Chicken Pox - Natural Relief For Children's "Itchy" Illness

What is Chicken Pox?

Chicken Pox is a common childhood disease caused by the varicella virus, which is a member of the herpes virus family. This common problem usually occurs in children less than nine years old. There is a low grade fever, headache, a rash that usually appears first on the face and scalp as red dots. These merge into pus or fluid filled blisters, which form crusts and scabs as they heal in various stages. Itching may be intense, each pock lasting several weeks and they may form scars. Rash emerges continuously over 4-6 days, mostly on the central body with fewer on arms and legs. The inner mouth is sometimes affected as well. Treatment is symptomatic as with measles, although there will be no photosensitivity to deal with.

Chicken pox normally starts and finishes in about two weeks, but people with weak immune systems or newborns can have very serious complications. The time from first contact with this disease to the time the symptoms appear, called the incubation period, is 2 to 3 weeks and the person is contagious from 2 days or so before the rash appears.

Most of us are infected with this disease once in our lives. After the first exposure to the virus, the body builds up immunity in the form of antibodies that recognize the disease and kills the virus before it can infect us again.

Generally, the older you are, the worse the case. It's hardest on adults who have never had it before; they are much more likely than kids to suffer rare complications such as pneumonia or encephalitis. It can also cause permanent skin damage in those of all ages who have ongoing skin problems, such as eczema or psoriasis. And anyone taking cancer drugs or cortisone must alert his doctor immediately at the first sign of a chicken pox infection.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Chicken Pox?

The following symptoms will occur 10-21 days after exposure to chicken pox:

• Low grade fever
• Runny nose, slight cough
• Decrease in appetite
• Headache
• Backache
• Tired, rundown feeling
• Upset stomach or vomiting

These symptoms usually occur 24-48 hours before the spots appear on the body.

At first, therefore, your child may appear unwell and feverish, but you will not be able to determine the cause for a day or two, or until the chicken pox spots begin to appear. Here is how you can tell the chicken pox spots from other spots or rashes:

Initially flat, red splotchy dots, no bigger than a pencil eraser, appear. The rash usually starts on the chest, stomach and back and then spreads a day or so later to the face, scalp and the rest of the body. The rash is very rarely seen on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet.

Within a few hours these red spots turn into tiny blisters that are extremely itchy. As the blisters are scratched they ‘pop’ and the fluid (serum) that leaks out of them forms a crust. This fluid is full of the virus and is highly contagious.

As new spots can keep coming out for the next 2-6 days, you will often see new red spots alongside older, crusted blisters. This is very characteristic of chicken pox.

The number of spots depends on the severity of the infection. Some children can be covered in spots, even inside the mouth and in the genital region, and others will only have a few spots.

Once your child has chicken pox you need to keep them isolated until all the potentially contagious skin sores have healed over. Common sense health care applies at this time: plenty of sleep, lots of liquids (no sugar or carbonated drinks as they weaken immunity). Cooling cloths and herbs can help ease the fever and body ache stage and plenty of soothing creams and herbs once the itch starts plus lots of love!!

The itching can be very intense and it is very important to stop your child from scratching as this is the best way to prevent scarring. Keep the fingernails short or try gloves on toddlers to prevent the scabs being picked off.

One of the biggest problems with chicken pox is infected blisters. The spots are extremely itchy and it is very difficult not to scratch. Once the blisters are scratched open secondary bacterial infection can occur and this, combined with picking off the scabs, is what usually leads to scarring. For this reason, scratching of the spots needs to be kept to a minimum and hands and the spots themselves should be kept clean.

Natural Remedies For Chicken Pox

If you are considering purchasing pre-made remedies, we highly recommend two products from Native Remedies that work very well. Many clients, as well as our own son, experienced very positive results using them. Chickie Spot Drops, and Chickie Spot Soother together soothe your child's skin, as well as provide other benefits such as, promoting comfort and wellness, regulating their temperature, providing a boost to their immune system and supporting the body's natural ability to heal.

Herbs

In our opinion, natural herbal health products are the best to use for this illness. The herbs listed immediately below are antiviral herbs that can support the body. They can also be used preventatively if there is an epidemic in your area or if your child has been in contact with the disease:

• Cats Claw (Una Decario)
• St. John’s Wort
• Olive Leaf
• Echinacea

The following have all been used successfully for relief from chicken pox symptoms:

• Boneset – relieves the body ache and assists in lowering fevers.
• Burdock – helps break fevers and reduces skin damage from the spots.
• Nettle – strengthening tonic and exceptional skin healer.
• Ledum tincture - diluted and dabbed onto spots with a cotton bud can give instant itch relief, and it also aids healing of the area.
• Aloe Vera gel - relieves itching and generally cools.
• Tumeric paste – soothes when applied directly to the spots.
• Sandalwood – relieves itch, heals and cools.
• Chickweed – relieves itch and soothes.
• Calendula – relieves itch, heals the skin and helps prevent scarring.
• Lavender – relieves itch, cools, heals the skin and prevents infection.
• Vitamin E oil – another oil that provides relief from itching and helps heal.
• Tea Tree Oil - provides amazing instant relief (also great when applied on mosquito bites).

