In his column in the show "Sans rendez-vous" on Europe 1, doctor Jimmy Mohamed talks about chickenpox.
This disease usually manifests itself in children without seriousness but can cause serious complications in adults.
Chickenpox is a mild illness most of the time.
When it affects the child, it is often a bad time to go but it can lead to serious complications when it occurs in adulthood.
In his column in the show "Sans rendez-vous" on Europe 1, doctor Jimmy Mohamed describes the symptoms as well as the possible treatments.
In particular, he recommends that adults who have not contracted the disease be vaccinated.
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Find all of Sans rendez-vous in replay and podcast here
Chickenpox is a virus, varicella zoster or VZV, belonging to the herpes group.
It all starts with a small period of temperature, followed by a rash.
This often occurs in the neck but sometimes also in the mouth.
Pimples form, first in small papules evolving into vesicles that are caused to rupture.
Scabs with itching appear all over the body up to the scalp.
Chickenpox is unique in that it spares the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands.
How is chickenpox in children treated?
There is no specific treatment for chickenpox.
The child must be accompanied while waiting for the disease to pass.
It is possible to give him paracetamol if ever the fever persists.
The effects of antihistamines against itching are rarely beneficial.
It is recommended to disinfect oozing pimples, as they can superinfect, and avoid prolonged baths.
Parents must be careful to cut their children's fingernails short to protect themselves against any skin infection caused by scratching.
Above all, children should never be given anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen.
They are exposed to Reye's syndrome which can lead to neurological complications and even death.
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The recommended vaccination for adults
In adults, chickenpox can be serious.
It causes pneumonia and secondary bacterial infections.
Vaccination is possible and recommended from the age of 12 for all people who have not had chickenpox.
If parents have not contracted the virus, and their child is itself affected, they can be vaccinated urgently within 3 days.
The operation consists of the injection of two doses spaced 4 to 8 weeks or 6 to 10 weeks apart, depending on the vaccine used.
For people who do not know if they had chickenpox in childhood, it is possible to take a blood test to check whether or not there are antibodies (serology) against the disease.