In the article, we will consider the name of the chickenpox vaccine. After all, chickenpox is a fairly serious infectious disease. Preschool children can tolerate it quite easily, and in infants, adults, as well as people with weakened immunity, the disease can go away with complications.
General information about the disease
Many people wonder how chickenpox in children lasts for how many days. According to experts, the method of transmitting chickenpox is airborne. Before the onset of the first symptoms, after contact with the carrier of the virus, from 10 to 21 days pass. The infectious period can go behind the scenes, because it begins a few days before the onset of skin rashes and lasts until fresh abscesses on the skin cease to appear and the old ones are completely covered with a crust. A person may not know that he is sick, but may already infect others. How does chickenpox begin in children?
First signs
The thing is that until a characteristic rash appears, it is extremely difficult to make a diagnosis. At the beginning of the disease, the symptoms may resemble a common cold: the child coughs, sniffs, a slight increase in temperature is observed. Nothing indicates the presence of an infectious disease. Only at the end of the incubation period, when the temperature rises sharply to 39-40 and a small pink rash appears on the body, the diagnosis is unambiguous.
It is important to find out in advance how chickenpox begins in children. The first signs should not be left without attention. At the initial stage, pimples appear on the face and in the abdomen, are filled with fluid and cause terrible itching.
Symptoms of the disease can be accompanied by trembling, fever, abdominal pain, headache, a feeling of general malaise. In the early days of the rash, the fever may increase. In this case, one patient may have very few abscesses, and the other - the whole will be covered, including the region of the eyelids, genitals and even the mouth. The blisters quickly enough tighten the crust, which dies within fourteen days. In the first 4-5 days of the disease, new blisters appear, so all stages of the rash occur simultaneously.
How many days does chickenpox in children last? On average, babies tolerate the disease for 1.5-3 weeks, however, there are exceptions.
How to help in the first stage?
On the first day of the disease, the temperature can jump sharply, so you need to give the patient an antipyretic. In order to prevent suppuration of the bubbles, the Bubbles should be immediately lubricated with ordinary brilliant green or iodine to prevent suppuration, and to prevent their combing. If the itching is very severe, you can consult a doctor for advice on the use of antihistamines (Zirtek, Suprastin). It is advisable to change clothes more often, each time the patient is sweating a little so as not to aggravate the itching. In case of a rash on the mucous membrane of the mouth, daily rinses with 1% - a weak solution (1%) of potassium permanganate, furatsilina are necessary. Decoctions of chamomile, calendula are also suitable.
The room in which the patient is located needs to be ventilated more often. The patient's diet should have more vegetables and fruits, as well as plenty of water. The first 3-6 days of the disease are the most difficult, after which the itching and new rashes gradually end, the temperature decreases, and overall health improves. Having been ill in childhood, a person acquires lifelong immunity.
Possible complications
Ideally, everyone should have chickenpox in order to develop immunity to the disease. Nevertheless, a virus introduced into the immune system in childhood may not manifest itself for a long time, and then an adult suddenly has a rash. Such a rash is called shingles and is caused by an activated virus in the body.
Traces of chickenpox can also remain on the skin forever, especially in adolescents. Acne spots are visible up to one year. Chickenpox is especially dangerous for pregnant women: a newborn can get a serious illness if her mother gets chickenpox a few days before birth.
Secondary bacterial infections, viral pneumonia, and even encephalitis can also be complications of chickenpox. Encephalitis Is a viral disease of the brain, although a rare but very serious complication of chickenpox. If you identify a risk of complications, you must immediately visit a doctor.
What can be done?
Experts advise:
- With a strong fever, severe headache, heavy breathing, Paracetamol will help reduce heat. "Acetylsalicylic acid" is not recommended. And, of course, you need to drink more fluid.
- When rashes in the mouth, a sparing diet is especially necessary. All salty foods, as well as all types of citrus should be discarded.
- With painful and severely itchy rashes in the inguinal region, drugs with anesthetic effect can be used, applying them externally.
- If there is a risk of an abscess at the site of the rash, it is recommended to use an antibacterial ointment.
- If the temperature lasts more than 4 days above 38 degrees - consult a doctor.
- The patient does not have to stay in bed all the time, but peace is necessary.
- The question of a child attending school, kindergarten is decided by the doctor.
- And give up trying to peel the crusts from the almost healed pock. This can lead to reinfection and prolong itching.
Why do I need a doctor
The doctor will prescribe an antiviral drug for an adult patient (for children, as a rule, just rest and rest is enough). With re-infection, it will reveal the complications as soon as possible and, if necessary, prescribe antibiotics.
Chickenpox Prevention
To prevent infection:
- Avoid contact with sick people at least until the end of the infectious period (all smallpox should tighten the crust).
- And yet, all members of the same family who have not yet been ill will certainly do this together.
- Chickenpox vaccination is recommended for children after a year.
- If you have not yet had chickenpox, especially with reduced immunity, pregnancy, or after bone marrow transplant surgery, be sure to consult a doctor if you have contact with the patient.
Now let's figure out what the chickenpox vaccine is called.
Vaccination
The disease is considered non-hazardous and children, in general, manage to get it from them even in preschool age. Moreover, it is quite easily tolerated in childhood. Parents even want the child to get sick in childhood, which will protect him from the virus in the future. However, now there is already an opportunity to protect yourself from a probable disease. This, of course, is about preventive vaccinations.
