Chickenpox mostly affects children and is not usually a serious condition but it can make little ones feel quite miserable for a while and the spots are very itchy. Chickenpox is very contagious and the only way to prevent chickenpox is to have the chickenpox shot. Before the vaccine was available, parents used to have chicken pox parties so if one child was diagnosed with it, then the others could catch it and get it over with. Touchwood Pharmacy offers the chickenpox vaccination in Sydenham and the chickenpox vaccination in Northampton.
What are the symptoms of chickenpox?
Chickenpox is characterised by itchy red spots but most children usually begin to feel unwell before the spots appear. The spots will fill with fluid and become blisters before bursting, they can be found anywhere on the body. When the blisters have burst, the spots will scab over. The spots may be accompanied by a high fever and general malaise with aches and pains. The spots are incredibly itchy and stopping children from scratching them is one of the biggest challenges. Scratched spots can leave lifelong scars.
Can adults get chickenpox?
Any adult who has had neither chickenpox nor the chickenpox vaccine can pick up chickenpox and it is a more serious illness in adults than in children. There is a chickenpox vaccine for adults and children which protects against the Varicella Zoster virus but it is not routinely included as part of the childhood vaccination schedule and is only offered on the NHS to people who are in close contact with someone who is particularly vulnerable to chickenpox or its complications. The Varicella vaccine schedule for infants is one shot at around twelve months of age with a booster in pre-school. For older children and adults, the vaccine is administered as two injections with about four to eight weeks gap between each shot.
For more information about the chickenpox vaccination in Sydenham and the chickenpox vaccination in Northampton contact Touchwood Pharmacy or learn more on our website.
