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Your child has been exposed to chicken pox, or perhaps they've got little bumps coming
out on their arms, and you know that chicken pox is going around in the community, and
you're wondering what to do about that. My name is Beverly Bitterman, ARNP, Health and
Wellness Consultant, so what you need to know, is that chicken pox is a virus, and it is
contagious, so other people who have not had chicken pox, and if they're exposed to your
child, they may indeed get chicken pox, as well. Once you're exposed to chicken pox,
it can take a couple of weeks for you or whoever is going to get the chicken pox, to break
out in the infection, and what will happen, is you will get little red bumps on your skin,
and it can happen all over your body. It can even happen in your mucous membranes, inside
your mouth, for example, and eventually those red bumps will start to ooze, and they'll
crust over, and it can be itchy. Some kids get itchy with these bumps, and so what you're
doing, is keeping them comfortable, helping them with any fever that they might have,
using Tylenol or Motrin periodically, for the fever. You want to keep the skin clean
and dry, so you're wanting to bathe them regularly. They might find that something like a little
oatmeal in the bathtub, can help to have a drying effect on the oozing pustules that
come with chicken pox, and you may benefit by an oral antihistamine, if the child is
at least, say three years of age. That might help the itching, and help them sleep better
at night. Good hand washing for everyone involved, will help reduce exposure, as well as keeping
anyone out of the house, that would be in danger of coming up with chicken pox. They
do go away on their own, and you don't necessarily need to see the doctor, unless you feel that
your child is unduly sick, or they have an immune system issue already. Then of course,
you would want to see the doctor right away. My name is Beverly Bitterman, ARNP, Health
and Wellness Consultant, and I hope that your child's chicken pox, clear up sooner rather
than later.