In most cases this highly contagious disease is mild, but for some people it can cause unpleasant complications.
Keep scrolling to find out the most common symptoms, who can catch it and whether you can travel or go to work when you have it.
For ways to keep your family living costs down, and kids of all ages happy and healthy,1. What are the symptoms of chickenpox?
Symptoms appear 10-21 days after being exposed to someone else with the disease and will get better by themselves after 1-2 weeks, in most cases without seeing a doctor.
Although it's considered to be a 'childhood illness', adults can still get it if they haven't had it before and symptoms tend to be more severe.
2. What are the 3 stages of chickenpox?
The 'stages' refer to the three phases of spots/rash. Some people only have a few spots whereas others may find they cover the whole body. In some cases it's even possible to have had it without having had any symptoms at all.
Stage 1: Stage 2: Stage 3: Is your child's rash chickenpox or could it be something else? Take a look at to help you decide3. What is the best treatment for chickenpox?
Take paracetamol to help with pain. notDrink plenty of fluids. Soothe the itch.Bathing in oatmeal. Remove the temptation to scratch.
The only thing you can do is treat the symptoms - as chickenpox is caused by a virus (the varicella-zoster virus) antibiotics won't help, except in rare cases where the spots become infected, for example if they are scratched.
- how much they cost, what's in them and how long they take to work4. How long is chickenpox contagious for?
Someone with chickenpox starts being contagious from one or two days before their rash appears and continues until the spots have crusted over to form scabs around five days after - so all in all, around seven days.
Chickenpox is caught by being in contact with the blisters and very occasionally through contact with objects such as bedding, clothing and toys.
The Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford says: 'If someone with chickenpox comes into contact with people who have not had the disease, about nine out of 10 of them will catch chickenpox.'
It's so easy to spread (and easy to catch), so anyone who knows they have it should stay away from public places until they can be sure they're no longer contagious and away from people who could be harmed by catching it.
We look into what's gone wrong and how to get help if you need it5. Can you get chickenpox twice?
You can get chickenpox twice but it's unusual.
Shingles generally starts as a headache and a tingling or painful feeling on the skin before progressing to a painful rash of chickenpox-like spots in a line along just one side of the body, usually on your chest or stomach.
You can't spread shingles to other people but if you encounter someone who hasn't had chickenpox before, they could catch chickenpox from your shingles.
If you're over 70 and concerned about getting shingles, you can get a vaccine to reduce the risk of catching it and making the symptoms milder if you do.
Find out what works best for different ailments and whether more expensive formulations are worth it6. Is there a vaccine for chickenpox?
Yes there is a chickenpox vaccine, but the 'varicella vaccine' is currently only recommended for those at risk of complications from the virus, or those in regular or close contact with someone who would be vulnerable if they caught chickenpox.
However, in its last review it concluded that it wouldn't be cost-effective because it could end up reducing adult exposure to the chickenpox virus through their lifetime so that in older age they'd be more likely to suffer from shingles - a costly and difficult condition to treat.
Also, the vaccine doesn't guarantee lifetime immunity from chickenpox although if you have it after vaccination you'll generally have milder symptoms.
- what is it, how is it spread and can it be treated?7. Can I go to work and visit family or friends if my child has chickenpox?
If your child or children have chickenpox, you'll need to keep them away from school or nursery (or, in the case of adults, work) until all the spots have formed a scab, which is usually five days after the spots have appeared.
If you're a healthy adult and have had chickenpox, you are fine to go to work, out to the shops or to visit other people, even if you are looking after someone who has chickenpox, but make sure you keep good hygiene such as washing your hands.
If you haven't had chickenpox or can't be certain that you have, with such a high infection rate (90%) you should assume that you, too, will catch it and will need to follow the same rules as children in terms of how long you'll be infectious and the need to isolate.
There are certain people who are greater risk of complications if they catch the chickenpox virus so it's best to avoid contact entirely:
8. Can you fly with chickenpox?
In general, yes, but the rules vary from one airline to another so you should check with the specific one you're travelling with.
Listed here are the current chickenpox policies* of some passenger airlines flying out of the UK but always check because rules may change.
undefined9. Why is chickenpox more common in Spring?
Chickenpox is a seasonal disease, with most cases occurring in winter and spring, and there is often a peak between March and May.
The reasons infections can be seasonal is complex and experts say a whole host of factors could be involved including the weather and how that impacts human behaviour (for example, whether we are spending more time indoors because it's cold or outside because it's warmer).
There's also research being done into whether our immunity to infection changes depending on the time of year and if this is to do with our internal body clock.
However, it's still possible to catch a disease like chickenpox outside of peak times so if you spot symptoms 'out of season' don't assume it's something else.
Tips for living well: undefinedsource https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/9-things-every-parent-needs-to-know-about-chickenpox-aocIF7s1OAMQ