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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffCall your family doctor if you or your child has signs and symptoms common to chickenpox. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.
Information to gather in advance
- Pre-appointment restrictions. Ask if there are any restrictions you or your child should follow in the time leading up to the appointment, such as staying isolated from others so as not to spread infection.
- Symptom history. Write down any symptoms you or your child has had, and for how long.
- Recent exposure to possible sources of infection. Try to remember if you or your child has been exposed to someone with signs and symptoms of chickenpox in the last few weeks.
- Key medical information. Include any other health problems and the names of any medications you or your child is taking.
- Questions to ask your doctor. Write down your questions in advance so that you can make the most of your time with your doctor.
The list below suggests questions to raise with your doctor about chickenpox.
- What is the most likely cause of these signs and symptoms?
- Are there any other possible causes?
- What treatment approach do you recommend?
- How soon do you expect symptoms to improve?
- Are there any home remedies or self-care steps that could help relieve symptoms?
- Am I or is my child contagious? For how long?
- What steps should be taken to reduce the risk of infecting others?
Don't hesitate to ask more questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor may ask:
- What signs and symptoms have you noticed, and when did they first appear?
- Has anyone else you know had signs and symptoms common to chickenpox within the last few weeks?
- Are you and your child current with recommended vaccinations for your age group?
- Are you or is your child currently being treated or have you recently been treated for any other medical conditions?
- What medications are you or your child currently taking, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs as well as vitamins and supplements?
- Is your child in school or child care?
- Are you pregnant or breast-feeding?
What you can do in the meantime
While you wait for your appointment, you may be able to reduce fever with ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Avoid aspirin — in people with chickenpox, it increases the risk of Reye's syndrome.
Rest as much as possible, and avoid contact with others until you've seen the doctor. Chickenpox is highly contagious until skin lesions have fully crusted.
Diagnosis
Doctors generally diagnose chickenpox based on the telltale rash.
If there's any doubt about the diagnosis, chickenpox can be confirmed with laboratory tests, including blood tests or a culture of lesion samples.
- Harriman KH, et al. CDC Traveler's Health: Yellow book. Varicella (chickenpox). http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/varicella.aspx. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Albrecht MA. Clinical features of varicella-zoster virus infection: Chickenpox. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Albrecht MA. Prevention of varicella-zoster virus infection: Chickenpox. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Whitley RJ. Varicella-zoster virus. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 76th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00137-5--s0040&displayedEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00137-5--s0045&uniq=210636258&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&sid=1027882434#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00137-5%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-443-06839-3. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Albrecht MA. Treatment of varicella-zoster virus infection: Chickenpox. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Burnell PA. Varicella (chickenpox, shingles). In: Goldman L, et al., eds. Goldman: Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/210636258-4/1027901179/1492/1333.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2805-5..50403-1_16674. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Recommended Immunization Schedules for Persons Aged 0-18 Years — United States, 2010. MMWR. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/child/2010/10_0-18yrs_11x17fold-booklet-pr.pdf. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Chickenpox. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. https://merck.com/mmpe/sec14/ch189/ch189b.html. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Herpes zoster vaccine Q&A (shingles). http://198.246.98.21/vaccines/vpd-vac/shingles/vac-faqs.htm. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Varicella. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00031-7--s29000&uniq=210636258&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&sid=1027914876#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00031-7--s29000%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-323-05610-6. Accessed July 20, 2010.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 27, 2010.
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