Uh-oh, is that just a harmless rash… or something more? One moment, your little one is happily playing, and the next, they’re scratching like there’s no tomorrow. Could it be chickenpox? You’ve heard the stories—itchy red spots, fevers, and restless nights—but how can you be sure? Chickenpox is a highly contagious viral infection that causes blister-like rashes and usually lasts between five to ten days.
Before you hit full panic mode, let’s break down the telltale signs and what you need to do next.
Chicken pox symptoms
Chicken pox symptoms can sneak up on your child when you least expect it. At first, it may seem like just another viral infection—fever, headache, sore throat, and that all-too-familiar stomachache that sends kids straight to the couch. These initial symptoms usually last for a few days, with a fever ranging between 38.3°C and 38.8°C.
Your child might also experience malaise, that general feeling of being unwell, and a noticeable loss of appetite. At this stage, chicken pox might not even cross your mind, but staying alert can help you manage it effectively from the get-go.
One of the chicken pox symptoms is itchy rashes. Stop your child from scratching as that leads to scarring.
The real giveaway, though, is the rash. If your child develops red, itchy spots on their face, back, or abdomen, followed by a rapid spread to other areas like the scalp, mouth, genitals, and limbs, then you’re most likely dealing with chicken pox. The discomfort begins when these rashes start forming, and your child’s instinct to scratch is hard to control.
However, scratching can lead to scarring and even secondary infections, so it’s crucial to keep their nails short and encourage gentle relief methods like cool baths or calamine lotion.
3 stages of chicken pox rashes
Understanding the rash cycle helps you manage your child’s discomfort and recovery. Unlike other viral infections that present with uniform rashes, chicken pox symptoms progress in three distinct stages:
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Papules – These small, raised pink or red bumps often resemble pimples or insect bites. They appear in clusters and can be found all over the body.
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Vesicles – Within two to four days, the papules evolve into fluid-filled blisters. These vesicles have flimsy walls and can burst easily, spreading the virus further.
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Scabs – Once the blisters break, they form crusty, dry scabs. This is the final stage, indicating the end of the contagious period. However, since all three stages can occur at the same time, your child remains infectious until every lesion has scabbed over completely.
Causes of chicken pox
Blame it on the varicella-zoster virus (VZV). This highly contagious virus spreads like wildfire, making it almost impossible to avoid once it’s in your home or school.
Transmission of chicken pox
Chicken pox is highly contagious. It is spread through air when an infected person sneezes or coughs. It is also spread by direct contact through saliva, mucus and the fluid inside the blisters.
The period in which an infected child is contagious is dependent on when chicken pox symptoms appear: two days before the rashes manifest until when the blisters develop crusts.
When can a child return to school?
As much as they might miss their friends (or you might need a break), it’s important to wait until all the blisters have dried up before sending them back. This usually takes about a week. Until then, home is the safest place—for them and everyone else.
Chicken pox might be an unavoidable part of childhood, but with the right care and a little patience, your kiddo will be back to their usual self before you know it.
Risk factors
While chicken pox is often considered a childhood illness, not all kids experience it the same way. Some children sail through with just a few blisters and mild discomfort, while others suffer from high fevers and relentless itching. The severity often depends on their immune system and vaccination status.
The following groups are at higher risk of complications:
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Those who haven’t had the virus before – If you or your child have never been exposed, your immune system is unprepared to fight it off.
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Unvaccinated individuals – The chicken pox vaccine provides significant protection, reducing the chances of severe symptoms and complications.
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Children with compromised immune systems – This includes kids undergoing treatment for medical conditions, those with autoimmune disorders, and even pregnant women.
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Anyone on immune-suppressing medication – If your child is taking chemotherapy, steroids, or other drugs that weaken immunity, they are more vulnerable to severe cases.
If your child falls into any of these categories, it’s best to consult a doctor immediately if you suspect chicken pox symptoms.
Complications
For most kids, chicken pox is an uncomfortable but manageable illness. However, in some cases, it can lead to serious complications. Here are some conditions that can arise:
- Eczema – Children with existing skin conditions like eczema may develop more severe rashes that are harder to manage.
- Bacterial infections – Though rare, chicken pox can lead to bacterial infections in the skin, bones, joints, and even the brain.
- Pregnancy-related risks – If a pregnant woman contracts chicken pox, her unborn baby may be at risk for birth defects and other health complications. If she develops chicken pox after giving birth, her newborn could suffer from life-threatening infections.