The causative agent of chickenpox is the Varicella Zoster virus , which enters the human body through the respiratory tract. In the USA, Australia and Austria, vaccination of children against chickenpox is mandatory and is included in the vaccination schedule. In our country, it is still advisory in nature.
The vaccine is administered to children in advance or urgently. If the parents vaccinate the infant up to a year in a planned manner, the Okavax vaccine is used. For children from 13 months of age to 13 years old - Varilrix. In emergency situations, you can use any of them.
Okavax was created by a Japanese scientist in the late twentieth century. Then the strain of the virus (Oka) was transferred to two large pharmaceutical companies, which, in turn, developed two more vaccines - Varivax and Varilrix from chickenpox. America uses the first, Russia buys the second. Let's look at the cases in which these drugs are used and look at vaccination regimens.
The name of the chickenpox vaccine is now known. But it is also important to clarify that Okavax is used to vaccinate children under 1 year old. The vaccine is “live”, it contains weakened chickenpox virus molecules.
The varilrix chickenpox vaccine is administered to older children: from a year to 13 years. The vaccine is used to prevent chickenpox in both healthy children and people at risk. The drug also produces emergency vaccination of children and adults after communicating with a sick person. The term for emergency administration of the vaccine is from 72 to 96 hours after contact.
Prevention of chickenpox with Okavax and Varillrix vaccines is not mandatory. But doctors recommend getting vaccinated on time. The drug goes well with other live vaccines (except for BCG, it is recommended to maintain a break of one month between vaccinations).
On the eve of the chickenpox vaccination, the child needs to take blood and urine tests, and be examined by a pediatrician. Vaccination is possible only in the absence of any contraindications. So when do they get the chickenpox vaccine?
Vaccination Schemes
The drug "Okavax" is administered in a dose of 5 ml once. And that’s all! The patient develops stable immunity to chickenpox. The drug "Varilrix", however, must be administered twice with an interval of 1.5-2.5 months. Which is better - “Okavaks” or “Varilrix” - is not easy to solve. In case of emergency vaccination, any of the drugs is administered once in a dose of 0.5 ml.
Do I need booster vaccination with Varilrix or Okavax?
How long does the vaccine work? It is believed that immunity lasts 10 years, after which re-vaccination is necessary. In fact, re-vaccination is no longer required.
True, the fact that the drug itself was discovered a little over forty years ago does not allow us to determine the maximum duration of its action. However, in patients vaccinated 20 years ago, chickenpox immunity is still active.
Which is better: get vaccinated or get sick?
Some parents believe that getting chickenpox in order to gain immunity for life is still better than trusting dubious vaccination. Everyone chooses for himself. But still, most pediatricians recommend that parents do not put their children at risk and still believe in science.
The following arguments can be made in favor of vaccination:
- A child can get chickenpox in a more severe form and even get complications; the vaccine does not give complications.
- Children who have not had the disease under study before 12 years of age, vaccination is necessary. Because it will not allow them to get sick at an older age.
- The chickenpox vaccine completely protects against the disease. The effectiveness of modern vaccines is almost 100%.
- If, nevertheless, a person at risk (HIV-infected, cancer patient and the like) gets chickenpox, then he will be ill in a milder form.
Side effects of vaccination
What are the reactions to Varilrix? And although the vaccine is absolutely safe, reactions to these kinds of drugs are rare, but they do occur. Let's learn more.
At the injection site, slight reddening of the tissues, a slight itching, with pressure, soreness can be felt. Occasionally and for a short time, there is pain in the arm, tightening of tissues, temporary restriction of movements. These symptoms relate to local reactions.
General reactions may be as follows:
- Hives.
- An increase in temperature, in rare cases, can be in a fever;
- Lymph nodes may become inflamed;
- Sensation of general weakness in the body, loss of strength;
- chickenpox rash (may occur within 24 days).
Most of the above do not require treatment, but if the temperature has risen to 38 or higher, then you should take an antipyretic ("Ibuprofen", "Paracetamol") and, if necessary, call a doctor. In case of urticaria, take an antihistamine to get rid of itching and swelling (Zirtek, Suprastin).
Contraindications to vaccination
Vaccination should not be carried out under the following conditions:
- Immunodeficiency (primary or acquired).
- Diseases in the acute phase (SARS, intestinal infection, rubella, flu, mumps, etc.).
- Exacerbation of existing chronic diseases.
- Individual sensitivity to the components of the drug.
- Pregnancy and lactation;
- In case of development of undesirable reactions to previous vaccination. (temperature, swelling, etc.).
- Therapy with drugs that reduce immunity.
What is the danger of chickenpox
Many people consider chicken pox to be a “childhood illness,” preschoolers smeared with green paint have already become commonplace for everyone. But after all, if already in childhood I had chickenpox, then the virus is no longer scary for you, it has received lifelong immunity. And indeed, relapses are extremely rare.
However, the danger and insidiousness of the virus - the causative agent of chickenpox, is that after recovery it can "hide" inside the nerve trunk and under adverse conditions for the body can make itself felt, causing visual impairment, diseases of the nervous system, discoordination of movements and even paralysis . Vaccination will help prevent such undesirable consequences. So we examined the name of the chickenpox vaccine.