Chicken pox & homoeopathy:

it is another rush hour at the end of academic session with the teachers pushing through the �portions� and parents burning midnight oil with their children in preparation for the impending �finals� during february-march when the cold of winter gives into the warmth. Well this also an ideal time for �varicella zoster� a virus causing chicken pox to strike causing red, bumpy eruptions filled with fluid associated with fever, cold and cough and causing the child to miss a week of school.

What is chicken pox?:

chicken-pox is an infection of the virus which spreads easily from one to another through the droplets released during sneezing, cough, breathing or even touching the affected person. About half the infected every year are between the age of 5-9 years. Adults infected have a more severe form of the disease than children.


Transmission & symptoms:

once a child is infected with chicken-pox it causes the symptoms in about 7-21 days which is called incubation period. The virus enters the nose and throat causing flu, pharyngitis like symptoms reaching the lungs causing cough. Through the blood stream from the lungs the virus reaches the skin surface causing the typical pox of the disease. Fever may range from 101-104 degree f.


The pox appear as red rash to begin with turning into raised, bumpy eruptions filled with fluid. This lasts for a period of seven days when it tends to dry out and fall in scabs. These eruptions start appearing over the trunk and neck and spread all over the body including the mouth causing ulcers, the scalp etc.


Itching is the predominant symptom of this ailment. Scratching does not allow the lesion to heal and can cause a mark in the area.

During the first two days of infection and till the lesion dries out the chances of transmission to others are high.

One good news at the end of this is that one attack gives life long immunity.


Complications:

though chicken pox is more of a nuisance, it has the potential to cause infections like pneumonia, encephalitis and severe bacterial infections of the eruptions. So it is imperative that a child whose immunity is low due to illnesses like leukemia.

The same virus can remain dormant in the nerve sheaths and cause herpes zoster or shingles in adult life.


Home treatment:

keep the child at home till the crusts dry out.

Better than a bath is to help the child with swab either with luke-warm or normal temperature water whichever is comfortable to the child. Do not scrub or rub the skin.

Trim the nails of the child.

A soft, bland diet should be given.
Avoid intake of salty and acidic foods like orange juice etc.


What can homoeopathy do?


Homoeopathy has good remedies to prevent the occurrence with the application of prophylactic medicines. It has good remedies to reduce the itching, relieve the concomitant conditions like nasal catarrh, throat infections, cough, blisters in the mouth during the attack. It can prevent / treat secondary infections thereby reducing the probability of complications. It is as mild and safe as one would desire to see the child through the ordeal.