Baths

Baths of all sorts have been used successfully to help alleviate the itching and provide some comfort. Below are some different ideas we came across that may help.

1. Burdock, Nettle, and/or Peppermint - make into a strong tea and add to the bath.

2. Oatmeal (rolled oats) - tie oats in a muslin cloth or old stocking and put under the running tap as you fill the bath or gently dab bag or stocking directly onto the skin whilst wet.

3. Pea water, namely green pea water, is another natural way to relieve many of the discomforts associated with having the chicken pox. Green pea water can provide relief when the skin is/or feels irritated. An easy way to use green pea water is to cook peas on the stove. Drain the peas, but save the water. Let the green pea water cool and then add to the bath.

4. Lukewarm water baths with Neem leaves will help relieve the itching.

5. Mix 2 tbs. marigold flowers with 1 tsp. witch hazel leaves and 1 cup of water.

   Let them sit over night. Apply on rash as needed it will relieve the itch of chicken pox.

6. St. John’s Wort (dried leaves, stem and flowers), dried Burdock root, and dried Licorice root

   To make the decoction we would put one large handful of each into about a gallon of boiling water and simmer for 20 minutes. Then strain out the herbs and add the tea to the bath water.

7. A warm bath with Burdock, Ginger, Goldenseal, or Yellow Dock to help soothe the affected areas.

8. Yellow Dock - relieves itching and may help to heal sores. Boil 4 ounces minced fresh root--not leaves--in 2 cups water (yellow dock leaves can be toxic). Apply the decoction to affected skin or drink 1/4 cup several times a day.

9. Yarrow - reduces inflammation, kills bacteria, and speeds up the healing of wounds. Pour 1 cup hot water over 1 to 2 teaspoons of the dried flower heads. Let steep for 10 minutes. You can either drink the infusion or apply it externally to affected areas of skin. Yarrow extracts are also available. Some individuals are allergic to yarrow. At the first sign of dermatitis, stop using this herb.

Teas

A mild herbal tea can also prove beneficial in the treatment of chicken pox. It should be sipped slowly several times a day:

1. Use Catnip tea sweetened with molasses. It reduces fever.

2. Tea can be prepared from any of the herbs like Chamomile (babunah), Basil (tulsi), Marigold (zergul) and Lemon Balm (billilotan). A little Cinnamon (dalchini), honey, and lemon may be added to this tea.

3. Saffron and Snake Root tea will help alleviate the symptoms.

4. St. John’s Wort, Burdock and Licorice tea once the breakout has started to be noticeable.

What Else Do I Need to Know About Chicken Pox?

• Crusts do not contain the virus.
• Crusting occurs in 5 to 10 days after breakout.
• Children are not to go to school for at least 7 days - until all sores are crusted.
• Bathe daily.
• Let scabs fall off by themselves.
• Keep your child out of the sun – sun exposed skin develops extra blisters.
• Give your child soft foods and fluids if there are blisters in the mouth. Avoid citrus and acid foods like tomatoes and pineapple as they will sting.
• Prepare simple, clean, whole - foods that are high in vitamins and minerals.
• Offer plenty of fluids to ensure that your child remains well hydrated.
• Frozen fruit - juice popsicles are very popular – they are soothing and help your child to take in some fluids and vitamins.
• Gargling with salt water (1/4 teaspoon salt to 4 ounces water) will help relieve itchy blisters in the mouth.
• Give your child lots of TLC and reassure him/her that the ‘bumps’ are not serious and will go away in a week or so.

Reduce fever with acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Do NOT give your child aspirin. The combination of chicken pox and aspirin can increase a child's risk of contracting Reyes syndrome - a rare and potentially fatal disorder that can affect the liver and brain.

How Long Will It Take For My Child To Recover From Chicken Pox?

Most children recover from chicken pox uneventfully in less than two weeks. Remember, your child is infectious from 1-2 days prior to the rash appearing until all the spots have crusted over and dried out.

The more intimate and more frequent the exposure to chicken pox, the more severe the infection will be. This fact has very important implications, especially if you have more than one child. Children in different stages of the disease should be separated to minimize their exposure to each other. With minimal exposure, the second child to become ill is likely to have a less severe case of chicken pox, with less discomfort.

Are There Any Times When I Should Worry?

Complications are rare, however, children with a decreased immune system, ie. due to illness or medication, are at a higher risk including encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain), meningitis (inflammation of the brain linings) or pneumonia.

Consult your health care provider if your child exhibits any of the following:

• A fever higher than 103°F on any one occasion, or higher than 102°F for two days.
• Any of the scabs are red, oozing pus or bleeding.

Seek emergency care if your child exhibits any of the following:

• Severe headache, stiff neck, seizures, abnormal behavior and/or continuous vomiting.
• Hard to wake, confused or having difficulty breathing.

Remember, most cases of chicken pox are usually relatively mild and resolve with care at home. On top of the natural health remedies provided, the best thing you can do is show children plenty of love, keep them calm and relaxed and do all that you can to help the itchiness and stop the scratching.

Click here to return from Chicken Pox Remedies to Home Page