THE HSE has alerted the public to the symptoms of a common infectious disease that can be “dangerous” for pregnant women and babies.
Chickenpox, which mainly affects children, is characterised by an itchy rash that can appear anywhere on the body.
The HSE said on X: “Chickenpox is a common infectious disease that mostly affects children under 10.
“It can be dangerous for pregnant women and babies, so try to avoid contact with others if you think your child has chickenpox.
“Find out how to treat symptoms of chickenpox.”
Red spots turn into fluid-filled blisters then form crusty or flaky scabs, which eventually fall off.
But there are actually several other lesser-known symptoms of the condition to look out for.
And some of these can require immediate medical attention.
Even before any spots appear, you or your child might experience flu-like symptoms, such as:
- A high temperature (fever) of 38C or above
- Aching, painful muscles
- A headache
- Feeling sick
- A sore throat
- Tiredness
- A stomach ache
- Loss of appetite
- Generally feeling unwell
However, they can show up anywhere, including inside the ears and mouth, and on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
The rash tends to start small before developing into blisters, which become very itchy after about 12 hours.
Within 24 to 48 hours, the fluid in the blisters dries up and crusts over.
WHEN TO GET HELP
Chickenpox will usually get better by itself in one to two weeks without you needing see a GP.
But you should get urgent advice if:
- the skin around the chickenpox blisters is hot, painful and red – note that redness may be harder to see on brown or black skin
- your child has chickenpox and is dehydrated
- chickenpox symptoms suddenly get worse
- you’re pregnant and have not had chickenpox before, or you’re not sure, and you’ve been near someone with chickenpox
- you have a weakened immune system and have been near someone with chickenpox
- you think your newborn baby has chickenpox
Go to an emergency department if:
Your child has chickenpox and they:
- have a fit or seizure
- have trouble walking or are very weak
- are drowsy or hard to wake
Tell ED or ambulance staff in advance that your child has chickenpox. They may need to take precautions to prevent the infection spreading.
Pregnant women should attend their GP or emergency department if they have been “near someone who has the virus” or “think they have chickenpox”.
The HSE said it is “rare to get chickenpox while pregnant”.
They added: “Most pregnant women who get chickenpox recover, with no harmful effects to the baby.
“But it can sometimes cause health problems for mothers and babies.
“About 1 in 10 women who get chickenpox in pregnancy develops pneumonia (serious chest infection).
“There’s a small risk of your baby being born with an illness.”
“This risk increases if you get chickenpox when you are over 36 weeks pregnant.”
They added: “Your treatment will depend on the stage of your pregnancy and your symptoms.”
