How long for sibling to catch chicken pox

Most people who have this vaccine will not get chickenpox. If an immunised person does get chickenpox, it is usually mild. Your child can also have free chickenpox immunisation if they turn 11 years of age on or after 1 July , if they haven't already had chickenpox or chickenpox immunisation.

Certain high-risk people will still be able to get the vaccine free regardless of their age. Talk to your family doctor or practice nurse. Chickenpox can be more dangerous for certain groups of people who have reduced infection-fighting ability immunity. The following should see their doctor if they or you think they have been exposed to chickenpox, as they may need treatment to prevent chickenpox:.

Immunisation Advisory Centre. New Zealand. Chickenpox varicella. Ministry of Health. Immunisation handbook Fact sheet: Chickenpox. The Royal Children's Hospital.

Chickenpox - varicella. This leaflet about chickenpox is for parents of babies and young children. It explains how immunisation can protect your family from chickenpox. The section on chickenpox in the Ministry of Health's handbook provides detailed information for health professionals and may be of interest to those parents who want more comprehensive information.

The fact sheet provides more detailed information about the chickenpox vaccine for example, 'What vaccines protect against chickenpox? A brief video from the Immunisation Advisory Centre describing the impact of chickenpox varicella and the vaccine that helps protect against it. This page last reviewed 21 September Do you have any feedback for KidsHealth? If you have any feedback about the KidsHealth website, or have a suggestion for new content, please get in touch with us.

Call Healthline free on for health advice and information in NZ. Email us your feedback. Content is regularly updated so please refer to www. Skip to main content. Close main menu. KidsHealth NZ. Open main menu Close main menu. Search form. Hidden Submit Search. Key points to remember about chickenpox chickenpox is a common childhood illness caused by a virus it is very easy to catch most cases of chickenpox are mild and children get better completely your child needs to see a doctor if they have a very high fever or are very ill, particularly if they become very drowsy, or are breathing fast or vomiting a lot children with chickenpox need to stay home from school and daycare chickenpox can sometimes cause serious complications What is chickenpox?

Who is at risk of getting chickenpox? What are the symptoms of chickenpox? Early symptoms Chickenpox can often start with the following symptoms: a fever a headache a runny nose a cough loss of appetite feeling tired Chickenpox rash The chickenpox rash is usually very itchy.

References Immunisation Advisory Centre. External links and downloads Immunise against chickenpox Ministry of Health. Chickenpox is an infection caused by the varicella virus. It cannot be treated with antibiotics. Treatment is usually to relieve the symptoms, which are commonly fever and a rash.

Chickenpox is easily spread by direct contact with a person who has chickenpox, or by fluid droplets in the air when they cough or sneeze. A person with chickenpox is infectious to others from one to two days before the rash first appears until the last blisters have dried up. In rare cases, children can develop serious complications as a result of chickenpox.

A chickenpox vaccination is given to children aged 18 months as part of their normal schedule of vaccinations. It is very effective, has few side effects and is free in Australia. A second dose of the chickenpox vaccine booster can be given to further increase protection. This needs to be given at least one month after the initial vaccine. The rash usually appears 10 to 21 days after first being exposed to someone who has chickenpox.

The time between exposure and getting the rash is called the incubation period. The rash usually first appears on the chest, back or face.

It can then move to other areas of the body, including inside the mouth. At first, the rash looks like small pimples.

These later become blisters full of fluid. Most children with chickenpox are unwell for about five to seven days. Because chickenpox is a virus, it cannot be treated with antibiotics. Treatment is about controlling the itching from the rash and other symptoms related to the viral illness. There are many medications and creams that you can buy from your local pharmacy to help with the itching. It can be difficult to make sure children drink enough when they are unwell.

To prevent dehydration, give your child sips of drinks water is best , jelly, icy poles, soup and other fluids often. Children with chickenpox may have a fever and can feel tired and irritable. Chickenpox is contagious from about 2 days before the rash starts until all the blisters are crusted over. Someone with shingles can spread chickenpox but not shingles to people who haven't had chickenpox or the vaccine.

Because chickenpox is so contagious, a child who has it should stay home and rest until the rash is gone and all blisters have dried. This usually takes about 1 week. If you're unsure about whether your child is ready to return to school, ask your doctor. If they are exposed to chickenpox, they might be given a medicine zoster immune globulin to make the illness less severe.

Most people who get the chickenpox vaccine will not get chickenpox. And if they do get chickenpox, their symptoms will be much milder.

People 6 years of age and older who have never had chickenpox and aren't vaccinated can and should get two doses of the vaccine. Kids who have had chickenpox do not need the vaccine — they usually have lifelong protection against the illness.

Call your doctor if you think your child has chickenpox. The doctor can guide you in watching for complications and in choosing medicine to ease itching. If you take your child to the doctor, let the staff know ahead of time that your child might have chickenpox.

It's important not to expose other kids in the office — for some of them, a chickenpox infection could cause serious complications. A virus causes chickenpox, so antibiotics can't treat it. But antibiotics are needed if bacteria infect the sores. This can happen when kids scratch and pick at the blisters. An antiviral medicine might be prescribed for people with chickenpox who are at risk for complications.

The depends on the:. Never give aspirin to kids with chickenpox. It can lead to a serious illness called Reye syndrome. Most chickenpox infections don't need special medical treatment. But sometimes, problems can happen. Call the doctor if your child:. Note: All information is for educational purposes only.

For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.