Varicella zoster is a virus that causes chicken pox blisters. Those who contract this virus will develop chicken pox blister sores all over their entire body. Generally, the blisters are little and range in size from that of a pencil eraser to as large as a dime. The blisters are very itchy and scratching the blisters can increase the likelihood of spreading the virus to other areas of the body. Also, those with the virus may have a cough and runny nose, too. It is quite common for kids to catch chicken pox and the best way to recover is by resting and not scratching the blisters. Today, there is a chicken pox vaccine and most kids receive this vaccine so it is not as likely that your child will develop chicken pox as it would be if they did not receive the vaccine. If your child does receive the chicken pox blister vaccine and still comes down with the virus it will likely be much milder than it would have been otherwise. That makes it worthwhile to schedule your children for chicken pox vaccines if they haven’t received them yet.
Those who come down with chicken pox may first have a cough, runny nose, and sneezing, like they are getting a cold. Then, a couple days later a rash starts to emerge, frequently on the face and chest and in tiny little spots. From the initial rash it is possible for the chicken pox to spread over the entire body. It is not uncommon for the rash to spread to the mouth ears, and even genitals. The virus may affect some individuals mildly with only a few blisters. Others will experience a severe case with blisters all over their body.
In the early stages the rash looks like little pink dots, but the little pink dots soon have a blister. After about two days the blisters begin to crust and get cloudy. At this point it is possible for new blisters to appear. Generally, the blisters appear in waves and usually stop occurring after seven days. It takes up to 14 days for the blisters to scab over and for the individual to no longer be contagious.
Individuals with chicken pox may also experience a general feeling of malaise, stomachache, and a fever. Those who feel like they may be coming down with the chicken pox or the appearance of a rash of small red dots on the body should make an appointment with their doctor as soon as possible.