolescents and adults who do not have natural immunity are vaccinated twice, with an interval of 1 month or more between injections.

Young children tolerate chickenpox vaccinations well, and pediatricians do not record any adverse reactions. However, if the child is part of a group of frequently ill children, it is necessary to consult with the local pediatrician about the advisability of vaccination. A weakened body may react to vaccination with unpredictable phenomena.

Remedies for treating rashes caused by chickenpox (chickenpox)

In modern medicine, a large number of effective remedies are available to treat chickenpox rashes. New drugs have appeared on the market, which, unlike traditional brilliant green, are colorless. However, before you start treating the skin, you need to familiarize yourself with the contraindications. For example, pregnant women and children cannot use all of the listed remedies.

Before use, be sure to consult with your doctor. Let's look at the most common and effective means.