One student at the Elementary School has been diagnosed with Chicken Pox. Parents, please watch for the following;
What are the symptoms?
This usually mild infectious disease most commonly occurs in early school-age children and is characterized by:
* General feeling of illness, headache, muscle ache, or slight fever may occur.
* A skin rash that consists of groups of itchy raised bumps that turn into blisters, then to scabs. The rash can be seen mainly on the stomach/back area but can spread anywhere on the body. New crops of spots continue to breakout so that red spots, blisters, and scabs can appear in the same area.
How it is spread?
Chicken Pox is highly contagious from about 1 day before the spots appear until all spots are scabbed over (about 7 days later). The virus is spread through the air by respiratory droplets and by direct contact with blister fluid.
When is my child contagious?
1-2 days before blisters appear and until all scabs are crusted, usually 7-10 days.
What is the school procedure?
Students are sent home and need to stay home until all of the blisters have crusted, (usually 7-10 days).
How are Chicken Pox treated?
There is no cure for Chicken Pox. Treatment is directed toward helping the child feel better. Contact your doctor for information. He/she may recommend a soothing bath for itch relief, or fever-reducing medicine such as acetaminophen (Tylenol).
***DO NOT give aspirin to children (unless prescribed by your doctor), as some reports have linked it to Reye’s syndrome.
Further questions, please contact your family physician