Chicken Pox In Teens
Chicken Pox will Pass, Unlike Acne
Teens are usually worried about the opposite sex, having enough pizza, and acne breakout before a date. When teens have chicken pox, it can be devastating. They are probably already self-conscious due to acne outbreaks and typical issues that teens have regarding their appearance. When teens get chicken pox, the effects are often more emotional than physical. On the plus side, when teens do have complications, they are able to communicate that they are sick and need to go to a healthcare professional. Though teens don’t have as high a percentage of complications and hospitalization as adults, they do have more than younger children.
The outbreak of chicken pox (varicella) will often cause a teen to hide at home long past the time that they are no longer contagious due to the unsightly appearance of the scabs. This can cause teens to miss more school than a younger child will.
The listed chicken pox symptoms may be more severe in teens than in younger children:
- Fever
- Number of pox
- Length of illness
- Itching
- Fatigue
Teens are more concerned about permanent scarring and are more cooperative with not itching and keeping lotion on the chicken pox to ease the discomfort.
Most teens will get through a case of chicken pox without complications. They are a little easier than children to treat for chicken pox because they can participate in their own care and treatment. When a teen has other health issues, they should be in contact with their healthcare provider if they are exposed to chicken pox.
When a teen gets chicken pox, it is usually from a younger sibling. They may be susceptible because they were not immunized or the immunization didn’t provide protection. Teens may have other health issues or being receiving a medical treatment that will put them at higher risk for complications or a severe case of chicken pox.
Teens and others may not realize that they have been exposed to chicken pox and spread the virus before they develop symptoms. Some of the earliest symptoms of chicken pox include the following:
- Nasal congestion
- Loss of appetite
- Tiredness
- Fatigue
The most easily recognized chicken pox symptom is the rash that starts as a red spot, develops into an itchy blister that breaks open, and forms a scab.
Treating chicken pox in teens is the same as with other age groups. The virus will run its course, so all you can do is treat the symptoms with calamine lotion, acetaminophen, soothing oatmeal baths, and rest. Never give a teen aspirin to relieve symptoms due to the risk of Reye syndrome. Keep an eye out for complications.
When a teen has a sibling with chicken pox, he or she can reduce the chance of infection by avoiding contact and wearing a mask (the chicken pox virus is spread in the air). Some feel it is best to come down with chicken pox as a teen or child, so they don’t develop chicken pox as an adult due to a higher risk of complications and hospitalizations. An adult woman who is pregnant may expose her unborn child to the chicken pox virus if she never had it as a child and is exposed to the virus while pregnant. Each family has to weigh the risks.
Chicken Pox Age Groups
Back to Chicken Pox Age Groups.
