The unusual chickenpox symptom you might notice at tea time – before spots appear
FOR most parents the prospect of chickenpox is both dreaded and accepted as a necessary evil in equal measure.
It's a common illness and most of the time, it leaves children feeling uncomfortable and itchy.
The condition is characterised by those tell-tale red spots, but there is also a symptom that you might spot at tea time, before the dreaded dots appear.
Experts at the NHS state that before a rash appears, it's likely those with the condition will experience a loss of appetite.
This might mean little ones refuse food at meals times or eat less than usual.
Other signs before the rash appears might include a high temperature, aches and pains, along with a general feeling of being unwell.
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states: "Chickenpox is very itchy and can make children feel miserable, even if they do not have many spots.
"The chickenpox spots look the same on children and adults. But adults usually have a high temperature for longer and more spots than children.
"It's possible to get chickenpox more than once, but it's unusual."
An itchy spotty rash anywhere on the body is the main symptom of chickenpox, which happens in three stages.
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At first, they will appear as small spots and will be red, pink, or darker or the same colour as the surrounding skin.
In the second stage, the spots become filled with fluid and become blisters.
These are very itchy and may burst, the NHS states.
Stage three is when the spots form a scab, these are flaky - while others are likely to leak fluid.
If your little one has chickenpox, they will need to stay away from school and nursery until all the spots have formed a scab.
This is usually five days after the spots first appear, according to the NHS.
To treat chickenpox at home, make sure to give them plenty of fluid, and if your child is struggling to drink, try them with ice lollies to make sure they don't become dehydrated.
You should also give them paracetamol to help with pain and discomfort, guidance states.
As well as this, you should trim down their nails and put socks on their hands at night to stop them scratching the spots.
To further soothe their discomfort, you can also try bathing them in cool water and pat the skin dry, then dress them in loose clothes.
It's important that you don't use ibuprofen unless advised to by a doctor, as this could cause serious skin infections, the NHS warns.
You should also make sure to not give children under the age of 16 aspirin.
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If you, or your child has chickenpox, make sure to stay away from newborn babies, people who are pregnant and those with a weakened immune system - as the illness can be dangerous for these groups of people.
You should speak to your GP if you're unsure on whether or not it's actually chickenpox or if you're concerned about your child.