infections
Chickenpox
Symptoms of Chickenpox
Symptoms of chickenpox begin 7 to 21 days after infection occurs. They include Mild headache Moderate fever Loss of appetite A general feeling of illness (malaise) Younger children often do not have these symptoms, but symptoms are often severe in adults. About 24 to 36 hours after the first symptoms begin, a rash of small, flat, red spots appears. The spots usually begin on the trunk and face, later appearing on the arms and legs. Some people have only a few spots. Others have them almost everywhere, including on the scalp and inside the mouth. Within 6 to 8 hours, each spot becomes raised. It forms an itchy, round, fluid-filled blister against a red background and finally crusts. Spots continue to develop and crust for several days. A hallmark of chickenpox is that the rash develops in crops so that the spots are in various forms of development at any affected area. Very rarely, the spots become infected by bacteria, which can cause a severe skin infection ( Cellulitis or New spots usually stop appearing by the fifth day, the majority are crusted by the sixth day, and most disappear in fewer than 20 days. Sometimes children who have been vaccinated develop chickenpox. In these children, the rash is typically milder, fever is less common, and the illness is shorter. However, contact with the sores can spread the infection. Spots in the mouth quickly rupture and form raw sores (ulcers), which often make swallowing painful. Raw sores may also occur on the eyelids and in the upper airways, rectum, and vagina. The worst part of the illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. 