Understanding Chickenpox
Some information about chickenpox you should know

Chickenpox is a common illness among young children under the age of twelve. Chickenpox might cause an itchy rash of blister-like spots to appear all over the body and might be accompanied by flu-like symptoms. Symptoms usually go away without any special treatment, but since the infection is very contagious, infected children should stay home and rest until the symptoms are gone.
Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV for short). Chickenpox vaccines can be given at twelve to eighteen months to protect kids from chickenpox, although vaccines are also given to older kids, adults, and teens.
A person usually has only one episode of chickenpox, but the virus that causes chickenpox may lie dormant in the body for years and cause a different kind of skin eruption later called shingles. Getting the chickenpox vaccine lowers your child’s chances of becoming infected with chickenpox, but he or she might develop shingles later.
Symptoms of Chickenpox
Symptoms of chickenpox include a red, itchy rash on the skin that appears on the abdomen, back, or face, and which spreads everywhere on the body, including the mouth, scalp, ears, and genitals.
The rash begins as small, multiple red bumps that resemble insect bites. They develop into thin-walled blisters filled with clear fluid, which eventually becomes cloudy. The blister wall breaks, leaving open sores, which finally crust over to become scabs.
Chickenpox blisters are measure less than a quarter of an inch wide, have a reddish base, and appear in spurts over two to four days. Some children experience sore throat, headache, fever, or a sick feeling before the rash appears. Younger children often experience milder symptoms than older children and adults.
Although chickenpox is a mild illness, it may affect some adults and infants more severely. Some may develop serious bacterial infections. Children with normal immune systems can also occasionally develop complications. Up to 20% of people who have had chickenpox develop shingles later in life.
Contagiousness
Chickenpox is contagious from two days before the rash erupts and lasts until all the blisters have scabbed. A child infected with chickenpox should stay home from school until all blisters have dried.
Pregnancy and chickenpox
Pregnant women should stay away from anyone with chickenpox. If a pregnant woman who hasn’t had chickenpox contracts it during the pregnancy, the fetus is at risk for birth defects and she is at increased health risk as well.
If a pregnant woman has had chickenpox before the pregnancy, the baby will be protected from infection for the first few months of life.
Treating Chickenpox
Antibiotics are of no use for chickenpox, since it is caused by a virus. Antiviral medicine acyclovir might be prescribed for people who might develop complications with chickenpox. Other than that, calamine lotions to relieve itchiness and a cool compress for fever are the best ways to treat common chickenpox.