Chickenpox medical therapy
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
|
Chickenpox Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Case Studies |
|
Chickenpox medical therapy On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Chickenpox medical therapy |
|
Risk calculators and risk factors for Chickenpox medical therapy |
Overview
Chickenpox infection tends to be milder the younger a child is and symptomatic treatment, with a little sodium bicarbonate in baths or antihistamine medication to ease itching,[1] and paracetamol (acetaminophen) to reduce fever, are widely used. Ibuprofen can also be used on advice of a doctor. However, aspirin or products containing aspirin must not be given to children with chickenpox (or any fever-causing illness), as this risks causing the serious and potentially fatal Reye's Syndrome. [2]
There is no evidence to support the effectiveness of topical application of calamine lotion, a topical barrier preparation containing zinc oxide in spite of its wide usage and excellent safety profile.[3].
It is important to maintain good hygiene and daily cleaning of skin with warm water to avoid secondary bacterial infection. Infection in otherwise healthy adults tends to be more severe and active; treatment with antiviral drugs (e.g. acyclovir) is generally advised. Patients of any age with depressed immune systems or extensive eczema are at risk of more severe disease and should also be treated with antiviral medication. In the U.S., 55 percent of chickenpox deaths are in the over-20 age group, even though they are a tiny fraction of the cases.
References
- ↑ Somekh E, Dalal I, Shohat T, Ginsberg GM, Romano O (2002). "The burden of uncomplicated cases of chickenpox in Israel". J. Infect. 45 (1): 54–7. PMID 12217733.
- ↑ US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Varicella Treatment Questions & Answers". CDC Guidelines. CDC. Retrieved 2007-8-23. Check date values in:
|accessdate=(help) - ↑ Tebruegge M, Kuruvilla M, Margarson I (2006). "Does the use of calamine or antihistamine provide symptomatic relief from pruritus in children with varicella zoster infection?". Arch. Dis. Child. 91 (12): 1035–6. doi:10.1136/adc.2006.105114. PMID 17119083. Text "format-Abstract" ignored (help)