- Health and Community Care chickenpox and asthma

Stephanie Jewell 25th may 2006

Unit 5 – Health and Community Care

Chickenpox is caused by a virus this is called the Herpes Zoster virus, the medical term for chickenpox is ‘varicella’. Children at most stage of their childhood catch this mild disease, in winter and spring the virus usually affects lots of children about once a year this is called an ‘epidemic’. Chickenpox is most common between the ages of two – eights years old children. The stated that “Babies who catch chickenpox within a few days of birth have around a 20% of dying from the infection.”

Chickenpox spreads in tiny droplets of saliva and nasal mucus within the infected person. The rash appears about two days after the person has been infected and takes around 10–21 for the symptoms to show after they have come in to contact with it. This part of the infection is called the ‘incubation period.’

The rash is made up from lots of red blisters which burst then scab over. The people infected are infectious until the last blister has burst and scabbed over this normally takes up to 5-7 days. After having chickenpox the virus stays in the body and kept under control by the immune system it remains ‘dormant.’ Later in life it is able to come back causing shingles.

Chickenpox in children usually starts with a slight fever and feeling unwell, sometimes with mild flu-like symptoms. A rash then appears in patches, usually behind the ears, under the arms, on the chest and stomach, and the arms and legs. When the rash appears is made up of small, itchy, red spots that turn into fluid-filled blisters within a few hours. They then dry out to form scabs in a day or two. Patches of spots continue to appear for up to six days. The NHS says, “Chickenpox is normally a very mild illness in children.” Adults are only able to get shingles if they have chickenpox before hand.

There is now a Chickenpox vaccine with the advent of a live attenuated varicella Zoster virus vaccine. Two live varicella vaccines are licensed in the UK and recommended for susceptible healthcare workers. Varicella Zoster vaccine has been used in Japan for many years, and is now part of the routine childhood immunization schedule in some countries, including Canada and the United States. When the child gets the symptoms it’s a good idea to keep the child off school for 5-6 days until the last blister has burst and scabbed over this is when the virus is no longer infectious to others. The patient should avoid scratching the blisters because of the risk of infection and cutting nails short or out gloves on as constant scratching will scar. will help to relieve the itching also try to keep the patient in cold surroundings, as heat and sweat may make the itching worse.

The support available for parents when their child is suffering with chickenpox are ones such as the NHS service and the child are able to go to their local general practitioner Tassoni says that parents or careers should call a doctor if

“coughing
seizures
abnormal drowsiness
Unsteady when walking.”

(Pg. 336, 2002)

This is a preview of the whole essay

“coughing
seizures
abnormal drowsiness
Unsteady when walking.”

(Pg. 336, 2002)

If the child’s condition becomes worse then children and families are able to go to the hospital and be treated there. As an early years practitioner I would take my role in keeping the child feeling comfortable and relaxed while in the setting I was working in. With chickenpox I feel the childcare worker should have knowledge of the virus, to improve and update their understanding because parents will need support and reassurance. In the setting the child is attending childcare worker should always follow policies within that environment. By filling in the accident book or medication book this can prevent confusion between the childcare worker and parents. The role should be to give advice and be there for both parents and children. Chickenpox is usually only keeps children always from their school setting for up to a week that is when all the spots have scabbed over. I fink it would be very important as an early years practitioner to welcome the child back into the environment as the child may feel wary about coming back after being home. The ways in which this could be done is by the other class members to do a get well card or welcome back posters and so on. The early years practitioner may also talk about chickenpox and how the child felt. So emotional and socially the child and even family may feel anxiety about returning. Parents could start to feel tired and withdrawn while they child is going though the chickenpox virus as they is disturbed sleep or lack of sleep, the child may not be eating which can cause parents to become distressed.

Asthma affects the airways, the small tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. Asthma is when the airways are sensitive and easily become swollen. When they are irritated they narrow, the muscles around them tighten, and there may be an increase in production of sticky mucus or phlegm. This makes it harder to get enough breath, and causes wheezing, coughing and your chest may feel tight.

Asthma may be very mild, or it can be very severe. Most cases are somewhere in between. Even if your asthma is mild an asthma attack can become very serious, if you can't control the symptoms with your treatment. The cause of asthma is not fully understood. It is partly an allergic condition. There is also a genetic connection between asthma, hay fever and eczema. This suggests that these three conditions can be inherited. Sometimes certain triggers can bring on symptoms. It's sensible to try to avoid these triggers as much as possible, as they will make your asthma worse. Common triggers include house dust mite, animal fur, pollen, tobacco smoke, cold air, viral and bacterial chest infections.

There are many factors that can bring on an attack or the condition ones such as passing it from parent to child which is inhered.

Attacks can be triggered by

Breathing in (inhaling) certain allergens (something that causes an allergy), such as pollen or fungal spores, animal fur or house- dust mite droppings.
Viral and bacterial chest infections.
Exercise, especially when it is cold.
Changes in the weather.
Fumes given off by cleaning products and solvents in the home including floor cleaners, room fresheners and polish.
Tobacco smoke, pollution or vehicle exhaust fumes.
Worry and stress.
Foods such as nuts and shellfish, or food additives.

If an asthma attack your immune system overreacts to a trigger causing the airways to become swollen and inflamed. The muscles in the airways also tighten causing your air passages to get narrower.

states that “Around 1 to 2 per cent of all children get chronic asthma during their childhood. Also approximately 15 to 20 per cent of all children will have symptoms of wheeze without having chronic asthma.”

Symptoms of a severe attack include:

It will be difficult to breathe and to talk.
Your pulse may race.
Your lips and/or your finger nails may turn blue.
Your skin may tighten around your chest and neck.
Your nostrils may flair as you try and breathe.

Asthma’s Treatment is based on medicines taken through an inhaler (puffer), which helps the child breathe while having an asthma attack (relievers). If it is necessary medicines, again taken through an inhaler, to prevent the child from developing symptoms of an asthma attack.

The support given to children with asthma are ones such as the schools nurse and the childcare worker as they will need to be first aid trained in case an emergency does arise within the setting. They are many different support groups one such as Asthma UK. “Asthma UK is the charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the 5.2 million people in the UK whose lives are affected by asthma.” This charity is well known across the UK and are based London it provides an advice line so that people can ring for queries or even to talk. As an early years practitioner I believe that children should be treated the same. Even though the child may have asthma should have the same opportunities as its peers this way socially the child will not be hiding behind the condition. Children with serve asthma can feel pressured by life as they may not be able to do all the activities ‘everyone else is doing.’ I think the family with children who have asthma may need support even from childcare worker by sitting and listening. The childcare worker should find information on this subject not only for themselves, families but for the children as they can learn not to discriminate children if they cannot do something.

The difference between chickenpox and asthma is that asthma is a chronic condition which means once children or adults get this then the chances are that they will have it for the rest of their lives in exception children have been known to grow out of the disease in most cases the milder it is the more likely its to be grown out off. Asthma is a breathing problem and can be brought on by many different things; where as chickenpox in children are infectious and once children have had the virus called Herpes Zoster virus it is very unlikely for children to get it again until adulthood when it is called shingles. When children have chickenpox it’s uncomfortable and itches as it scabs on the skin. The chronic condition ‘asthma’ is more life threatening in young children and can be futile if an attack is not controlled.

Overall chickenpox is a virus and once a child has had it then its likely not to come back it usually is infectious up till 5-7 days after it has be recognised, when the blisters have scabbed over. Asthma can not be caught and is not infectious to other although it is thought to be inherited from parents and can be trigged by certain smells, tastes and weathers.

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