Chicken Pox Complications
Risk groups
- Newborns
- Adults
- Pregnant woman
- Pregnant woman
- Children older than fourteen years old.
Common complications
- Children five years old and younger-bacterial infection at blister site.
- Adults-varicella pneumonia
Uncommon complications
Pregnant women exposed to chicken pox during their first trimester-congenial varicella syndrome which causes birth defects such as eye problems and an under developed limb.
- Viral infections
- Scaring
Rare
Older children-the virus effects the brain resulting in muscle coordination problems (acute cerebellar ataxia) which is considered a mild illness
- Meningitis-the inflammation of the lining of the spinal cord and brain.
- Encephalitis-inflammation of the brain, usually from a virus.
- Reye’s syndrome (myocarditis), which is an inflammation of the heart.
Later in life
- Shingles, a painful lesion type rash.
Chicken Pox
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