~..CHICKENPOX..~

What Is Chickenpox?

Chickenpox is caused by a virus called varicella zoster. People who get the virus often develop a rash of spots that look like blisters all over their bodies. The blisters are small and sit on an area of red skin that can be anywhere from the size of a pencil eraser to the size of a dime.

You've probably heard that chickenpox are itchy. It's true. The illness also may come along with a runny nose and cough. But the good news is that chickenpox is a common illness for kids, and most get better by resting just like you do with a cold or the flu.

And the really good news is that, thanks to the chickenpox vaccine, lots of kids don't get chickenpox at all. Kids who do get it after they've gotten the shot often get less severe cases, which means they get better quicker.

How Does Chickenpox Spread?

Chickenpox is contagious, meaning that someone who has it can easily spread it to someone else. Someone who has chickenpox is most contagious during the first 2 to 5 days of being sick. That's usually about 1 to 2 days before the rash shows up. So you could be spreading around chickenpox without even knowing it!

A person who has chickenpox can pass it to someone else by coughing or sneezing. When he or she coughs, sneezes, laughs, and even talks, tiny drops come out of the mouth and nose. These drops are full of the chickenpox virus. It's easy for others to breathe in these drops or get them on their hands. Before you know it, the chickenpox virus has infected someone new.

Itchy-Itchy, Scratchy-Scratchy

If you are that unlucky person, how do you keep your chickenpox from driving you crazy? They itch, but you're not supposed to scratch them.

These tips can help you feel less itchy:

• Keep cool because heat and sweat will make you itch more. You might want to put a cool, wet washcloth on the really bad areas.
• Trim your fingernails, so if you do scratch, you won't tear your skin.
• Soak in a lukewarm bath. Adding some oatmeal to your bath water can help relieve the itching.
• Have your mom or dad help you apply calamine lotion, which soothes itching.

Get a Shot, Avoid the Dots!

Not long ago, 3 million people got chickenpox each year in the United States. But now that kids receive the shot, fewer and fewer people get chickenpox.

Have you had the chickenpox vaccine? You might not remember because it's often given at age 1. But you can get it when you're older, too. Ask your mom or dad if you've had yours. You'll be glad that you did if chickenpox starts making its way around your school!

~..SOME KNOWLEDGE THAT WE SHOULD ALERT..!! HUHU2..