Health encyclopaedia

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Treatment of Chickenpox

Chickenpox usually clears up without treatment. There are some things you can do to ease the symptoms.

You can take mild painkillers such as paracetamol to relieve fever symptoms. Give child paracetamol to children, and don’t give aspirin to children under 16. If the rash is very itchy, try dabbing it with calamine lotion.

Give children warm baths without soap every three to four hours for the first couple of days. Adding a few tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda to the bath water may help.

Sugar-free ice-lollies help to lower temperature and give the child fluids, as well as soothing a sore mouth if it’s become infected. They may be used in children over four.

In severe cases an antiviral drug called acyclovir may be prescribed early on in the virus.

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