Health

Chickenpox warning: The medication parents are being urged not to use to treat symptoms


Chickenpox is characterised by red spots on the skin which eventually fill with fluid and become blisters before scabbing over. The spots are usually accompanied by a high temperature above 38C, aches and pains and a general feeling of being unwell, and loss of appetite.

The notice, which came from an earlier St John Ambulance post, states: “Chickenpox is going around again! Please remember NOT to give your children nurofen/ibuprofen if you think your child has it.

“This type of medicine is an anti-inflammatory. It reacts with the chickenpox making them go deeper into the skin tissue, potentially causing a more severe secondary infection.”

The post, which has been shared 19,000 times on social media, shows an image of a child with chickenpox alongside smaller pictures of what happens to the spots if ibuprofen is given.

Research over the years has shown using ibuprofen to treat chickenpox may lead to an increased risk of a serious skin infection known as necrotising fasciitis.

DON’T MISS

It’s important to stay away from school, nursery or work until all the spots have crusted over. This is usually five days after the spots first appeared.

As well as not using ibuprofen, the NHS warns:

Not to give aspirin to children under 16

Not being around pregnant women, newborn babies and people with a weakened immune system, as it can be dangerous for them

The chickenpox vaccine

If there’s risk of harming someone with a weakened immune system you can get the chickenpox vaccine on the NHS.

For example, a child could be vaccinated if one of their parents was having chemotherapy.

The vaccine is also available at some private clinics or travel clinics and costs between £120 and £200.



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