- Shingles – Even after recovering from chicken pox, the virus can stay dormant in the nervous system. Later in life, it may reactivate as shingles, a painful skin condition more common in older adults.
- Pneumonia – Some cases of chicken pox lead to viral or bacterial pneumonia, which can be dangerous.
- Encephalitis – This condition involves swelling of the brain due to a viral or bacterial infection, and it can be life-threatening.
- Toxic shock syndrome – A rare but serious bacterial infection that can develop in response to chicken pox.
- Reye’s syndrome – This rare condition affects the liver and brain, typically linked to aspirin use in children recovering from viral infections.
When to call the doctor

When the child has the following chicken pox symptoms:
- Has a fever that persists for more than four days and is above 38.8 C
- Has difficulty breathing
- Experiences severe cough
- Has an area of rashes that is red, swollen, sore or warm
- Has rashes that discharge pus
- Experiences difficulty walking
- Experiences severe headache
- Appears confused
- Becomes sensitive to bright light
- Becomes drowsy or hard to wake up
- Complains of a stiff neck
- Vomits
If you schedule a visit to your doctor, inform him in advance that your child has chicken pox symptoms to avoid infecting others.
Tests and diagnosis
Doctors can determine the infection from one of the chief chicken pox symptoms: the rash. If more confirmation is required, then laboratory tests can be requested.
Treatments and drugs
Antibiotics won’t kill this particular virus. The only time it will be prescribed is when the sores develop a bacterial infection. Bacteria usually occur when children frequently scratch and pick at the blisters.
Antiviral medications are prescribed for those who are at risk of developing health complications.
Personal hygiene is important. Chicken pox symptoms can be transmitted easily from person to person, so do ensure you wash your hands after touching your child who has chicken pox.
Home remedies for chicken pox
This contagious disease is uncomfortable due to the fever and rashes. Here are things you can do to help ease the child from discomfort caused by chicken pox symptoms:
- Give sponge baths using lukewarm water. Give the bath in intervals of three to four hours during the first few days of infection. This helps relieve itching. Other baths to try are the ones with uncooked oatmeal or water with baking soda which relieves itchiness, too.
- Pat the body dry. Do not rub a clean towel.
- Apply calamine cream to help relieve itchiness. Avoid applying on the face and near the eyes.
- Offer cold food such as yoghurt, ice cream, and fresh fruit shakes; offer soft food such as bananas, and porridge, and a soup-based meal such as noodles, mee sua, kway teow. These foods help when mouth sores, which make eating and chewing difficult, develop.
- A bland diet is better especially if the child has mouth sores.
- Avoid giving the child food that is salty and acidic.
- Give acetaminophen to help relieve any pain from mouth sores. Do not give aspirin since it can cause Reye’s syndrome.

Ask the doctor about creams that he can recommend for rashes at the genital area.
Bursting those chicken pox blisters or scratching them can lead to scarring, so do take steps to prevent that.
Encourage the child to avoid scratching because doing so can cause bacterial infection. At night, use mittens or socks on a child’s hand to stop him from scratching the rashes while he is asleep.
It is also advisable to groom his fingernails (cutting and keeping them clean) to avoid bacterial infections in case the blisters are accidentally scratched.
Prevention of chicken pox
Getting vaccinated reduces the chances of a child catching chicken pox. It will also lead to experiencing milder chicken pox symptoms and having a faster recovery period compared to someone who isn’t immunised.
In Singapore, it is not compulsory to vaccinate children against chickenpox, but it is recommended for children between 12 to 18 months to obtain the vaccination for life-long immunity:
- For children below 13 years of age, MOH’s Expert Committee on Immunisation recommends they should receive two doses with an interval of at least 3 months. The first dose should be given at 12 months of age and the second dose at least 3 months later, by 18 months of age.
- Those who are 13 years and above continue to receive 2 doses, at 6 weeks intervals.
To prevent spreading the disease to others at home:
- Practice proper hygiene. Ask everyone to always wash their hands properly (follow the 20-second rule) before eating and after coming from the bathroom.
- Isolate the child who is infected with chicken pox.
- Encourage the caretakers to use masks inside the room and wash their hands after leaving the room.
While chicken pox is a common childhood disease, care and precaution can be taken with the chicken pox vaccinations available at our polyclinics in Singapore and clinics islandwide. Check with your doctor about this.
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